We see meaningful skill development grow in many ways and sometimes, quite literally, it grows from the soil. Our Networks Horticulture Program is a wonderful example of how hands-on activities can support independent living skills, foster pride, and strengthen collaboration across different parts of Alkira.
Each week, seven Networks participants come together to tend their garden plots, learning not only how to grow fresh produce but how those skills translate into greater independence and self-sufficiency. What started as a weekly horticulture activity has blossomed into a genuine garden-to-plate collaboration with our social enterprise AlkiraBiz Café.
Learning to Grow, Learning to Live Independently
The Networks Horticulture Program supports participants to develop practical gardening skills that can be used at home or as pathways to future employment. Participants learn the fundamentals of planting, watering, harvesting and maintaining healthy produce. They also gain an understanding of initiative by seeing what needs to be done and taking action once a week to help the garden thrive.
As part of the program participants explore the real cost of food by comparing supermarket prices to growing produce themselves. This builds financial awareness and encourages participants to see gardening as a potential source of income and self-reliance.
Some participants particularly enjoy the sensory side of horticulture, engaging with fragrant herbs like mint and sage. These experiences support regulation, enjoyment and connection to the task at hand. Like any garden, challenges arise. Snails are an ongoing issue, but participants know how to manage them and respond proactively.
Under the guidance of Alkira facilitators Mehrdad and Reesha, participants also develop fine motor skills through tasks such as deadheading flowers to encourage growth. While delicate and precise, this task is something many participants have improved at significantly over time. Their growing confidence and knowledge were clearly demonstrated during a visit to a nursery, when participant Kerry observed that neglected calendula plants on the footpath needed deadheading. An insightful comment that highlighted just how transferable these skills have become.
Supplying AlkiraBiz Café
Recently, the program has been supplying fresh produce directly to AlkiraBiz Café. The team has already delivered more than 5 kilograms of zucchinis, along with generous bunches of parsley and sage, all grown entirely by Networks participants at the Box Hill Community Garden.
The Café has since requested additional produce, including rocket for salads and sandwiches, and participants have eagerly responded. They’ve purchased extra seeds and seedlings to boost production and are planning for regular deliveries of rocket and parsley throughout autumn and winter.
It’s wonderful to see different parts of Alkira working together to create meaningful outcomes while reinforcing participants’ sense of contribution and purpose.
Participants are constantly rewarded for their work. Every harvest, every new sprout, and every delivery to the Café reinforces the value of their efforts. Recently, when newly planted rocket seeds sprouted, the group celebrated with high-fives all around.
