How to set up a Therapeutic Project Thank You — Contents This guide would never have made it to publication without the Foreword...... p5 hard work of many people. We’d like to thank everyone in the Trellis network 1 Introduction...... p7 for their inspiration and encouragement. 2 What is a Therapeutic ?...... p13 With special thanks to the writing and editing team: 3 The Team...... p19 Alan Bell The Target Group...... p29 Alex Davidson 4 Andrew Widd 5 The Garden: Caroline Beaton Seeking a Site...... p35 Fiona Thackeray Designing a Garden...... p38 Jenny Simpson Planting...... p40 Jo Cook Staff & Volunteers...... p43 John Davidson 6 Kate Treharne 7 Attracting and Generating Money...... p51 Teresa Widd 8 Promoting your Gardening Project...... p61 Amanda Bataller for her illustrations. Getting the Administration Right: www.amandabataller.blogspot.co.uk 9 Governance...... p69 Graham Thom for his photography. Health & Safety...... p72 Insurance...... p76 Russell Milne and the team at Creative Graffix Managing Funds...... p79 for their design and print work. Record Keeping...... p82 And lastly to Awards for All who funded this publication. 10 Measuring Progress and Planning for the Future...... p87 11 Case Study...... p93

3 Foreword

Dr Richard Simpson MSP Mid Scotland and Fife

n 2016, Trellis will celebrate its 10th new groups may find it difficult Ianniversary and the organisation to sustain their project. The now supports a network of over 300 guide provides a sound basis for therapeutic gardening projects. developing an adaptive garden.

The importance of adaptive gardening Therapeutic gardening is not just in sustaining well-being and assisting about a profusion of sensations for in recovery is now widely recognised. those with sensory impairment, nor For some it is a way of establishing just ‘raised beds’ and wheelchair social links that help improve self- accessibility, but offers scope confidence, for others it is a route to to reconnect social bonds and gaining and life skills that to learn through the many and can lead on to work opportunities. varied facets of horticulture.

As a patron of Trellis I am very As communities re-engage with their proud to be writing this brief environments I hope that many will introduction. The guide does not find this guide is stimulating, and it set out to be comprehensive but encourages them to extend their reach. provides the essential considerations for establishing a new garden. It also provides substantial links and signposting to greater detail. Without attention to the many elements that make up a successful voluntary organisation in this field,

4 5 Introduction 1

Therapeutic his guide has been produced by The guide aims to: Trellis, the Scottish therapeutic T • Help you establish, run gardening charity. We support, Gardening and sustain a therapeutic promote and develop the use of gardening project. horticulture to improve health, well-being and life opportunities • Describe the main aspects — for all. We represent a network of of therapeutic gardening. Therapeutic often start with over 300 projects across Scotland. • Highlight the areas that need the seed of an idea in one person’s mind. Developing a therapeutic gardening careful consideration at each stage. It’s always best to nurture it by starting project is not a linear activity. You’ll small and growing slowly, ensuring a • Suggest sources for further probably consider many aspects of healthy, sustainable project — one that is information, some of which the development simultaneously useful, enjoyable and fulfils its purpose. will be on our website. which is, of course, complex. From experience we know that not everyone • Offer local contacts who may wants or needs to do everything help when the going gets tough. at once. So dip into the following We won’t be able to answer all your chapters in the order that seems most questions, although we do hope to relevant to your needs. The guide is guide you towards finding answers, designed to be used in this way. and we don’t offer one particular model of an ideal therapeutic garden as each project is unique and adapts to its own very particular circumstances.

6 7 Clarifying your project aims Moving on to Actions Before starting a therapeutic gardening project it’s important to have a clear idea your objectives The question to ask here is ‘how can as to why you’re engaging in this work. Setting out your aims, objectives and we best do this?’ If your objective was Once you have clear aims on paper, actions is a way of clarifying how and what you intend to do and why. An aim to ‘run gardening skills workshops’ you you can flesh them out by writing says what you hope to achieve. An objective is a planned activity or programme might break that down into smaller objectives. These will specify in more of work that will help you to achieve your aim. For example, one project aim actions, such as ‘gauge particular detail how you will achieve your aims. might be to ‘help project attendees develop gardening skills’. Whilst one of training needs’, ‘plan appropriate the objectives to achieve that aim might be to ‘run workshops on gardening Ask yourself and those training content’ etc. It’s useful skills’ or to ‘provide mentoring through the RCHS Grow & Learn Award’. who share your aims: to decide which actions are most important and should take priority. • What do you want to do Why do you need set aims? Make sure your aims are: in the proposed garden, Pick your top three and this gives • To guide the development STRATEGIC courtyard or windowsill? you a starting point. There may be of the project Are they considered, a logical order that presents itself • Who with? informed and intended? because of constraints on budgets or • To attract others to • What are the needs of the annual cycles of planning and seasons, help in the project WRITTEN DOWN people who will work with availability of plots etc. For instance, Aims are important reference points, • To ensure everyone is working you and use the garden? you may be able to start running the basis for future planning. toward the same aim workshops in makeshift venues • What do you want to DEVELOPED pending a lease on your dream site. • To aid in seeking funding achieve within the first Aims should be part of a process Or you may need to find and secure month/quarter/year? • To gain local support involving people important to a site before anything else happens. the progress of your ideas. • And then ask is this realistic? • To help in finding a site Are these objectives FEASIBLE • To help engage with measurable? Achievable? Aims should be of a feasible scale other organisations and ambition. Perhaps you can help the entire population of your city to improve the quality of their lives through gardening, but you’ll need a city-sized budget, a sizeable plot and an army of people to match this aim.

Aims Objectives Actions

What you hope What will allow you How you will best to achieve to achieve your aims achieve your objectives

8 9 How you can help Further support & information 1 yourself at this stage Introduction

TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES CONTACTING OTHER THROUGH A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE When talking about aims, objectives THERAPEUTIC GARDENS One of the most valuable things you can do during and outcomes, we use the widely- Look online at the Trellis the early stages of developing a project is to speak to accepted definitions given by the Directory of Therapeutic Gardens others who have gone through a similar experience. Charities Evaluation Service found at and the Trellis Map or email www.ces-vol.org.uk/about-performance- [email protected] improvement/about-monitoring-evaluation/ JOIN THE TRELLIS NETWORK NETWORKING IN planning-for-monitoring-evaluation/aims It’s free! Trellis regularly hosts local knowledge and THERAPEUTIC GARDENING skills sharing network meetings, an annual conference and BUSINESS PLANNING Trellis regularly hosts local training courses on relevant subjects where you can meet Voluntary Action Perthshire (VAP) knowledge and skill sharing network others. This can be helpful at all stages of a garden project. has an excellent Community Toolkit meetings, an annual conference Keep an eye on the Trellis web pages or sign up for the which covers all areas of developing a and training courses on relevant network and the email bulletin at www.trellisscotland.org.uk community group/charity including therapeutic gardening subjects planning www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net where you can meet others. Join the Trellis network for free and VISIT SIMILAR PROJECTS Bookmark this one as, along with the sign up for the email bulletin at Visits to projects similar to your own www.scvo.org.uk, it will be of enormous www.trellisscotland.org.uk proposed one may also be very helpful. use in the early stages of setting up. YOUR LOCAL TRELLIS In addition, your local voluntary FIELDWORKER READ CASE STUDIES association Third Sector Interface Contact the Trellis office and talk to The case study in section 11 might serve as a guide as well (TSI) may offer additional help and our Information & Fieldwork Team, as case studies available online at www.trellisscotland.org.uk information. Links to your local email [email protected] TSI web pages are to be found at or call 01738 624348. Voluntary Action Scotland TRELLIS INFORMATION & FIELDWORK SERVICES www.vascotland.org/tsis/find-your-tsi Trellis can provide support to help clarify your thinking.

10 11 What is a 2 Therapeutic Garden?

herapeutic gardens come in Gardening activity is Tall shapes and guises, and are set up for many reasons in endlessly adaptable. very varied settings. At the most The best therapeutic general level, they provide a cost- effective and sustainable way of gardening practice helping people to improve their is responsive to the physical and mental well-being. needs and interests of A therapeutic garden can give people great pleasure through contact with those taking part in it. the soil and , engagement in meaningful and relaxing activity, be a haven offering moments of solitude, as well as providing a catalyst for social interaction.

12 13 Therapeutic gardening can offer wide-ranging benefits to many Adaptive gardening different groups of people, in a variety of settings. For example: Gardening is supremely adaptable for all ages, abilities, preferences • Vulnerable groups including • Those with sensory and needs. Gardens and gardening activities that are designed to be homeless people impairment or physical accessible and achievable allow maximum participation for all. disabilities • Hospital patients This adaptive gardening ethos is central to therapeutic gardening. • People dealing with drug • People in prisons and and alcohol dependency secure settings • Asylum seekers and refugees • Veterans facing combat stress

Therapeutic gardening projects can also be of any size from pot plants on a Cost windowsill, containers on a patio or hanging baskets, to acres of ornamental effective health planting or fruit and vegetable production. They can also be indoors or outdoors, care: physical, emotional, social in domestic homes or hospital corridors, polytunnels, or glass houses. They benefits can also be intermittent, seasonal or available to suit need and meet demand.

