GCF Themed Webinars
As part of the GCF project, we ran monthly themed webinars that were open to all and that addressed a number of issues relevant to care farming - from making the most of social media to data protection and much more!
The Growing Care Farming project has now ended, but we recorded all our webinars so that you can still access them below:
For details of upcoming SF&G webinars and other events see here
15th December 2021 - Care Farming and Green Care: A Snapshot of the Sector
Join Dr Rachel Bragg from our Growing Care Farming team as we share our insight into the UK care farming and green care sector to date. Find out how the sector has developed and see the key trends from our latest survey data.
Social Farms & Gardens have a history of tracking the scale and scope of the care farming sector, taking regular snapshots of the sector since 2007. The data has helped us to build a picture of the care farming and green care sector across the UK. Our data also helps us advocate on behalf of care farmers and green care providers, representing sector needs to policy makers, referral agencies and funders.
12th October 2021 - Green Social Prescribing; Making it work for you
Are you confused by social prescribing and wondering how it is relevant to care farms, green care sites, city farms and community gardens? Do you wonder how it works and how it's funded? What are the barriers to becoming involved?
In this dynamic, friendly webinar we will explain how it all fits together, learn more about the green social prescribing pilots and hear how care farms and other green care sites are getting involved. This practical 2 hour session will explain what’s new in green social prescribing and give you some top tips to take things forward.
*Comfort break finishes at 1:04:43 - feel free to skip to this once you reach the comfort break!*
**Dave Solly (speaker 2) would like to clarify that the focus for the green social prescribing Test and Learn sites mentioned is 'mental ill health'.**
24th June 2021 - GCF Themed Webinar - Care Farming for Education
June's themed webinar focuses on how care farming can be used to deliver educational services. Dr Rachel Bragg provides an update on GCF project's exciting work with Countryside Classroom and how this should improve connections between education professionals and care farms. We then hear from Rob Gayler about the education and alternative provison programmes they deliver at Lambourne End Centre for Outdoor Learning in Essex.
14th April 2021 - GCF Themed Webinar - The story of Clynfyw Care Farm
In this webinar, care farmer Jim Bowen speaks about his journey in farming, from the family run organic farm, through various diversifications to what is now Clynfyw Care Farm CIC. Jim talks openly about his pathway to starting up and the challenges faced along the way and tells us about his book ‘Care Farming for Beginners — a how to guide’.
17th February 2021 - GCF Themed Webinar - From measuring outcomes to measuring change
In this webinar we discuss the complex area of measuring outcomes and measuring positive change (for your clients, your referrers, you, your staff team and beyond) and show how a holistic approach - wider than measuring 'outcomes' can benefit your care farm or green care site.
14th January 2021 - GCF Themed Webinar - Care Farming for dementia
In this themed webinar we discuss the considerations, complexities and benefits of providing care farming services to those living with dementia.This session is led by Kath Pyke (Dementia Adventure) and Gerry Fouracres (Scrubditch Care Farm), who will talk about their experiences working together as part of the Dementia Adventure in a Box project.
16th December 2020 - GCF Themed Webinar - Governance: How should we set up our organisation?
In this themed webinar we address the complexities of possible governance options for organisations that connect people with nature. This is something that many prospective care farmers raise with our Growing Care Farming project, so the webinar highlights the importance of the right governance set up, the various options available, and the advantages and requirements of each. The session is led by Karen McGarrity, Development Officer for Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency and Heidi Seary, Operations Manager at Social Farms & Gardens.
17th November 2020 - GCF Themed Webinar - Surviving the winter: activities and tips for the cold winter months - November 2020
Although some of our members have managed to re-open this summer and autumn by making maximum use of their outdoor spaces, many are now facing questions around how they can continue to deliver their services as winter approaches. In this themed webinar we present advice, hints and tips from experienced care farmers and community gardeners as to how to keep your service users, volunteers and staff safe, warm and engaged during this most difficult season for working outdoors.
Developing your own care farming awards and qualifications using AQA - October 2020
In this themed webinar Lucy Thornton of Thornwood Alpacas and Care Farm outlines her experience and how she has designed and delivered more structure and a sense of achievement or reward for care farm service users through developing AQA awards and qualifications with young people on her care farm and how these have contributed to service user's feelings of achievement and wellbeing.
What is Crowdfunding and how can it help our care farm? September 2020
This webinar is about 'crowdfunding', designed to help you decide whether it can be used as an alternative way of raising funds and the profile of your care farm. Many organisations (including care farms and other organisations delivering green care) have experienced a loss of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are looking to explore alternative sources of funding such as ‘Crowdfunding.’ In this webinar, Anthony de Souza from the Crowdfunding Mastery Academy will talk us through what it is, the pros and cons of this approach and how to make it work for your organisation.
Care Farming: A snapshot of our sector - August 2020
In this themed webinar Dr Rachel Bragg gives an outline of how care farming has developed in the UK over recent years, and the changes the sector has seen. Followed by an insight into the scope, size, and key trends in our care farming sector in 2020, based on recent data from the 2020 annual care farming survey.
Reducing COVID-19 Risks and Re-opening your care farm - July 2020
With lockdown restrictions gradually being eased many care farms are opening their doors again to service users. This webinar talks through a new checklist which has been developed by the GCF team and care farming Code of Practice assessors to enable care farms to confidently review their working practices and put measures in place to reduce risks before re-opening. This webinar was led by Noelle Wilson and Keily Elvin, both of whom have experience of managing care farms and assessing Code of Practice applications.
Safe and Secure - IT and Data Protection Solutions for Care Farmers - June 2020
This back to basics webinar is for existing care farmers and those looking to deliver care farming activities in the future. It addresses the crucial issues of cybersecurity and data security when running a care farm and handling personal data, but in an accessible and jargon free way.
Creative engagement with social media - May 2020
In this webinar, the GCF team are joined by Lucy Thornton from Thornwood Alpacas & Care Farm and Geoff Stevens from Pathways Care Farm who highlighted some of the social media techniques they are using to stay connected with service users and wider supporters of care farms during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
