Reaping benefits from farm scheme
Pioneering care initiative providing work placements hailed as it is launched in Scotland
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A pioneering initiative that uses farm work to help the long-term unemployed and people with learning difficulties back into work as well as in the rehabilitation of offenders, alcoholics and drug addicts was launched yesterday.
Care Farming Scotland is a new umbrella charity that could boost farmers’ incomes by up to £24million a year, Scottish Agriculture College chief executive Professor Bill McKelvey said.
He told the initiative’s Edinburgh launch there was huge potential in using Scottish farms to provide work placements that could be funded by health boards, social work departments, the police and other government agencies.
Care farming is widespread across Europe, but has the highest uptake in Netherlands, Norway and Germany.
It partially replicates the on-farm work which used to be provided to the disabled and mentally ill decades ago before the NHS decided there was better value in selling off its agricultural holdings and in ending longstanding links it had with many farmers who allowed patients to help on their farms.
Sir Don Curry, who advises government ministers on food and farming issues, said this time around the scheme had been designed to help many more people.
“I believe it provides a real solution for health, education and in rehabilitation. The prospects are big and really exciting. It’s good to see this moving forward and that there’s so much interest,” he added.
Debbie Wilcox, from England’s National Care Farming Initiative, said it provided help to people with drug, mental health and alcohol issues as well as the homeless, persistent offenders and children who played truant from school.
She cited one example in Herefordshire where three criminals had been provided with work placements on a farm. The police believed it money well spent as it had reduced crime locally by a third. The three are so enthused they now want to set up a business – Bad Boy Fencing.
Ms Wilcox said the Dutch farmers taking part were able to add about £65,000 a year to their incomes, were VAT exempt and received other concessions.
Caroline Matheson, a former NHS manager, nurse and midwife, has been involved in care farming for 11 months at the 400-acre unit run by her husband, Brian, at Ballicherry, near Dingwall.
She has been providing 12 week placements for long-term unemployed people on incapacity benefits.
The “trainees” work alongside Mr Matheson and the farm’s two full-time staff. Funding has come from JobCentre Plus, the Highland Employer Coalition and Skills Development Scotland.
Mrs Matheson said the initiative had been an outstanding success, with several placements returning to full-time employment.
She viewed care farming as boosting self confidence, work skills and in restoring the work ethic.
“For these people who have been out of work for many years they arrive on the farm really anxious and lacking confidence. But you see them coming out of their shell after six weeks and really starting to blossom,” she said.
She now has a waiting list of people wanting to take part and is looking at involving other local farmers.
Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead said the Scottish Government backed the scheme as it improved the quality of life for many people.
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