The overall objective of SoEngage Plus is to support farmers learn about and engage in social farming and to promote their social farm services for the economic benefit and sustainability of the farm and the rural community. The aim is to inspire farmers to engage in social farming by sharing podcasts and digital videos of best practice social farm case studies from other regions to generate ideas which can be adapted and transferred to their farm to generate economic benefit. This will add value to the local economy, at the national level with the view that this will impact at regional and European levels through widespread dissemination. Social Farming, also known as Care Farming or Farming for Health is an innovative multifunctional activity which offers farmers the opportunity to use their agricultural expertise and resources to promote therapy, rehabilitation, social inclusion, education and social services for entrepreneurial and economic benefit. The farm remains a working farm where people who need care support can benefit from participation in farm activities in a non-clinical environment. SoEngage Plus will produce: - Learning resources (Handbook and tutorials) to enable social farmers to produce digital videos to promote their social farm services - Digital videos of social farm case studies to support farmers learn about, generate ideas and develop the skills needed to deliver a professional social farm service - Podcasts of social farm experts from each region to promote the benefits of social farming and support available. - Online Learning Resources: Handbook & Tutorials, Digital Videos & Podcasts: to enhance training materials on the SoEngage learning Platform and dedicated YouTube channel. Sharing best practice in social farming will boost skills and employability one of the Erasmus+ programme overall objectives. Social inclusion is an important element of SoEngage Plus project which will engage all types and ranges of farms, farmers, farm families and other types of social farming organisations. Social farming services are made available to a wide range of clients will a range of skills and abilities. The project will encourage the establishment of networks that enable the social farmers and those considering engaging in social farming to engage and communicate to share knowledge and expertise mutual benefit.
Objective - To promote social farming: Support farmers learn about and engage in social farming to generate economic sustainability of the farm and rural community impacting at regional, national and EU level To produce videos of the 21 social farm case studies to share ideas which can be adapted and transferred to other regions For existing social farmers to learn how to create videos to promote their social farm services To share podcasts with social farm experts in each region on the benefits of and support for social farming Achieved by producing: IO1: Online Handbook and Tutorials: practical materials on how to create and edit videos using a smartphone to promote services online IO2: Videos of Social Farm Case Studies: to support farmers learn about, generate ideas and develop skills to deliver a professional social farm service IO3: Podcasts of Social Farm experts: from each region to promote the benefits of social farming and support available Online Learning Resources: Handbook & video tutorials; Case Study videos & Social Farm expert podcasts to enhance existing learning resources on SoEngage learning Platform Sharing best practice to boost skills and employability as one of the Erasmus+ programme overall objectives
The six partners of SoEngage Plus collaborated in an Erasmus+ project, 'SoEngage' 2018-20, to produce online learning to support farmers learn about and engage in Social Farming. The resources include 21 social farm case studies (3-4 from each region) and 6 modules covering all areas of social farming delivery. Feedback on the resources indicated that farmers wanted more than the case study reading material and suggested videos would enable the social farm case studies share their experiences and the services they offered in a more real life way to connect with and encourage farmers to engage in social farming. The partners applied to not only produce videos for the case studies but to develop learning materials so social farmers could create their own videos, a useful skill for them to promote their services online for economic benefit and sustainability of the social farm beyond the term of the project. Using a smartphone would make it easily accessible for all to create short videos. As well as videos, podcasts with social farm experts in each region would inform farmers of the benefits of social farming and direct them to support available to help them set up a social farm. Resources available in all partner languages.