Community Social support; What therapeutic gardens are not: engagement and meaningful integration activity; recovery • They don’t necessarily always offer the best activity or setting for a particular disadvantaged group or Adaptive the best way to address a given problem. Gardening • They’re not always full of raised beds and masses of sensory stimulation. Fun, Education & enjoyment, training: horti, • They’re not necessarily a whole garden, and not appreciation social, literacy, always outside — you can achieve therapeutic goals numeracy & of nature indoors or with a few window boxes or pots. work skills Environmental sustainability: • They’re not always very different from an ‘ordinary’ food growing, garden, depending on your aims. carbon reduction, biodiversity

14 15 The benefits of Further support & information 2 therapeutic gardening What is a Therapeutic Garden? Extends individual interest Promote interest in particular and provides enjoyment. Rich, topics e.g. cookery or biology, for INFORMATION ON FEDERATION OF CITY FARMS immersive, sensory experiences educational or personal purposes. THERAPEUTIC GARDENS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS especially for people with sensory, IN SCOTLAND Organisation representing learning and physical disabilities On the Trellis web pages you’ll find community gardens and city farms Positive stimulation and meaningful or cognitive impairment. a number of garden case studies in the UK www.farmgarden.org.uk activity for people with Alzheimer’s and a directory of therapeutic disease or other dementias. BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON gardening projects in Scotland Delivers social support e.g. for adults THERAPEUTIC GARDENING www.trellisscotland.org.uk recovering from mental ill health or Access the Trellis website for Social integration e.g. enables providing work-related activities for THRIVE factsheets and further reading communities to be and feel safe by people with learning disabilities. Information on therapeutic www.trellisscotland.org.uk affording offenders, and those in gardening www.thrive.org.uk danger of offending, the chance to Counters public preconceptions re-engage positively with society. ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL AND by showing how people with THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURAL different needs can be very PRACTITIONERS Provides volunteering and capable when barriers ASTHP is a membership network employment opportunities. to participation are removed. organisation in England and Wales www.asthp.org.uk Offers skills and knowledge sharing Encourages social cohesion by opportunities across communities bringing a community together to and between generations. improve the neighbourhood or grow, sell or share locally grown produce. Environmentally sustainable: local, accessible services, increased Real world settings for formal access to fresh, affordable produce, and informal training in literacy, awareness of food chains, habitat numeracy, work and social skills and for wildlife, composting, recycling/ core skills in horticulture itself. waste reduction, carbon offsetting.

Improved self-confidence, independence, fitness and skills.

16 17 The Team 3

t’s common to seek support • To consult with prospective clients Ifrom a number of people and and those who may make referrals. organisations to help set up a • To garner support —­ therapeutic gardening project. financial, practical, political Networking during the early and maybe legal too. development stages will mean you’re • To promote your project to more likely to build a sustainable the local community. project that’s understood and championed by lots of people. It’s • To meet prospective funders, worth bearing in mind that perhaps not supporters and donors. everyone will welcome a new project’s • To attract potential employees, presence for various reasons, and often volunteers or board members projects need to prove themselves first. and friendly suppliers. Attracting a variety of people • To anticipate potential objections to join your project team can and stumbling blocks before help in several ways: they derail your idea. One of • To gather evidence of the the most common problems for need for your project. nascent projects comes from people who were not consulted or • Help to find and/or involved who may feel aggrieved negotiate access to land. and more inclined to hinder • To discuss and test your ideas rather than help progress. and gather new ones.

18 19 PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF NEIGHBOURS OF YOUR People to involve in your project THE ORGANISATION THAT THERAPEUTIC GARDEN SITE OWNS THE GARDEN GROUND Include them from the start, set up a PEOPLE ALREADY WORKING also have ideas and suggestions to This will be especially relevant meeting and invite local people along. ON THE SITE, E.G. GARDENERS share including knowledge of soil where gardens are to be developed This community engagement could If you are developing an existing and climactic conditions, what grows in the grounds of hospitals, clinics, take the form of a party e.g. a BBQ at garden site, it will be important to well where, current user/interest day centres or residential homes. the proposed site. Tea and cakes in a develop your plans, where possible, groups and awareness of vandalism Consider speaking to estates, grounds local venue or perhaps a garden related in collaboration with those who are or other existing problems. maintenance and health & safety staff activity might be an appropriate focus. already involved. They will have including fire officers, caretakers, concerns and questions, but will Fun, informal settings are excellent health promotion personnel, for listening, learning and managers, nurses, occupational sharing. It’s a great opportunity therapists and associated health Landowners, to ask about attitudes to the professionals, care workers and janitors, land and your proposals. estates & doctors. Involve them from the start. Community ground care You may need to allay fears, build and local You, your staff Individual Health Board interest and support, research government colleagues communications departments councillors market demand for produce/services can be very helpful in circulating or encourage volunteering. email information around Funders and hospitals and NHS staff. It’s also an opportunity to ask philanthropic questions about the current use of PROFESSIONALS IN THE groups the site, plans locals know of that THERAPEUTIC FIELD Local may affect it, rights of way, and site These may include therapeutic volunteer quality e.g. possible soil toxicity association, horticulture practitioners, health The issues. It’s always best to check local press professionals such as community out soil quality, even if sites don’t mental health workers or occupational Team have any previous industrial use. Therapeutic therapists, social workers, counsellors professionals, self-help and carers, depending on the Further information in groups, carers, nature of your project. Some of ‘The Garden’ section. Local neighbours these people may refer clients to Colleges, gardeners, your project; many may become schools, garden clubs, advocates and be actively involved. businesses, designers garden centres Other therapeutic gardening projects

20 21 Offer several ways of LOCAL COUNCILLORS LOCAL COLLEGES LOCAL SCHOOLS Local councillors have large If your local college has a horticulture School groups may like to visit the contributing ideas personal networks so try to develop department it may well be interested garden to look at the wildlife, take and opinions, vocally positive relationships with the in a therapeutic garden in the area. on a plot if you have the space, ones who represent the area where But be aware they can sometimes harvest fruit or for numerous other and publicly in groups your project will be. They can be be overwhelmed with requests for creative reasons. Such visits can help or privately in one- very helpful and supportive. involvement in horticultural projects. establish your project in the wider community through the interest of Staff may support you with advice to-one conversations OTHER THERAPEUTIC parents, grandparents and teachers. or be keen to have their students GARDENING PROJECTS or by contributing in learn about therapeutic gardening These will provide invaluable LOCAL BUSINESSES whilst offering a helping hand with writing on an ideas advice including how to avoid Business people may be interested specific developments within your all the early pitfalls that they in funding aspects of your work or board (colourful paper garden, e.g. hard landscaping work, may have experienced. They are enjoy some corporate team building as well as providing relevant courses. and pens essential) or easily contacted via Trellis HQ sessions, potentially offering a team Staff may also be able to help you or your local fieldworker. of volunteers on site for an occasional pinning up a ‘washing deliver and accredit training on day. This can be very useful for bigger site, e.g. by acting as a verifier. line’ of ideas. Give LOCAL GARDENERS, GARDEN pieces of work, e.g. hard landscaping people plenty of DESIGNERS, GARDENING An art department may also take an or shed building, and will help to CLUBS AND NURSERIES interest if you offer your site as a space increase local understanding of your opportunity to contact As well as understanding and for some environmental art. If you project’s aims and boost its profile. you throughout championing aspects of what plan to serve food to clients or visitors, you do, these groups may offer the college is the likely place for food LOCAL PRESS these processes. practical help and support as you hygiene courses to ensure staff and Local newspapers are often glad of develop your site, e.g. technical volunteers are compliant with the an article and a photograph, even if advice on , volunteer law. Social care students and staff it is not much more than a narrative help, and fundraising support. may like to see how you are working advertisement for your project. Use with clients as an example of a ‘day this to your advantage to recruit OTHER LOCAL GROUPS care’ service and may wish to pursue volunteers or promote an event. You Be aware of what’s happening a work placement at your project. might also be able to negotiate a in your locality that might link regular gardening/events column. to your project’s aims and be of benefit to your clients.

22 23 How one project consulted their community Carr Gomm’s Lochend Community Growing Project in Edinburgh consulted their local community by having an event entitled Seeds of Tomorrow: How would we like to grow?

A diverse group of local people expressed their ideas about what they would like to see happen in the community. These ideas were drawn on a large sheet of paper to give a dynamic visual representation of the community’s thoughts and ideas. This provided the objectives of the Lochend Secret Garden. Their aims were to facilitate social networks and reduce social isolation in the area.

The completed ‘vision’ compiled by the group at the community visioning day — Seeds of Tomorrow Included by kind permission of Carr Gomm. Extract from Lochend Community Growing Project Progress Report August 2011 to August 2012. Available from the Trellis case studies web page at www.trellisscotland.org.uk

24 25 LOCAL VOLUNTEER This group structure can take Further support & information ASSOCIATION several forms, for example: 3 Your local volunteer centre will • Registered charity both help you find and advise on looking after volunteers. It will also • Company Limited by The Team offer guidance on the governance Guarantee (which can also of your group e.g. advice about register as a charity) COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LOCAL BUSINESSES writing a constitution if that is • Scottish Charitable Incorporated For creative ideas for community Try the Chamber of Commerce relevant and also on fundraising. Organisation (SCIO) engagement see The Eden Project web in your nearest town. page www.edenproject.com/eden-story/ Many projects run, at first, as part • Community Interest OTHER THERAPEUTIC our-ethos/creative-community-engagement of a larger organisation, e.g. within Company (CIC) GARDENING PROJECTS/ the NHS, or in the community as a GARDEN CLUBS/GARDENERS PROFESSIONALS • Industrial and Provident Society group of people with a common aim. Try the Scottish Gardeners Forum Look online at the Trellis Directory This is called an unincorporated • Friendly Society www.scottishgardenersforum.org.uk/ of Therapeutic Gardens and the association. An unincorporated index.htm also the Scottish Allotments Trellis Map or email the Trellis • Club/Clubhouse structure group cannot hold property in its and Gardens Society (SAGS) website Information & Fieldwork Team own name, enter into contracts in These structures each have their www.sags.org.uk or use your local on [email protected] its own name or undertake legal advantages and disadvantages, e.g. library for community information. NETWORKING IN proceedings in its own name. charitable status: advantages include GROUP STRUCTURE THERAPEUTIC GARDENING tax relief on donations and access to VAP Voluntary Action Perthshire Trellis regularly hosts local knowledge Also, individuals acting for an funding only available to charities. Community www.pkvs.toolkit. and skill sharing network meetings, unincorporated group may be Disadvantages of charitable sitekit.net/Setting-up-Group-or- an annual conference and training held personally responsible if status include a certain amount of Project/choosing-a-structure.htm courses on relevant therapeutic things go wrong, for example if administration and restrictions gardening subjects where you can the group end up in debt or with LOCAL VOLUNTEER on spending. Your local volunteer meet others working in the field. outstanding legal obligations. So ASSOCIATION association can help you plan which Join the Trellis network for free these may be reasons for your group For local help in choosing/developing structure is best for your group. and sign up for the email bulletin to become more structured. your structure, looking after at www.trellisscotland.org.uk volunteers and funding, find your local voluntary association Third Sector Interface (TSI) Community Toolkit online at Voluntary Action Scotland www.vascotland.org/tsis/find-your-tsi

26 27 The Target Group 4

ou may already have a fairly Prospective clients themselves Ywell formed idea for a will want to contribute to project therapeutic gardening project and, development and they should be in particular, a target group. involved from the outset. This type of inclusive, participatory It’s essential to research to see planning will lead to a more locally what services already exist locally relevant and sustainable project. that cater for your prospective clients and have a garden theme.

