While working with our partners, we realized that context is everything. Although we all have a similar approach to working with people, our environments, organizational structures, and target groups are different - this affects our possibilities and ways of working, but it also brings variety. To embrace this diverse setup, instead of a one-size-fits-all method, we developed some common guidelines, and we supported each other while putting these into practice. This allowed us to respond more efficiently to the needs of our target groups, and it brought inspiration - it was great to hear and see various ways in which social gardening was used in each local community. In general, we wanted to support the inclusion process of adult learners. We wanted to create activities through which they could work on their soft and hard skills while connecting to nature and others - and we wanted to train adult educators in doing this. Through a series of environmental activities, like gardening, we wanted to support people with fewer opportunities in (re)integrating themselves into society - finding workplaces, connecting with the local communities, and contributing based on their qualities.
As a foundation, we focus on the topic of (re)integration into the labor market through practical work forms. For several years, we have used simple, hands-on activities to support people from difficult backgrounds in finding a workplace and improving the quality of their lives. We noticed that through daily activities that people are already familiar with, it is much easier to develop the needed professional and personal skills - we make the learning points more concrete and easy to use later on. Looking at the positive impact of our approach, we became curious to see whether we could use it while also taking care of our natural environment. We wanted to explore how simple, hands-on activities in nature could become meaningful learning experiences for low-skilled, mostly unemployed adults who struggle in formal settings - and we wanted to create a method around these activities. Instead of talking about nature, we wanted to bring people closer to it, and we wanted to encourage them to take care of it. We saw the value of this combination and initiative as there was hardly anything done in the field of adult education in this line. To make this happen, we gathered a group of organizations that shared the same values and passion.