SectionA:TheorganisationsandgroupswithinthepartnershipLeadapplicant

NameofOrganisation: MudlarksCommunityGarden

TypeofOrganisation: RegisteredCharity

Contactdetails: Contact- VictoriaHobsonEmail- vic@mudlarksgarden.org.ukPhone- 07835714766Address- 40WellingtonStreet.Hertford,SG143AW

Summaryoforganisation:

Mudlarkssupportsyoungpeopleandadultswithlearningdisabilitiesandmentalhealthissues.Ourprojectsincludeallotmentgardens,communitygardeningteamsandtheMudlarksCafé.Weprovidehorticulturaltherapy,learningandmeaningfulworkopportunitiesinthecommunitytobuildconfidence,improvewellbeing,increaseself-worthandreduceisolation.Mudlarkstakestheleadinapartnershipwith5SevereLearningDisability(SLD)schoolstorunaTransitionprogrammeforyoungpeople.

Partner1NameofOrganisation: WoodfieldSchool

TypeofOrganisation: SLDSchool

Contactdetails: Contact- GillWacebaEmail- 01442253476

Phone- admin@woodfield.herts.sch.uk

Address- MalmesCroft,HemelHempstead.Herts,HP38RLSummaryoforganisation:

PupilsfromWoodfieldSchoolattendtheMudlarksForestSchool.

Partner2

NameofOrganisation: LakesideSchool

TypeofOrganisation: SLDSchool

Contactdetails: Contact- JudithChamberlainEmail- admin@lakeside.herts.sch.uk

Phone- 01707327410Address- LemsfordLane,WelwynGardenCity,Herts,AL86YN

Summaryoforganisation:

PupilsfromLakesideSchoolattendtheMudlarksForestSchoolandtheallotments.

Partner3NameofOrganisation: GreensideSchool

TypeofOrganisation: SLDSchool

Contactdetails: Contact- PaulJoiner

Email- admin@greenside.herts.sch.uk

Phone- 01438315356Address- ShephallGreen,StevenageHerts,SG29XS

Summaryoforganisation:

PupilsfromGreensideschoolattendMudlarksForestSchoolandtheallotments

Partner4NameofOrganisation: AmwellViewSchool

TypeofOrganisation: SLDSchool

Contactdetails: Contact- NeilWard

Email- admin@amwell.herts.sch.uk

Phone- 01920870027Address- StationRoad,StansteadAbbots,NrWare.Herts,SG128EH

Summaryoforganisation:

PupilsfromAmwellViewSchoolattendMudlarksForestSchoolandtheallotments.

Partner6NameofOrganisation: WatlingViewSchool

TypeofOrganisation: SLDSchool

Contactdetails: Contact- WillFletcherEmail- admin@watlingview.herts.sch.uk

Phone- 01727850560

Address- WatlingView,StAlbans.Herts,AL12NUSummaryoforganisation:

PupilsfromWatlingViewSchoolattendMudlarksallotments

SectionB:Partnerships&StoriesWhatthepartnershipisachievingandlearning1. Yourpartnership’sprojectorinitiative.

Runinconjunctionwith5SLDschools,theMudlarksTransitionProgrammeforyoungpeoplewithautismandlearningdifficultiessupportstransitionfromschoolintoliving,learningandworkingasindependentlyaspossible.EachschoolhasagrowingareaattheMudlarksAllotment,andattendswithitsteachingstaff.Initiallyparticipantsspendtimeworkingandlearningwithintheirschoolgroup,butastheybecomemorefamiliarwiththeenvironmentandconfidencegrowstheybecomeintegratedintotheMudlarkscommunity.Graduallytheygetinvolvedwithotheropportunitieslikefeedingthechickensandcarpentry.Youngpeoplehavetheopportunitytomeetandsocialisewithpeopletheyarenotimmediatelyfamiliarwith,workwithstaffandvolunteersfromoutsideschool,andlearnnewskillsinasafe,supportedworkenvironment.Thisinvolvementinthecommunityhelpstoincreasemotivationandcommitmentandgainselfconfidence

2. Howdidyourpartnershipcomeaboutanddevelop?

WhilstworkingatLakesideSLDschoolVictoriaHobson(nowMudlarksMD)identifiedthattherewasalackofmeaningfulactivitiesforseriouslydisabledchildrenwithcomplexneedswhentheyleftschool.Throughoutschoolandcollegethesechildrenandtheirfamiliesareconstantlysupportedwithactivitiesandopportunities,butoncetheyleaveschoolthissupportceases.Theyoungpeopleoftenbecomesociallyisolated,andparentshavetotakeonadditionalcaringresponsibilities.Thiscanmeanthattheyhavetogiveupwork,puttingadditionalpressureonthefamily,whichinsomecasesleadstofamilybreak-down.AsourallotmentgardensbecameestablishedMudlarksgaveLakesideschooltheopportunitytobringtheirpupilstotheallotmentstobenefitfromhorticulturaltherapy.InitiallyworkingwithLakesideschoolMudlarksestablishedaForestSchool–creatinglearningopportunitiesinanout-doorenvironment.Thiswasverysuccessfulandbeneficialforthechildren,and5otherlocalSLDschoolsjoinedtooffertheForestSchoolopportunitytotheirstudents.Havingbuiltupstrongrelationshipswiththestaff,pupilsandparentsoftheseSLDschools,weidentifiedanopportunitytoformaliseactivitiesattheallotmentsintoaTransitionProgrammetoprovideapathwayforthesepupilsintoadulthood.