Is there evidence of local demand not being met?

Do weigh up the national context and current local/national governmental concerns and interests, and also consider your own skills and knowledge.

28 29 When thinking about your client TRANSPORT group have you considered/ • How will clients get to the project? can you define the following? • Consider transport links, costs and accessibility. SITE CONSIDERATIONS WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS? • What your site, if you already have one • Specific group, e.g. adults affected by mental ill health earmarked, allows you and clients to do? • Age, gender(s), ethnic group. • How many people you can accommodate? • Everyone: the project will be open to all. • What adaptations need to be made, e.g. accessible paths, shade, slopes to replace steps and what they might cost? NEEDS AND BENEFITS? • What are the needs of your group? • What facilities are required, e.g. accessible toilets?

• What benefits will your project offer? MANAGING CLIENT PLACES • The skills and knowledge available to you — and the gaps. • What level of supervision and support can you offer?

• A referral and/or selection process and a trial period. WISHES AND EXPECTATIONS? • What do clients want: activities, support, facilities, etc.? • A well organised induction process, including, for example, a buddy system, and reviews. • What do the families, carers and key workers of clients want and expect of the project, if appropriate? • Time-limited or semi/permanent placements?

• Whether you will offer qualifications or awards, e.g. SVQ or COMMUNICATION RCHS Grow & Learn, and the implications of running these. • Where do target group members live and how you will contact them? DISCLOSURES, CONFIDENTIALITY AND BOUNDARIES • How will you communicate with clients? E.g. • How will you run background checks on staff, regular meetings (run by clients themselves?), volunteers and potentially on clients to ensure that newsletters, events calendars, social media etc. everyone on site is working in a safe team?

• How can clients communicate with you? Although • How will you store and deal with any confidential this will generally be an informal process, you should information revealed to you about personnel and clients? have a fully accessible complaints procedure in place • How will you manage any potentially worrying disclosures? that is introduced when new clients are inducted. • How will you agree ‘boundaries’ to ensure staff and • Will you need help from a local advocacy service? volunteers don’t get drawn into discussions on subjects that they are not equipped to deal with or that might represent a breach of professional standards/personal data and privacy?

30 31 Further support & information 4 The Target Group

PARTICIPATORY PLANNING COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES HORTICULTURE QUALIFICATIONS STAFF/CLIENT RATIOS For guidance on community Examples available on the Trellis The Grow Careers ‘Find a college’ Your local authority health and consultation, needs assessment, web pages www.trellisscotland.org.uk search is useful to get an overview social care departments may be surveys, focus groups and feasibility of horticulture colleges, see able to advise. Garden project staff THERAPEUTIC studies, see VAP Voluntary Action www.growcareers.info/go/aboutus. must also perform regular risk GARDENING CAREERS Perthshire Community Toolkit There are a variety of horticultural assessments to judge what levels of There’s no fixed route into a career in ‘Listening to your community’ qualifications available: Introduction staff support and supervision are therapeutic gardening. Many people www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net/ to Horticulture NC; Horticulture needed to ensure the safety of all have medical, care or community Setting-up-Group-or-Project/ NC; SVQ Level 2 Horticulture involved in day to day operations. development qualifications listening-to-your-community.htm and RHS Level 2 Certificate in The level of staff support deemed safe combined with ‘on the job’ learning/ Practical Horticulture, all providing may vary with individual attendees’ Other flavours of local voluntary volunteer experience in therapeutic useful practical knowledge for needs, with different activities association are available! Find your gardening projects and formal applying to therapeutic gardening. and different areas of the site. local voluntary association Third horticultural qualifications. LANTRA is the skills sector body Sector Interface (TSI) online at THERAPEUTIC for land based professions. Voluntary Action Scotland GARDENING TRAINING www.vascotland.org/tsis/find-your-tsi HORTICULTURAL AWARDS Trellis provides a range of CPD, The Grow & Learn Award is used CLIENT FACILITIES knowledge, skills and good to recognise achievement in Your local authority planning practice sharing events in response horticulture skills and personal department may be able to advise to the needs of therapeutic development goals. It is a person on the provision of facilities, gardening projects in the network centred, portfolio based award for e.g. number of toilets, washing www.trellisscotland.org.uk those whose needs are not met by facilities, etc. Insurers and fire There are courses specialising in SVQ type training. Administered officers may advise on safe legal social and therapeutic gardening by the Caley www.rchs.co.uk occupation limits for a given space. available provided by Capel Manor ACCESSIBLE COMMUNICATION College, Coventry University and The Sensory Trust, Inclusive Design, Thrive. These do not, however, range of factsheets provide practical provide a formally recognised basis guidance on accessible information for practicing as a ‘therapist’. for a variety of client groups www.sensorytrust.org.uk

32 33 SeekingThe Garden a Site 5

s you seek the best possible Considerations to bear in mind: site for your project, use the A YOUR AIMS, CONSULTATION following points to help you scout FINDINGS AND BUDGET out potential locations. The ‘movers and shakers’ team that you have • Your project aims — any site must been in contact with locally may be offer a means to fulfil these. a good source of information about • Client and local community needs available sites and their owners. and wishes and how many people However, don’t think you have to you want to accommodate. find a large site in order to garden. • The site’s neighbours and how they Many of the most sustainable might view your proposed project. therapeutic gardening projects have • Your budget — actual or potential. developed from, or retain their value in, being small, portable or very easy to maintain and enjoy. E.g. indoor windowsill plants, outdoor growing in containers or a small garden bed.

34 35 LEGAL Further support & information • Who owns the site? Does it have defined boundaries? 5 • Is it available to lease/rent/buy? Is a secure tenancy on offer? Some funders/referrers may require a minimum lease, e.g. 5 years. The Garden: Seeking a Site • If your proposed site was not previously used as a therapeutic garden, would a change of use be required/allowed by the owner/council? ACQUIRING A SITE Your local planning authority will also • Any planning restrictions related to the site. For help in acquiring a site your local offer advice and some universities and authority, local health board/NHS Trust colleges with or environmental • Any rights of way affecting the site. and Fields in Trust www.fieldsintrust.org/ faculties may help with soil analysis. • Any trees or habitats that will need to be preserved scotland.aspx are all worth contacting. BUILT ENVIRONMENT or are the subject of preservation orders. Advertise for land in the Trellis FORUM SCOTLAND email bulletin and web pages. Find Useful links, case studies and out who local landowners are via SITE FEATURES information if you are involved Scottish Land and Estates • Consider the site’s aspect, slope, size, shape, topography, drainage, in developing a site that includes www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk sun and shade, soil type, climate, altitude, wind/exposure. All converting an historic building these things may affect how clients, staff, volunteers and visitors LEGAL ADVICE for a new use www.befs.co.uk will experience the site. Wind filtering, shading, levelling, Seek advice on all aspects of PLANNING AID FOR SCOTLAND drainage and protection measures may be required. leasing, buying, renting out land A charity/social enterprise that from the Community Land Advisory • The site’s previous use — and whether it may need remedial helps people engage more easily Service (CLAS Scotland) action in the case of a contaminated brown field site, with the planning process www.communitylandadvice.org.uk for example. It’s always best to check out soil quality, www.pas.org.uk even if no previous industrial use is recorded. ACCESSING SERVICES PLANNING RESTRICTIONS Your site plans should include the If you are seeking to make any position of underground cables, pipes, ACCESS changes to a site, whether physical or etc., utilities providers can advise. • The site’s accessibility and safety — or any changes that in its use, contact your local planning For older sites you may need to visit would be needed to improve these, and the cost. authority for advice early on. your local council office or archive. • The availability of transport links to the site. RIGHTS OF WAY LAND CONTAMINATION Scottish Rights of Way Society • Access to services — water, drains, sewers, electricity, gas, The ‘Guide for Growing on Land Which www.scotways.com and Scottish Natural telephones, and their cost if they are not currently available. May Be Contaminated’ includes a site visit Heritage www.snh.org.uk have lots of Also you may need to contact utilities companies or the local checklist to assess the level of concern information, as will your local council. council about the position of underground pipes, cables and you should have about a prospective drains running through the site before you begin to dig. garden site, as well as information on TREE PRESERVATION soil testing, remedial action suggestions Contact your local authority and case studies. Available to download planning department if you plan to from www.growyourownscotland.info reduce in size or remove trees.

