Rock Farm - Teenage

CODE: CONCUKSTV03-25

Work:

VOLUNTEER WORK: Volunteers will carry out environmental and sustainable conservation volunteering while learning hands on practice in carbon-negative food production and sustainability. Volunteers’ day to day task would include a range of skill based learning activities: Planting trees, growing vegetables, tree work. Volunteers will also be harvesting fruits and vegetables which are needed for the market, alongside the potential of some construction work to further enhance the volunteer’s skillset. Volunteers will be receiving an educational experience alongside the volunteering. Main volunteering tasks will include:
• Berry Picking
• Cleaning and weeding
• Tending to plants
• Looking after wildlife
• Tree care
• Education sessions with the host

Accomodation and food

ACCOMMODATION & FOOD: Volunteers will stay in large style canvas tents throughout the project, 'this is an off-grid, sustainable style living and project so do pre plan and bring warm clothes and items to sleep to in.
Rock farm will provide dry goods and fresh produce for two meals per day, plus one hot meal cooked together with the rock farm staff. All Volunteers are expected to get involved in the cooking process and washing up.

IMPORTANT: – Even in the British Summertime it can be VERY COLD AT NIGHT – please ensure you bring enough warm clothes. Wet weather clothing and footwear is also strongly recommended, as the site can get muddy and even the summer can bring a rainy day. Volunteers will have access to two outdoor showers – these are outdoor showers, so you will need to bring flip-flops/sliders and a swimming costume – as these are carbon negative showers there will only be a certain amount of hot water per day – one of the tasks for the volunteers is to create the hot water system! Rock farm will provide a small furnished cabin in the camping area for use as a meeting and relaxing area. There are a four further buildings/cover for eating and cooking – including a pizza oven!

The farm operates mostly off-grid, so all toilets are composting loos and there is a limited amount of solar-power for basic charging of phones. It is strongly recommended to bring a battery-pack for your phone, and to embrace having a break from your tech!

Location and leisure

Volunteers will have cultural visits and leisure activities will be organised together with the group. Activities will include:

• Walk to local town Steyning
• Takeaway Pizza
• Games Night
• Visit to Brighton
• Farwell Party

LEADERS: To ensure the smooth running of the project and the safety of young people, Concordia provides one paid and trained Leader for every 10 young people.

There are two farm shops within short walking distance if volunteers want to get any food/snacks – with a further two villages within an hour’s walk. The accommodation is on the South Downs walking trail, with many beautiful hikes available to the volunteers.

The Concordia Leader will help volunteers make plans for their free time – but volunteers will be expected to contribute ideas and suggestions for activities.

Volunteers will have the chance to visit the local area and go for hikes in the countryside. Visits to close-by sites will ensure that the group get the whole feeling of the area and learn about living in the British culture.

Project hosted by

PROJECT: Rock Farm is a therapeutic growing project
open to everyone, restoring both the landscape and people through an innovative market garden model. We grow fruit and vegetables using regenerative, permaculture, and no dig principles, with absolutely zero pesticides or herbicides. We are at the cutting edge of embedding productive crops in a forest garden ecosystem, which sinks a large amount of carbon into the soil instead of emitting it and provides the backbone of our sustainability and therapeutic curricula. Retreats, camping, workshops and horticulture courses are also available at Rock Farm, especially for marginalised people.

Rock Farm is part of One Church Brighton, an organisation with several social projects in and around the Brighton area. Rock Farm grows produce on six acres of community land in West Sussex, offering access to horticultural therapy and community gardening for a range of volunteers and vulnerable groups.

Directions to meeting point

To be confirmed by Concordia

Additional comments

ACCESSBILITY: Volunteers need to be able to work outdoors in various types of weather, walking on uneven ground is required. Parental consent is required for this teenage project.