3. Impact.Pleasedescribewhatoutcomesyouareachieving,yourimpactorhowyouaremakingadifference.

MostyoungpeoplewhojoinMudlarksTransitionProgrammehaveneverpreviouslyhadtheopportunitytomeetandsocialisewithpeoplebeyondtheirfamilyandschoolnetwork.ManyareLookedAfterChildreninfostercare,livingindomesticcircumstanceswhichcanbechallengingforparents,whoneedcarerrespiteinordertopreventfamilybreakdown.WeofferplacesontheTransitionProgrammefromtheageof16,toensurethatyoungpeoplehavesupportandactivitiesastheyapproachleavingschool,providingcontinuityandsecurityastheygothroughthisdifficulttransition.1.Mudlarksallotmentsarepartofapublicallotmentsite,inanareawhichresidentsregularlypasswhilstoutwalking.Theallotmentsareahappy,vibrantplacewhereourstaff,volunteersandparticipantswithlearningdisabilitiesandmentalhealthissueslearnandworktogether.YoungpeopleontheTransitionProgrammegainconfidence,socialiseandmakefriendsastheybecomepartofthiscommunity.SomehavegrowninconfidencetotheextentthattheyhavejoinedtheSaturdayInclusiveFootballClub(heldatHertfordTownFootballClub),which(oftenforthefirsttime)givesthemasociallifeoutsideofschoolandhome.2.Byprovidingpost-schoolactivitiesandopportunitiestheprogrammekeepsyoungpeopleinvolvedandphysicallyactive,ratherthaninactiveandisolatedathome.Thisboostsphysicalandmentalwellbeing.3.Familieshavetheconfidencethatyoungpeoplearesafe,happyandactive,whichhelpsthemcontinuetowork,andhavehopeformeaningfulopportunitiesinthefuture.

4. Howpartnershipworkingishelpingyoutoachievemore.1.ByworkingdirectlywiththeSLDschools,boththroughForestSchoolandtheTransitionProgramme,wegettoknowpupilsandtheirfamiliesverywell.ThismeansthatweareabletoidentifyandengagewithyoungpeopletoenableasmoothmoveintotheTransitionProgramme.AsaresultweareabletosupportmoreyoungpeoplethanwouldbethecaseifwereliedonreferralsthroughSocialServices.Itensuresthatnoneoftheyoungpeoplegets‘lost’fromthesystem,andallwhoareinterestedcancontinuetobenefitfromsupportandmeaningfulactivities.Thisalsohelpstoalleviatepressure,andsupporttheSocialServicesteam.2.Becauseofourclose,ongoingrelationshipwiththeSLDschools,pupilscanstarttojointheTransitionProgrammefromtheageof16.Thismeansthatbythetimetheyreachthepointofleavingschoolat19theyarefamiliarandcomfortablewiththeenvironmentattheallotmentgardens,andlessanxiousaboutmovingon.Thismakestheprogrammemoreeffective.3.OurstrongrelationshipwithparentsledtotheestablishmentofthehighlysuccessfulMudlarksSummerSchemeforyoungpeoplewithautismandlearningdifficulties.Parentsrequestedtheprovisionofmeaningfulactivitiesthroughoutthesummerholidaystoassistthemwithcaringresponsibilities,andensurethatyoungpeoplearekeptoccupiedandstimulatedthroughouttheholidayperiod.

5. Howyouaremakingsurethatthepartnershipisworkingeffectively.

1.MudlarksstaffwhoruntheMudlarksForestSchoolarepresentintheschools,meetingandworkingwithteachersonaweeklybasis.Weattendstaffmeetingsandparentevenings,andareverymuchpartoftheschoolcommunity.2.ForourForestSchoolandTransitionProgramme,Mudlarksdeviseschemesofworkwhichfitinwiththeschool’sASDANunits.ThishelpstheschoolstodelivertheirASDANcurriculumandcommitments.ItisasignofthestrongtrustandrelationshipbetweentheschoolsandMudlarksthatwearegiventheresponsibilitytoprepareanddelivertheseunits.�3.MudlarksistheleadorganisationrepresentingtheSLDschoolsontheEnterprisePartnership,whichprovidessupportandworkplacementsforchildrenwithseverelearningdisabilities.

6. Whatyouarelearningfromeachother.

1.ThroughtheMudlarksForestschoolwearedemonstratingandteachingstaffoftheSLDschoolsthebenefitsofout-doorlearning,andhowithelpstoengagethechildreninawaywhichtheymaynotbeabletodointheclassroom.AsaresultofseeingthebenefitsofthisapproachGreensideSchoolhaveemployedamemberofstaffwhospecialisesinexploringthebenefitsofout-doorlearninginotherareasofthecurriculum.2.StafffromtheSLDschoolssupportMudlarksstaffandvolunteersbyusingtheirskillsandexperiencetotrainourteaminareassuchasautism.ThisensuresthattheMudlarksteamremainsuptodatewithcurrentthinkingandpractices,andadoptsanapproachwhichisconsistentwiththeschool’swaysofworking.�3.TheSLDschoolsusePictureExchangeCommunication(PEC),andhavethenecessarysoftwareandequipmenttoproducethesecards.WepartnerupwiththeschoolswhokindlyallowustoutilisetheirsoftwaretoproducePECcardsforuseattheallotmentsite,makingbestuseofresources.