36 37 Further support & information 5 The Garden: Designing a Garden The Garden Designing a Garden DESIGNING A GARDEN INCLUSIVE DESIGN We can advise on the accessibility The Sensory Trust www.sensorytrust.org.uk of your . To draw up provides lots of of information on a garden plan, Trellis can offer free designing for accessibility, ideas initial site visits for groups aiming to for activities to enrich experiences, develop therapeutic gardening space, as well as a useful factsheet on path with any subsequent work time being widths, gradients, surfaces, etc. subject to charges. Please contact the n therapeutic gardening the work, area, space The Fieldfare Trust provide Trellis office for further information. Idefinition of a ‘garden’ is a very broad for flowers, vegetables and information about countryside one. Remember it doesn’t have to be a propagation, accessible water ADAPTIVE GARDENING accessibility including some big garden to be an effective space for taps, good paths and trails around Trellis factsheets on many aspects useful ideas that can be scaled your project. Pots, containers, hanging the garden, seating areas. of adaptive gardening design, down to garden size baskets and looking after other techniques and activities can be www.fieldfare.org.uk • Design in accessibility and people’s gardens are all viable options. found at www.trellisscotland.org.uk interpretation e.g. for wheelchair DEMENTIA FRIENDLY Considerations to bear in mind: gardeners or those living with The Dementia Services dementia. And where necessary, Development Centre in Stirling • Your aims and budget — again! signage and/or colour coding offers a number of garden design • Include all interested parties in of areas. Consult the people guides www.dementia.stir.ac.uk planning and creating the ‘garden’. concerned about what they need. An internet search on inclusive or • Focusing on the potential of the • Themed areas, e.g. the seaside, accessible design will provide more site as much as on its constraints. a colour, the wild garden. information. Contact your local authority planning department if you • The surrounding area and how • Building in art works. plan to reduce in size or remove trees. best to make your site ‘fit’ e.g. • Nearby parking. using materials like gravel that reflect the local geology. • Access to a reliable water supply or a cunning plan to get round • Designing in the areas required the lack of a supply. Consider the to achieve your aims, e.g. borders, distance from the water source/ raised beds, contemplation taps to the area(s) to be watered, area, social areas, office space, and the height of taps/standpipes. toilets, covered space for winter Remember water is heavy.

38 39 Further support & information 5 The Garden: Planting The Garden Planting PLANTS AND GROWING For horticulture advice see the For information on forest resources produced by the Royal gardening see www.scottishforestgarden. Horticultural Society (RHS) wordpress.com and also The www.rhs.org.uk or look at the many Association website books available on plants and planting. www.permaculture.org.uk In particular Dr G Hessayon’s guides, which documents what’s going ‘Garden Plants for Scotland’ by Ken on in Scotland. gain, a reminder about how Many people can feel Cox & Raoul Curtis-Machin and ‘Fruit SELLING ITEMS/PRODUCE useful it can be to start small, and Vegetables for Scotland’ by Ken A overwhelmed by the There is a very useful factsheet after assessing your clients’ needs and Cox & Caroline Beaton. entitled ‘A beginner’s guide to in conjunction with your project aims. perceived burden of ORGANIC GROWING growing and selling produce’ available Considerations to bear in mind: caring for a large area ASK organic www.askorganic.co.uk is a from the Trellis factsheets web mine of useful information on organic page at www.trellisscotland.org.uk • The site’s aspect, slope, size, of garden ground or gardening methods in Scotland. shape, topography, drainage, plants with a long Contact other garden projects sun and shade, soil type, climate, Access the HDRA (Henry Doubleday to learn from their experience altitude, wind/exposure. growing season. Research Association Centre) for of trading. The administrative all the gen on organic growing complexities are reduced for small • The number of clients, staff Dividing the ‘garden’ www.gardenorganic.org.uk scale operations, so don’t be put off. and volunteers and their into small manageable needs, interests and skills. The Soil Association — campaigning Selling produce can become pots, containers or organisation for organic methods, complex because of tax law. • What style of gardening is open offering lots of information as well as Information is available from Her to you: formal/ornamental, high plots with a mix of regulation and promotion of organic Majesty’s Revenue and Customs or low maintenance, active or growing seasons is one products www.soilassociation.org www.hmrc.gov.uk and OSCR mainly for relaxing in, www.oscr.org.uk production, forest gardening, method of overcoming fruit or flower production, wildlife this perception. gardening, groomed to perfection or messy and all-encompassing.

• Whether you will sell plants or produce to the public.

40 41 Staff & Volunteers 6

Many projects expand Often this expansion involves recruiting paid staff or volunteers. over time, starting with Many therapeutic garden projects one enthusiastic person have at least one paid member of staff. Although some small projects do run and building in scope. successfully using only volunteers, this is the exception rather than the rule.

Co-ordinator

Volunteers Employees

42 43 People and structures Who’s who and does

Commonly found structures EMPLOYEES it really matter? and positions include: Depending on the number of people There’s huge variation in how different The way everyone works together your project supports and the work CO-ORDINATOR gardening projects configure their and describes him or herself at a you intend to carry out, further Someone who is in charge of the personnel teams. In some gardens, project will have a lot to do with paid employees may be required. project. This person will generally be everyone is referred to as a volunteer, the ethos of that group and may They will be trained, monitored, paid and will take responsibility for including people who need a full have a little to do, sometimes, with supported by, and accountable all aspects of the work of the project, time support worker to help them the funders who support it or the to, the person in charge. its clients, staff, volunteers and participate alongside others who larger organisation it is a part of. facilities. They will be accountable If you do decide to employ staff, you can work more independently. The desire to counteract inequalities to, and supported by, a board of will have to become a constituted At other sites, there may be more or stigma may lead to a preference directors or management committee group in order to legally do so clearly demarcated roles, nurses and for not differentiating between of a charity or possibly senior (see section 3, The Team, ‘Local patients for example or prison service people who, after all, have come managers in an NHS department Volunteer Association’). Some staff and prisoner gardeners. These together with a common purpose: or a voluntary services agency. groups, e.g. a limited company or roles reflect the material differences to garden and to give what they can. a Scottish Charitable Incorporated VOLUNTEERS in authority and responsibilities, But in some settings professional Organisation (SCIO) have legal Some projects do not take on whether a given participant is structures may come in to play, often powers to take on employees. So volunteers but many do. Reliable and receiving a salary or not, and in for good reasons. The question may think about this when considering skilled volunteers can make a very many cases in what a person expects never arise at your project, but if it the best structure for your group. considerable contribution to a project. to get out of their involvement. does, while you might find examples All volunteers will need training and of projects similar to yours in the Within certain projects, some support. Factor in additional time, network, there is no protocol. participants are ‘trainees’ while energy and funds for this. The level of others are tutors, activity leaders support each volunteer requires can or instructors, and at yet other vary a lot and some garden projects garden sites, everyone is referred regard every participant as a volunteer. to as simply ‘gardeners’. Each project will have to decide what they expect from volunteers and what they can offer in return.

44 45 Recruiting and managing Recruitment policies staff and volunteers and procedures

Here are some general points Appropriate salary or expenses? All the policies outlined below and A PVG (Protecting Vulnerable to consider when taking on overleaf should be ‘live’ not just dusty Groups) check is essential if staff Do you have an adequate budget either staff or volunteers: documents, but guidance that actually and volunteers will be working with for the staff you’ll need? Staff roles, steers the project’s daily operations. children and/or vulnerable adults. Is the project’s emphasis on care, the level of responsibility and the This means that regular training and The PVG check would usually be horticulture, rehabilitation, education qualifications required dictate revision work should be included in needed before starting work and is and training or something else? salary levels. Salaries should reflect the annual calendar to make sure paid for by your project. Checks are your desire to recruit and retain You will need people with particular everyone is aware of what the policies available from Disclosure Scotland the best possible staff. Current (and complementary) knowledge say and they know how to follow (www.disclosurescotland.co.uk). therapeutic gardening salary averages and skills. Both staff and volunteers procedures and why they are in place. are available from the Trellis web As a matter of good practice, you need a person specification and a job pages. Volunteers should generally Your group will need to agree should consider the ethnic and description — but build in flexibility. be offered reimbursement of travel that formal recruitment policy cultural diversity and the gender and Exemplar person specifications and job costs and out of pocket expenses. and procedures should be put in age balance of your workforce, in descriptions are available from Trellis. place so that posts, whether paid relation to the community and your The project’s constitution. How many staff/volunteers do you need or unpaid, are allocated according client group. This should be dealt with and with which skills and experience? If you do decide to employ staff, some to transparent criteria and in line through your equal opportunities groups, e.g. a limited company or with equal opportunities guidelines. policy and procedures. Organisations This will be dependent on your project a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Advertising a post is likely to entail may also ask about disabilities as aims, the number of people you plan Organisation (SCIO) have legal costs in the traditional press and part of their equalities monitoring, to work with and their needs. The powers to take on employees. See online media. However Trellis offers and less commonly, about religion more complex the support needs of section 3 The Team, Local Volunteer free job advertising via our web pages and sexuality. There’s little point the project attendees, the greater Association for more information. So and email bulletin. It’s also worth in collecting such data unless you the level of staff you need to support think about this when considering contacting your local job centre. have time to review it to highlight them. Some people may want to come the best structure for your group. Trellis and Volunteer Scotland also inadvertent biases/barriers and along with a carer, buddy, mentor host free advertising for volunteer consider any changes needed. or support/advocacy helper. Think positions offered and sought. about how you will cover for staff To ensure that a project fulfils its and volunteer holidays, sickness A vital part of the recruitment aims and ethos, appropriate and absence and any special leave process is acquiring references. Two on-going training should be provided (planned and unplanned) so that references, is standard, from previous for staff and volunteers, beginning the project can still operate safely. employers or volunteer managers. with an induction programme. In References offer an additional layer addition, it’s common practice to of assurance about the abilities and support staff with regular supervision reliability of new team members. meetings where an honest exchange

