The Wonderful Garden
Country
France
Description
The project is about building and setting a vegetable garden that is run by people with mental health problems. Patients or former patients of mental institutions, people suffering because of their mental state and members of ARDES, a non-profit organization, jointly proposed the creation of a vegetable garden on a parcel of land owned by the town of Louvigny. An official agreement was signed between the town and both NGOs ADVOCACY and ARDES.
Aims
The project has the following aims:
- To cater the need of people with mental health problems to be involved in economic activities outside of the convivial space.
- In doing gardening work, to put peoples' skills to use for the community.
- Allowing a group of people from the Advocacy NGO to run a vegetable garden. A portion of the vegetables will be kept for personal use, another portion will be used for collective meals in Caen's Convivial Space of Citizenship and another portion will be sold at low prices to members of the same NGO or outside.
- Designing the garden as a place for all members of the convivial space, where people suffering from their mental health can relax and socialise.
- Opening the garden to all inhabitants of Louvigny through events organized by partner organizations or elementary schools (artistic displays, sharing of gardening skills, various activities like manufacturing of nesting boxes and so on).
The garden will be full accessible for disabled people, especially those who are in wheelchairs.
Areas
Employment, Leisure
Effectiveness
The wonderful garden, stretching over 1,800 square meters, is located in a place called "the big fold" in the outskirts of Louvigny, where a gardening hut already stood. The initial layout consists of a 500 m² vegetable patch and decorative flowerbeds on the parcel dedicated to relaxation, on which a 20 m² log cabin, courtesy of the Town of Louvigny, will be built. The garden will be outfitted for persons with reduced mobility (wooden flower boxes at wheelchair height, etc).
Sustainability
This program is included in the citizens' convivial space of CAEN, which is approved and financed partly by the state and local authorities, and wants to develop actions with local institutions beyond the field of mental health care. The goal and the objectives are achieved and it is an evolving project, which allows the people to take responsibilities and to be a social actor.
Innovation
The garden is open to all. It allows people involved in mental health problems to interact with all citizens on an equal footing. This activity is not a sheltered work (i.e. it does not fall under the special regulations for employment of people with legally acknowledged disabilities). It is a form of community management involving the town, profit and non-profit organizations. An ever increasing number of people are getting involved, although the outcome will only become visible in months to come.
Added Value
The experiment is still in progress.
The initial group in charge of the garden has grown and is going on to develop steadily. This activity is an example of what can help people to shift from a passive consumer to an active producer. People are free to get involved as mere visitors or by taking part in the collective activity. The location of the garden in the outskirts requires them to use the common transport system, instead of relying on special mini-vans used to carry them to the convivial space, thus regaining a freedom of movement. The added value is moreover achieved through:
- Self management of the parties involved.
- It is a very new activity on the job market, neither traditional business, neither sheltered workhouse, both with disable people and with solidarity.
Transferability
Conditions for repeating this experiment are easily met provided a suitable patch of land is available in the outskirts of a sizeable town. The necessary presence of a citizens' convivial space - itself confined to relatively densely populated city areas due to accessibility - may prove to be a problem in scarcely populated areas. Cooperation with local authorities (i.e. Town Councils) is advisable for a smoother integration among the local population.
Other conditions for transferability:
- Obtaining a suitable patch of land is the only mandatory constraint.
- This activity is by essence dependent of the climate.
- During the year 2005, the ground was prepared for spring sowing once per week by the gardening team together with ten other members of the convivial space, assisted by City Hall technical personnel and landscape designer.
- The DASH NGO helped study the building of the log cabin.
Employees of the LONDEL Company lent their skills for initial layout of the vegetable garden and flowerbeds.
Mainstreaming Potential
This activity is for now ruled by the regional policy level. One aim for improvement would be to shift it to the national level. It follows the current stream of thought about the disability issue. ADVOCACY works closely with local political instances and non-profit organizations at city and region level to promote these concepts.
Costs of the Project
The parcel has been lent by Louvigny's City Hall. The gardening is done by the members of the convivial space The gardening small hardware has been bought by ADVOCACY. The log cabin construction was funded by the Regional Council. Funding for some additional gardening wear (boots, gardening suits) by a local bank is planned. A small part of the vegetables will be sold publicly at moderate prices to cover the running expenses.
People involved in the Project (number of people and profession)
20 persons - users, volunteers and NGO employees.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project
All problems have been resolved in due time thanks to the help of various partners, such as the Town ARDES and ELAN NGO or private companies like the LONDEL horticultural warehouse. Strengths: the project is carried out in co-operation with different NGOs.
Contact Person for the Project
Advocacy Caen
Philippe GUERARD
1018 gd Parc
14200 Hérouville S/clair
+33 2 31 94 70 25
advocacy.caen@free.fr