Surrey Docks Farm Youth Programme
The Farm’s Youth Team deliver informal outdoor learning programmes for children aged 2 – 18 throughout the year. We also offer activities during the school holidays for those aged 8-13 which can be booked online. We aim to deliver a Youth Programme that is open and accessible to all within our target groups. For more information on the clubs, timings and availability please click on the relevant links below.
Piglets
Family Piglets is an opportunity for children aged 2- 5 (accompanied by an adult) to learn about animals, plants, nature and food here on the Farm. Activities include stroking and feeding the animals, seasonal arts & crafts using natural materials, fire building, cooking and much more!
Forest School
Weekday sessions delivered for home schooled and SEN children aged 8-12 years. Held entirely outdoors in our Wildlife Garden, children take part in nature based activities and develop their social and practical skills.
Holiday Clubs
During the school holidays we offer full day sessions for young people aged 8 – 13 to become a farmer for one or more days! Young people will learn how to care for our animals – from mucking out the sheep to taking a ferret for a walk – and take part in gardening, nature and craft activities.
Young Farmers
Our weekend Young Farmers Clubs engage young people aged 11-13 to enjoy informal, outdoor learning at the Farm. Young people care for the animals, grow their own food, cook healthy meals and lead their own environmental and social action projects. Young people have the opportunity to go on trips and demonstrate their achievements through AQA awards.
Greenagers
Greenagers engages 30 young people aged 14-18 each week in youth-led activities, animal care, food growing, crafts and social action projects. Greenagers attend trips and workshops which help generate an interest in environmental, horticultural and agricultural study and career pathways. This programme is currently supported by Southwark Council’s Positive Futures for Young People funding stream.
Youth Committee
The Youth Committee is a group of under 25’s who meet regularly to inform the Youth Programme at Surrey Docks Farm. Committee members are elected from the Youth Clubs and Youth Volunteer team to serve for one year during which they receive training, awards and experience in leadership.
Youth Led Projects
We are thrilled to support our young people to develop and deliver their own projects at the Farm. One of our past Youth Committee members successfully applied for a microgrant from London Youth and delivered gardening wellbeing sessions in Summer 2020.
Recognition
We’re pleased to be able to recognise the contribution young people make to their peers and the Farm through the Jack Petchey Foundation Achievement Award scheme. We collate nominations and award three young people a year. Past winners are presented with a certificate and their photos are displayed on a noticeboard at the Farm.
Social Action
As part of their London Youth City Leaders project, members of the Youth Committee have launched a social action project that helps to bring people closer and develop a greater interest in the work done at Surrey Docks Farm.
We believe that children and young people must be protected from harm at all times and that the welfare of the child is paramount. To ensure this we work to a detailed Safeguarding Policy and follow National and Local guidance.
Our Youth Committee have created an Equal Opportunities Statement that they have written together and review. Click on the link above to view this.
We regularly review our services to ensure we can be inclusive and offer a fully accessible service for all. Click on the button above to read our recent Accessibility Checklist for our youth programmes.
Youth Programme T&C document for our existing participants and their parents/guardians.
Our Youth Programme is largely free to attend and this enables us to engage those who would benefit most from our offer, huge thanks to our funders who make this all possible.
This year our main funders include:
- The National Lottery who are providing core funding for our full time Youth Manager, for five years starting from October 2019.
- Southwark Council’s Positive Futures for Young People Fund funding our part time Youth Workers.
- The Jack Petchey Foundation who support us through their Achievement Awards and various small grant giving schemes.
- London Youth, a membership organisation that support us with training, advice and guidance as well as small grants for social action projects.
We are thrilled to have been awarded a Gold Level London Youth Quality Mark in Spring 2023. This is a quality assurance scheme focused on high quality youth work and is accredited by City and Guilds. The Gold Award recognises the high standard of youth-led opportunities the Farm provides, as well as the training and support we offer our staff and volunteers.