46 47 between manager/co-ordinator and MEASURING PROGRESS Further support & information staff member/volunteer should help Don’t forget ‘having fun’ when 6 monitor, evaluate and plan work, considering your success criteria mitigate problems and to acknowledge (see section 10 Measuring Progress). success. These are commonly Gardening is a very pleasurable Staff & Volunteers scheduled every six to eight weeks. activity but it’s very easy to focus on Depending on the size of project there more sombre measures and to forget COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE SUPPORT AND TRAINING might also be an annual appraisal. the importance to us all, of joy and Access the Trellis website for It’s crucial to do this well so that the It’s important to consider how you will fun. Consciously building a cohesive examples of complaints procedures. staff and volunteers you manage are deal with any discipline and grievance team and celebrating the successes well trained, motivated and committed DIVERSITY/EQUALITY problems that occur and express this of staff, volunteers and clients is a to nurturing their clients. Seek advice For general, policy-level information, as a written grievance and disciplinary very important part of the work of from network peers as necessary. look at the Equality and Human policy and procedure. All staff, a therapeutic garden and if done Rights Commission website Trellis offers a range of formal training, volunteers and visitors (if yours is a well, will lead to a shared sense of www.equalityhumanrights.com. CPD, knowledge & skill sharing events public site) must have access to a clear enjoyment and accomplishment. The Trellis website has examples and an annual conference all related and responsive complaints procedure. of equalities policies www. to therapeutic gardening. Your local These documents should outline a clear trellisscotland.org.uk charity/volunteer umbrella organisation chain of responsibility with names and may also offer other relevant training. contact details where possible so that GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES SCVO has a very wide menu of training a complainant can take their concerns ACAS has a useful guide on Discipline opportunities www.scvo.org.uk/events to the next level if not satisfactorily and Grievance at Work which includes resolved at the first port of call. an example of a grievance procedure THERAPEUTIC GARDENING SALARY Ultimately, an external mediator for a small organisation www.acas.org.uk Available on the Trellis web pages may need to be named as the final www.trellisscotland.org.uk JOB DESCRIPTIONS arbiter in more intractable disputes. Lots of help online but the Trellis VOLUNTEERS Communication is the key to harmony network is probably the best place Volunteer (Development) Scotland when a group of people work together. to look for help. Free advertising www.volunteerscotland.net has help Build in communication strategies and examples of job descriptions and training for those who recruit from the start, e.g. weekly planning are available from the Trellis and manage volunteers. It also meetings, monthly e-bulletin, and website www.trellisscotland.org.uk hosts a free national volunteering encourage staff, volunteers, clients recruitment website. Also look out for PVG CHECK and carers to contribute. Everyone training and advice run by the local Available from Disclosure Scotland needs to feel that they’re listened to voluntary association in your area www.disclosurescotland.co.uk — and that their ideas and concerns www.vascotland.org/tsis/find-your-tsi generally projects pay to have staff are welcomed and may have the disclosure checked. You can acquire Scottish Business in the Community potential to change things. a basic disclosure via an online www.sbcscot.com works with businesses facility for a fee of around £25. to offer volunteer teams for a day.

48 49 Attracting and Generating Money

our project may be in the Are you only after a little revenue Yfortunate position of having funding to keep you in seeds, pots a core budget from a parent or and compost? In which case, local commissioning organisation, e.g. fundraising activities are all that are the local council. Even if this is the needed to keep your project sustainable. case, current financial realities Or do you need larger scale capital mean that you’re likely to need funding for a new building or facilities additional funds at some point as as well as revenue for staff costs? You grants decrease or costs rise. may need funds for all these things. But before rushing off to complete A series of discussions leading a pile of funding applications, ask to the creation of a funding plan yourself if you could achieve your will clarify what type of additional aims with less money? Or make the funding is needed, when you will money you have work harder for you? need it, how you plan to acquire Consider where you are now and how it, and who will do that work. you might get to where you want to be. Be clear about what you need and what the most crucial priorities are.

50 51 Creating a funding plan Do you really need more money?

Some of the questions to consider when creating a funding plan: Can you achieve your aims with LOCAL FUNDRAISING less money, or make the money you Local fundraising activities are a DO YOU REALLY NEED MORE MONEY? have work harder for you? Could good way to strengthen community • Could you do more with what you have? you do more with what you have? support and raise awareness of your • Can your gardening activity generate money? work e.g. try a Strawberry Sunday CUTTING COSTS: — invite people to come and work in • Could you engage the local community more — free labour, exchange • Look at things like bank charges, garden for two hours in return for of goods and services, LETS scheme or a time bank or in-kind giving? utility providers and insurance a strawberry tea. Those that can’t costs. Shopping around will ensure CLARIFY WHAT YOU NEED FUNDING FOR manage or don’t want to do gardening you get the best possible deal. • Do you need small, ‘seed’ funding or funds for a major capital expenditure? work can enjoy the company and • Consider your supplies it’s a useful inclusive activity. • A simple funding plan with budgets and timescales helps and services. Could you to focus your efforts. Perhaps funding several smaller CAN YOUR GARDENING buy co-operatively with phases will work better than a one-off larger sum. ACTIVITY GENERATE MONEY? other nearby projects? Plant sales; veg box schemes; • Create a budget and ensure your finances are in order. • If you are a non-profit baking sales; café; garden SEARCH FOR SUITABLE FUNDING OPTIONS organisation, ask suppliers if maintenance; floristry; craft • Seek out Trellis, local council and volunteer centre support. they offer special/discounted sales; woodworking; upcycling. rates to charitable causes. The experience of projects in the • Are legacies, endowments, sponsorship or a Trellis network suggests that only a ‘friends of...’ group suitable options? • Involve and engage your local small percentage of annual income can community and local businesses • Funding database search — seek more than one funder. be generated through these means. more. Ask for donations in • Note deadlines, and ensure you check the ‘what we kind e.g. a garden centre may Create a budget for what you don’t fund’ section of any trust’s website. donate spades etc. What skills want to achieve. Include: and materials could you find for • Crowd funding options work for some projects. • Staff costs (incl. salary + 15% little, or nothing, from volunteers to cover NI/pension). • What type of entity works best for your project? (civilian, army or corporate) or through time-banking? • Fixed costs (heating, FUNDING APPLICATION TOP TIPS lighting, water etc.). • Be succinct and clear about the need for your project and who will benefit. • Materials.

• Include relevant statistics and comments from potential • Travel (public transport costs users of the project to demonstrate this. and car travel e.g. 45p per mile).

• Be sure you know how you will measure the impact of the funding you receive.

52 53 The search for suitable What type of entity works charitable funding options best for your project? Once you know where you want to Visit the Trellis funding web Depending on how you will primarily Commission also has some useful get to, spend some time exploring pages for funder suggestions; the raise income, consider becoming a guidance and although Scottish the funding options available to a e-bulletin too carries funding news. company limited by guarantee or law on charities is a little different project like yours. There is enormous • Your local voluntary association a Scottish Charitable Incorporated from that in England and Wales competition for funding and many may host an online funder finder Organisation (SCIO). This has the basic principles are similar. grant providers and trusts are search facility and may also implications for the level of admin oversubscribed. It’s common to If trading is going to be an important be able to provide one-to-one and reporting to regulators you’ll try for funding from a number of feature of your project it may be worth sessions helping you to search have to do (the administrative burden sources simultaneously. This has considering becoming a Community for funding. They may also issue for companies is considered to be the obvious benefit of spreading Interest Company (CIC) or a Social regular funding bulletins. slightly more than for SCIOs), the your chances of success by not Enterprise. These kinds of organisations funds you’ll be eligible to apply for and depending on one funder who, if • Local councils will often have hope to make a profit and aim to plough your project’s legal powers and duties they turn down your request, will community funding section which it back into the project again. Again, regarding hiring staff, complying with leave you back at square one. can also be a good place to start. take advice, as once a CIC always a certain laws and buying property/ CIC, and this could be restricting if There are a considerable number of • Local environment trusts are stock etc. as well as taxation. applying for charitable trust funding in funding bodies in existence. Some often good sources of local Note that you can become a company future. For further help and advice on have very broad criteria as to who funding information. and a registered charity. The Charity choosing a group structure, see page 27. they will fund and others have very • SCVO will also offer advice specific priorities or locality-based and, of course, other projects criteria. Seeking them out and may share ideas as to where Corporate sponsorship filtering out the irrelevant ones is to look for funding. part of the job of creating an efficient Corporate sponsorship from local or the sponsor may want their association funding structure for your project. Funders differ in the amount of national business is another funding with the project acknowledged by, for discussion they prefer to have with option and although not common, if example, the inclusion of their logo on Knowing what you want and how much prospective applicants prior to and pitched correctly, can be of real benefit your website/paperwork, photo calls to budget for will also help you narrow during the submission process. Some to you and your sponsor. Be aware that or other marketing activity. Successful your search. There is a complete range discourage questions entirely and a sponsorship deal is a partnership sponsorship relationships are clear of funders from those offering a few refer everyone to an online form from which both parties hope to benefit about what both parties want from hundred pounds to those exclusively and guidelines; others prefer you to and your proposal should clearly the partnership, are comfortable with interested in large capital projects. call them and may even send a grant demonstrate what your sponsor will get the association and confident that officer or trustee to meet you. in return for their investment. A garden its impact will be positive. Consider project may want relatively simple local businesses or organisations things, e.g. some funding, an increased that may have a thematic link to profile or a piece of equipment, while your work as a starting point.

54 55 FUNDING BIDS Include a well written budget which Funding applications Any funding bids you make should be has income, expenditure and in-kind well thought through, well targeted contributions all included. You’ll also to the money-giving body (read need to prove your financial control TIMESCALE opposite is true and money is used up their criteria carefully so that you systems are robust and transparent. If you plan to contact trusts or grant before the end of the year. Speak to don’t waste your time and theirs), You can do this in many ways such providers, note deadlines or lead in your council to find out how they treat extremely well written and proof as outlining any proven experience times. There will be closing dates, applications and apply accordingly. read. It’s vital that you present the of managing budgets in previous perhaps a number of deadlines each You may also want to consider best possible picture of your project jobs, or by calling on the services of a year or a rolling programme with bids legacies, endowments, or the setting to any prospective funder. Try to friendly accountant who’ll advise on considered as they arrive. Funders will up of a fundraising ‘Friends of...’ offer a succinct account of your and verify your budget and help keep generally provide information about group. These forms of fundraising project as providing something that monthly account records in shape. the time it takes them from receipt of activity may not be appropriate for is unique, innovative, locally relevant your bid to the provision of money, Many funders want to see your annual your project, or may be something and valued. Be as specific as you if you’re successful. As you’re likely audited accounts and annual report for five years into your plan. can e.g. money needed for a new to need your funding by a specific if you have them. If you don’t yet shed, 7 spades, 3 garden forks etc. date, you’ll need to take note of this. WHAT TO INCLUDE have accounts because you are a new When making an application for Your project needs to demonstrate project, a budget forecast for the first Be aware of the turnaround time that funding, imagine that you are that it is well managed with year of operation is often required. each funding application may need: the funder who has thousands of clear aims and solid, but flexible allow time to write; time to have the applications to read. Make your plans, for a sustainable future. application considered; take into application stand out for the best consideration the date when funding Don’t forget to include any relevant reasons: no spelling mistakes, research may be awarded and what time period statistics and personal comments the funding body, and give the funder it’s awarded for. Apply for funding at from local people you may have that exactly the information they require. the appropriate time — funders may offer proof of need (and success if have specific deadlines or regular Charitable funds are applied for you’re already up and running). funding cycles. In the case of local in the name of one person who is Clarify how you will measure the council funding, most people apply at accountable to their project board impact of the money you’re requesting the start of the year and councils are of directors. On application forms, a (see section 10 Measuring Progress). inundated with funding applications. referee is often required to vouch for This means you need to be clear about You may stand a better chance this named person/give a reference, what the outcomes and impact of your applying a few weeks later when the this is generally a person independent planned work will be and for whom. rush has died down. Some councils of the project/board of directors. You also need to express clearly what are careful to eke out money across indicators will show you’ve successfully the year, often there is money left to brought about the planned changes be used up towards the end of the year and how you’ll measure them. or fund closing date. Sometimes the

56 57 Further support & information

Attracting and Generating Money

GROUP STRUCTURE COMPANY LIMITED FUNDING RESOURCES SOCIAL ENTERPRISE VAP Voluntary Action Perthshire BY GUARANTEE Your local voluntary association The VAP Community Toolkit has Community Toolkit ‘Setting up a For guidance on what a Third Sector Interface (TSI) can a lot of information on Social Community Group / Choosing a company structure offers, OSCR provide face to face information Enterprise (and on SCIOs and Structure’ for guidance on a variety www.oscr.org.uk has a practical on generating income and finding CICs) www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net of group structures step-by-step guide and SCVO funding as well as an online funder WRITING FUNDING PROPOSALS www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net/Setting-up- www.scvo.org.uk offers comprehensive search and often a regular bulletin Several organisations including SCVO Group-or-Project/choosing-a-structure.htm information on the subject. or update. Find your local TSI at run courses on fundraising. There is www.vascotland.org/tsis/find-your-tsi SCOTTISH CHARITABLE Companies House www.gov.uk/ information online too and several INCORPORATED government/organisations/companies-house Your local council may also offer books available on the subject. The ORGANISATION (SCIO) is the place to register your company funding advice and information. Institute of Fundraising might also OSCR www.oscr.org.uk has a but creating a legally fit constitution prove useful and they have a Scottish Look on the Trellis funding web practical step-by-step guide and SCVO and agreeing on the make-up of arm www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk pages and in your local library www.scvo.org.uk offers comprehensive your governing structures and they might have some paper- Company Solutions (run by Gareth information on the subject. rules can be complex. based reference books on trust Edwards) provides excellent short COMMUNITY INTEREST Some local voluntary association funding. The SCVO produces a training courses on different COMPANY (CIC) Introduced TSIs will offer guidance, and the very useful funding directory that aspects of fundraising across the in 2006, this is a form of limited Business Gateway may also help comes as a PDF www.scvo.org.uk UK www.companysolutions.biz liability company structure set up www.bgateway.com/local-offices. HMRC for organisations that have the also publishes guidance on Company specific aim of providing benefit Law which will apply to your group to a community. Note that it if you opt for this structure. cannot be a registered charity as well. For information and case studies see www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/office-of-the-regulator- of-community-interest-companies

58 59 Promoting Your 8 Gardening Project Insert Picture here

As with all things You may want to promote your therapeutic gardening project: project-related, having • To help local people, potential a plan will help. Within referrers and prospective clients it consider including understand what you are doing and to encourage their participation. what you need to say, • To encourage connections to whom, when, and with linked or complementary how you’ll judge the initiatives, organisations and potential partners. success of a particular • To ensure you have a profile communication. that truly conveys ‘who you are’ and your project ethos.

• To garner support, understanding, good will, funding or volunteer help.

• To publicise specific areas of your work, fund-raising events or particular activities.

• To publicly celebrate successes and build the self-esteem of all involved.

60 61 Marketing

Give the image of your project as wordpress.com). Ensure your website careful consideration. clearly shows contact information, your location and opening times. Keeping Local support, • Agree who your target audience your website up to date is crucial and social capital, is. From this you can figure getting some of your personal interest good will, out which promotion vehicles, word of mouth stories across as blogs from those methods and styles will work best. Digital within your project is a great way to marketing • Decide on the message you wish do this. So be sure you have the time people to take from your work. and resources for the upkeep before Once you’re clear about this embarking on website creation. Media then develop consistent wording SOCIAL MEDIA relations that you can use, whatever the You can also consider using Facebook, context or the audience. Twitter and Pinterest, amongst other • Try to make any communication as sites, to keep people updated with your clear, concise and consistent project’s activities and successes, and to Promotion as possible. continue reinforcing your core message. • Use simple language to get If you’re open to the public, you may your message across. want to think about asking visitors to Micro- Project ‘like’ your Facebook page or to capture promotion champions • Images are great for capturing their email address, giving them the people’s attention. There will opportunity to be first to know of any always be competition with special events, activities or items for sale Social lots of other promotional media that you offer. If you do this, don’t forget material and yours needs to your data protection responsibilities. stand out. If using imagery, be sure you have permissions Social media also must be regularly Events in place to use it publicly. updated if they are to work well for you, so ensure you have someone WEBSITE in the project with the skills and A website can be a good way of capacity to do this work. communicating and conveying information. This does not need to Look out for local training opportunities be costly as there are lots of options on the subject of social media if you available which allow you to build a need support — or ask colleagues good website for little or no cost (such who have relevant experience.

62 63 MEDIA RELATIONS An interview with the local radio In addition to websites and social station can be helpful but go prepared media you may wish to send articles with three clear points you want or press releases to the local press. to make so you can be in control If you’re using the local or national of the message that’s broadcast newspapers do ensure that they’re and be less prone to missing an clear about who and what they important point or being thrown can photograph, and write the by an unexpected question. press release yourself to ensure DIRECT MARKETING (at least before a journalist edits Leaflets can be very useful, as can your words!) that the detail of what posters. Consider what it is you’re you want to get across is clear and promoting and, by extension, who not misleading or patronising. your target audience is and where • Your first paragraph needs to they might be. Focus any leafleting capture the reader’s attention. or poster activity in these areas, e.g. No need for detail at this point. local schools and community centres for a children’s bug hunt or doctors’ • Your first few words should clarify and dentists’ surgeries, libraries the most important aspect of the and the local hospital for a ‘green story and be written in a style exercise’ event. Ensure the design of tailored to the target audience (it’s graphic information is relevant and important to have a clear idea of accessible to your target audience. who this will be of interest to). PROJECT CHAMPIONS • Focus throughout on the IMPACT You may have volunteers who are and BENEFITS of your work. well connected within the local • Connect with your audience: who community. You could invite them will be affected by your news to act as champions for your project. story? Why does it matter? This could mean that they offer to talk, formally or informally, about • Keep it focussed on the impact your work to relevant community on the lives of real people: human or horticultural groups. People who interest stories always sell. have good presentation skills can Larger urban areas may have news really heighten the profile of a project, sheets or websites for specific leading potentially to offers of support areas of town. Make contact with of various kinds as well as an increased these if it suits your purposes as understanding and awareness of they’re often glad of stories. your project’s work and aims.

64 65 EVENTS MICRO PROMOTION Further support & information Of course promotion is not just the While you’re engaged in all the ‘out 8 written stuff. Promotional events there’ stuff don’t lose sight of the signs, will give you another opportunity to notices and other written materials demonstrate to people who you are that are visible on site when clients, Promoting Your Gardening Project and what you’re trying to achieve. staff and visitors come to your project. ACCESSIBLE TEXT MARKETING PLAN There are brilliant examples of • Are these elements also reflecting CALL Scotland supports the A simple list of what you are going innovative events held across the your message/ethos? development of communication to do to maintain a profile within country that have been successful • Are they welcoming, positive, and assistive technology. Although your community and how frequently, in catching the eye of the public clear, comprehensive, current aimed at teachers you can download would be a start. Allocate tasks and and of influential people too. and accessible to all? a useful booklet on producing keep promotion as a standing agenda Well run events can prove to accessible text www.callscotland.org.uk item for your staff/client meetings. • Ask a friend to be a ‘secret a potential sponsor or funder shopper’ to test them. Contact the RNIB if you are SOCIAL MEDIA that you have the ability to supporting people with sight loss Charity Comms is a membership deliver what you say you can. • Some organisations may have www.rnib.org.uk for advice on making network for charity communications accessibility auditors who Consider linking with other like- your signage and literature more professionals www.charitycomms.org.uk could provide an evaluation. minded groups in joint events. Many accessible to visually impaired visitors. — their website has some useful communities have regular charity fairs Promotional efforts should build information and advice in this area. If you are working with people who where you can promote your project. up, and should fit together, so that SCVO offers training www.scvo.org.uk do not speak English well, speak you are projecting a consistent and the Media Officers Network. to your local council, college or message. A flurry of hand-crafted volunteer centre about translation WRITING A PRESS RELEASE Your promotional leaflets and posters is a great start services, and think about including Look at the Charity Comms website but you should aim to follow up with efforts will grow with language skills in your training for tips, advice and ‘thought pieces’ a marketing plan, however simple. your project and as programme (for staff and volunteers) www.charitycomms.org.uk. The Media and recruitment requirements. Trust is also worth a look more support becomes www.mediatrust.org. WikiHow LOCAL NEWSLETTERS www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Press-Release available. You don’t Your local library is likely to have need to be doing it contact details of local newsletters and any free newspapers. Often all from the start, they are very glad to be offered just do what you can articles and photographs. with consistency.

66 67 Getting the 9

GovernanceAdministration Right

overnance means the act of Anyone coming into Gcontrolling or directing an organisation. contact with your To ensure and demonstrate good project, no matter governance it’s important to have how small that project certain rules and agreements in place, available to all and is, will want to be influencing all areas of operation. confident that it is For many, this aspect of running run with transparency your project may seem daunting but there are lots of simple templates and and integrity. organisations that can help get your project shipshape. Trellis also runs regular network meetings and training on many aspects of good governance.

68 69 YOUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS CAN DEVELOP Further support & information OVER TIME BUT MAY INCLUDE: 9 • A constitution or ‘governing document’. Getting the Administration • Various policies covering areas such as equal opportunities, health & safety, data protection, protecting vulnerable Right: Governance people, child protection, financial control, IT use, staff management procedures including discipline and grievance protocols, volunteer management ANNUAL REPORT If you play music live or on a radio guidelines as well as a complaints procedure. The PKAVS Community Toolkit has or TV in the background to entertain some information on this subject clients, staff or visitors you will need • Transparent financial processes and records that www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net a licence. Look at the Performing can be subject to independent examination. Rights Society website for information CONSTITUTION • Risk assessments to gauge and minimise risk both to related to charities and community Your local volunteer centre may personnel, clients and visitors to the organisation, groups www.prsformusic.com have advice and model constitutions its reputation, service provision and viability. to study. SCVO also offers one Public collections of funds (e.g. • Processes/documentation in place to show you comply to download www.scvo.org.uk shaking a tin at an event or in with relevant legislation such as data protection, the street) also require a licence LEGISLATION employment law and equal opportunities as well from your local council. Look at SCVO’s ‘Running Your as areas such as health & safety and licensing. Organisation’ tab for all the POLICY CREATION • The production of an annual report, including a basics www.scvo.org.uk The Trellis website offers examples summary of financial activity over the year, reflecting of policies written by network LICENSING good governance and demonstrating how you fulfilled members. These examples can be a If you plan to sell food or alcohol for the project aims. This report may also be required by good prompt to thinking about all any reason then contact the local funders from whom you are requesting money. the areas you might need to consider council for advice and to acquire a and help demonstrate the style of premises licence. Beware as this can wording that works well, but will be complex! Very informal, one-off always need adapting to the specific bake sales or offering jams, cakes or circumstances of your own project. other home-produced food items at The PKAVS Community Toolkit an open day or fête might be exempt also has many exemplar policies from this type of licensing providing covering all areas of governance and clear signage about allergies management www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net (e.g. nuts) is displayed.

70 71 Ensure that you have considered and acted on the following: Get advice about safe staff/volunteers supervision and support levels, considering the support needs of There is one named person everyone on site. This should then in the project responsible for inform staff handbook clauses/ health & safety matters. Getting the guidance on areas like staff absence e.g. if someone is unable to come It is everyone’s personal to work, do you need to cancel Administration Right responsibility to behave in a safe some or all of a group who were Health & Safety way and this message must be scheduled to attend that day? constantly communicated to all who are part of the project. Maintain a training record for clients so you’re clear who can do what, t’s common to hear people • The use of sharp tools and Create a health & safety policy and to what standard (of safety) and groan when the phrase machinery — maintain up to date I update it annually (remember to date any supervision needs required. ‘health & safety’ is uttered. risk assessments and servicing logs. all documents when you first produce For therapeutic horticulture projects, • The use of dangerous substances them). Think through emergency Think about how you will deal with the importance of sensible health like : COSHH rules apply. continuity planning as part of this accidents. Will you need someone & safety awareness and practice process, i.e. what would need to be • The possibility of slips and trips on trained as a first aider? You will cannot be overstated. Certain actions done if the site had to be abandoned uneven or icy surfaces or sun burn also have to maintain an accident under health & safety legislation are suddenly for any reason. This could in summer — risk assessments record book, securely stored. mandatory and of course it’s important become a separate policy or protocol. and measures to ameliorate risks. your clients, staff, volunteers and visitors can be, and feel, safe when • Some of the plants your project Produce risk assessments and safe A regular inspection they attend the project. People personnel and clients might systems of work documents for all running a garden project have a duty handle may have poisonous of your project site, areas of the site and the activities of care to manage risk on behalf of parts, stings or thorns. carried out there, e.g. using hand premises, equipment everyone who comes onto the site. For basic background information and tools, using machinery, working and activities will help There are some obvious areas training opportunities, the Trellis website with food, managing bonfires, etc. in a therapeutic garden where health & safety section is a good place you to spot hazards you’ll need to take particular care, to start. It’s also worth contacting your Ensure that staff, clients and volunteers and to remove or assessing risks and taking measures local fire safety officer or environmental have had a tetanus booster vaccination to reduce them, as well as some health officer (if you are handling food) minimise them. if necessary. It’s important to agree reporting and recording duties in for advice and guidance. As always, your project policy on this and make it some cases. Examples include: other garden projects will often be clear to all who want to work on the site. able to help with advice and perhaps exemplar policies and risk assessments.

72 73 Further support & information Ensure you have all the required fire It can be useful to make ‘tools safety’ 9 safety equipment and that the right sessions a regular feature. Just people know how to use it. Have the five minutes is all it takes. Group Getting the Administration equipment maintained. Institute members take turns to pick up a regular fire evacuation practice and tool, name it and demonstrate how Right: Health & Safety keep a record of these events. to safely use, carry and stow.

ACCIDENT BOOK GENERAL ADVICE If you have potentially dangerous You will need to provide hand Available from the Health & Safety Possibly containing more than substances at the project, e.g. bleach washing facilities if people Executive (HSE) www.hse.gov.uk you might want (!) but certainly or chemical , you will need are eating at your project. comprehensive, the Charity the necessary information sheets COSHH Commission document, ‘Charities about them regarding their chemical All you need on the Control of and Risk Management’ is worth Consider if, and then where, you composition, health effects and Substances Hazardous to Health, downloading. Navigate to will allow people to smoke. what to do in case of accidents. including exemplar paperwork, is www.charitycommission.gov.uk then on the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk You will also need to complete COSHH enter ‘cc26’ into the search box. Make provision for preventing (Control of Substances Hazardous to HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE SCVO also offers some advice. over-exposure to sun. Note that Health) documentation and store it Lots of useful, straightforward Search for ‘risk management’ via some medications for mental health securely. The substances may need information including exemplar the search box on www.scvo.org.uk conditions can increase skin sensitivity to be kept in locked cupboards. It’s paperwork www.hse.gov.uk The Trellis website offers information to sunburn, so it’s worth taking extra important to make personnel aware RISK REGISTER www.trellisscotland.org.uk. The care in the summer. Some projects of substance ingredients, effects Try www.brighthubpm.com/risk- PKAVS Community Toolkit also keep hats and sun cream in the stores, and the action to take in the event management/3247-creating-a-risk- has a section on Health & Safety but timing of work sessions and of accidental spills, ingestion etc. register-a-free-excel-template/ for a www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net making use of shady trees may also template. You will also find one in be ways of minimising the risk. Any necessary insurance. Public the Charity Commission publication

Liability, Employers Liability, ‘Charities and Risk Management’ Consider whether you need safety signs possibly Professional Indemnity. mentioned under General Advice. (Hedge clipping underway — please Some brokers offer discounts to use the other path) or disclaimers charities and garden projects — see (Accompanying adults are responsible Insurance section on page 76. for children within the garden).

74 75 ALL RISKS POLICY GET IT RIGHT An all risks policy would cover Always read the small print of any your garden and equipment policy you are offered so that you can against fire, theft, flood, etc. be confident that the cover is adequate. Don’t leave this until you make a PROFESSIONAL claim or be tempted to be under- INDEMNITY INSURANCE Getting the insured as a way of saving money. People offering tailored advice, designs or recommendations for At renewal time: individuals or groups/organisations, Administration Right • As annual renewal dates come could be held responsible for any round, remember to update Insurance losses/mistakes, unintentional your insurer about any material copyright infringements, or other ill- change to your circumstances effects that are a result of this advice. such as the number of staff and ou should consider what EMPLOYERS’ This is when professional indemnity volunteers, amendments to your Yinsurance is necessary to cover LIABILITY INSURANCE cover may be needed. In the main, equipment inventory, more your project against accidents, If you are taking on staff you will need garden projects are providing a venue frequent events or new facilities. damage, loss, liability, etc. employers’ liability insurance. This and activities that people choose • Review your insurance policies covers both employees and volunteers. to take part in and practitioners Note that any agreement or annually when you are sent your are acting in good faith providing lease you have for use of your Often insurance companies/brokers renewal documents to ensure a service rather than making site may stipulate that particular can offer a combined public liability/ you are getting the best possible specific recommendations or insurance policies be held. employers’ liability insurance. deal. SCVO and some advisory offering tailored advice, so often and umbrella organisations PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE You need to display both your public this kind of cover is not needed. offer special packages for As a basic minimum the most likely liability insurance and your employers’ When practitioners do create a gardening projects or charities. requirement is public liability liability insurance documents. more tailored programme with an Try the Horticulture Trades insurance. This covers you for VEHICLE INSURANCE individual, they’re often covered Association, Trellis or FCFCG. any injury, disability or death of If you are running any vehicles by insurance that’s already in people taking part in your project As ever, speak to similar projects they will need to be insured. And if place due to their practice as a or visiting it. It would be wise to and ask their advice about insurance staff are required to use their own qualified health professional e.g. acquire this insurance before any policies held and insurance companies vehicles for work-related activities, an occupational therapist. work is done on the site at all. or brokers they recommend. seek proof from them that their If you run special events, check that personal insurance covers them for your insurance covers these. Many business use. It’s advisable to indicate policies allow cover for a certain this requirement in recruitment number of events, on or off site, per paperwork and staff handbooks etc. year and may cover equipment taken off site, under certain conditions.

76 77 Further support & information 9 Getting the Administration Right: Insurance Getting the WHICH INSURANCE? Administration Right Look at the SCVO website www.scvo.org.uk for information Managing funds and advice. The VAP Community Toolkit www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net also has good information. ithout good financial If all this sounds Wmanagement your project is at risk of running into difficulties. daunting, remember You need to assess the amount that many tiny of money required to fulfil the aims of your project and have projects deal with all a plan for how to raise this. this on a daily basis, You must be able to demonstrate often very simply. So that your funds are being spent as per your plan — this is often gather advice before a legal requirement and you also you start and aim for need to show funders that your financial management skills are robust procedures adequate. Good financial records that everyone is will help you to produce reports, forecasts and future plans. trained to adhere to.

WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN You may well start your project development by writing a business plan.

This would outline how you propose to start and develop your project and, along with the narrative, details of costs and any income would be included.

78 79 THE PRODUCTION OF A ALL STAFF SHOULD WORK Further support & information BUDGET IS IMPORTANT TO AGREED FINANCIAL 9 You might want to create an outline PROCEDURES budget covering, for example, a three These include things like opening a year period. This would help you keep bank account for the project, agreeing Getting the Administration tabs on the areas that will require a mandate for the required number funds in the future and so will guide of signatories for transactions, using Right: Managing Funds you as to how much time you need to petty cash records, limits on petty spend on writing and submitting bids. cash and single transaction amounts, BUSINESS PLANNING VAT obtaining receipts for money spent, It’s good practice to produce a Try the VAP Third Sector Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs asking for a signed receipt when budget each year. This helps you Interface Community Toolkit at (HMRC) website advises on all expenses are paid in cash, keeping to control the money you have www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net which tax matters www.hmrc.gov.uk. The as little money as possible on site, available, measuring expenditure includes advice from the Big Lottery. PKAVS Community Toolkit offers paying cash into the bank regularly against any income received. SCVO also has advice at www.scvo.org.uk information relevant to smaller non- and storing financial records for — search using ‘business plan’. profit groups www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net If your project plans to sell anything at least seven years in labelled as does SCVO www.scvo.org.uk to the public it may be useful to boxes or digitally (with backup). FINANCE set some realistic income targets The Scottish Charity Finance Group, PAYROLL DON’T FORGET THE DATE too. And of course you will need to (membership fee applies), probably SCVO is one of several organisations As always with formal documents be aware of, and administer, such offers more than most of us need that offer a payroll agency service. of any kind, don’t forget to add the things as VAT returns if necessary. www.scfg.org.uk. OSCR also offers Many charities outsource this work. date to everything. It’s useful to date guidance although again it is If people elsewhere in your stamp mail when you receive it. probably more than anyone, bar organisation are setting your budget, your accountant, will need. Under do try to get involved in the process. the tab ‘Running your organisation’, The project co-ordinator/founder SCVO has excellent basic is likely to know in detail what is information on all areas of financial happening and that reality should management www.scvo.org.uk be factored into any calculations.

PAYROLL Many people find processing payroll to be a daunting prospect or just too time-consuming. Several agencies can do this work for you for a small monthly fee.

80 81 Consider whether the project needs to create and store the following information:

CLIENT RECORDS • Personal details, emergency contact, health/medical information e.g. allergies, epilepsy risk or anaphylactic shock. Getting the • Personal Progress Records of how a person is getting on? E.g. development of skills, confidence, fitness, future aspirations. These should be jointly recorded with the project coordinator/ Administration Right practitioner and available for the client to see on request. Record keeping STAFF/VOLUNTEER RECORDS • Personal, emergency contact/next of kin and medical details.

• Skills, experience and training completed. or a variety of reasons your By doing this you are complying with • Supervision notes. Fproject will probably need to keep the Data Protection Act, 1998. Read records. It’s a good idea to document more about data protection laws in • Holiday, sick leave and expense claim records. certain things, even if keeping some the Charity Finance Group’s guide, FINANCIAL RECORDS records is not a legal requirement. ‘Protecting Data, Protecting People’, • Copies of funding bids, awards and reports for funders. to be clear about what data you can Well-organised and maintained and can’t collect and store and the • Day to day accounts and receipts. records give a fascinating insight permissions you need to seek. into the development and work of • Salary, payroll, pension and expense payments. a project and can be inspiring for • Ensure you keep these for seven years in case of an inspection by HMRC. staff and clients as well as useful to colleagues hoping to set up projects EVALUATION & MONITORING of their own. They can also be a • How the project’s progressing towards its guide to what will work in future. aims; business & operational plans.

Remember that confidentiality is • Strengths and weaknesses. really important and records must • Notes and feedback from events & other indicators of progress. be safely stored in a fire-proof, locked cabinet or a password- MINUTES OF MEETINGS protected computer (with regular • Staff and client meetings, board, partnership and funding meetings. back-ups stored in an appropriate • Note decisions made and actions taken. location — virtual or real world — to prevent loss or theft of data). • These records should reflect the democratic way your project is run.

82 83 VISUAL AND AUDIO RECORDS Further support & information • Chronicle the development of your site. 9 • Capture events, visitors, celebrations, seasonal changes, achievements.

• Collages, sketches, paintings, photos, videos and sound clips. Getting the Administration • Ensure you receive permission to take and use photographic images. Right: Record Keeping SITE RECORDS • Might include plans of the garden, historical land registry DATA PROTECTION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT information, planning permissions, deeds of sale/leases. Look at the good old SCVO website Start with SCVO or VAP Third Sector • Planting schemes. for starters www.scvo.org.uk — and you Interface Community Toolkit websites. will find more on the VAP Third Sector Information is also available from the • Location of services e.g. underground cables. Interface Community Toolkit Scottish Information Commissioner • Receipts and guarantees of work done. www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net and the at www.itspublicknowledge.info Charity Commission and Charity • Site visits by safety inspectors, fire fighting equipment, servicing Finance Group websites. records, COSHH information, information on soil contamination. FINANCIAL RECORDS CONTACTS HMRC has advice on the storage • All the people related to the project. requirements of financial records • Referrers, clients, electrician, suppliers etc. for tax purposes www.hmrc.gov.uk

• Ensure information is accessible to all who need it and inaccessible to those who don’t.

• Keep emergency contacts in a separate red folder, somewhere prominent.

84 85 Measuring Progress and Planning for 10 the future

o be able to plan efficiently In addition, good monitoring Tfor the future, you need information could help people a clear understanding of attending the project, staff what has gone before. and volunteers to achieve their personal aims and inform THE PLANNING CYCLE supervision/appraisal cycles. To get a clear picture, collecting good information on how the project is progressing should be built into weekly operations, both to monitor success and to deal speedily with Aims anything that is not working.

Information collection is often Plan how Measure to do progress essential to prove to people outwith better your service that the project is successfully moving towards the aims agreed with funders Reflect on Collect & or commissioning bodies. what works report on (or not) and data why

86 87 MEASURING PROGRESS HARD AND SOFT INDICATORS Measuring progress (may be defined as The information you gather to ‘achieving outcomes’ by funders) need track your progress can be termed not be as worrying as some people ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. ‘Hard indicators’ are fear. In essence, you define your aims, objective, quantitative data, e.g. decide on the best information you number of people attending an event could gather to show you’ve achieved or attaining an award, amount of those aims, and gather and record income raised, number of visitors. the information on a regular basis, ‘Soft indicators’ are more qualitative collate your findings, and evaluate and include things like client the data. It’s common to do this on comments or event evaluations from an annual schedule. Ensure that visitors, i.e. things that you cannot your report is accessible to all those count. Soft indicators are arguably people who might be interested in open to wider interpretation than hard its contents, not least your clients. indicators but it’s widely acknowledged EVALUATION REPORTS that they are an important evaluative Evaluation reports outline progress to tool in projects with broadly date and suggest future actions (and social outcomes. Soft and hard funding) required. And so this leads indicators taken together will offer a to your next plan, along with any new comprehensive picture of your project. ideas or phased work you already have. CO-OPERATIVE EVALUATION This is in essence the planning AND PLANNING cycle. At best, this process also It is important to involve clients, demonstrates what is called reflective as well as staff and volunteers, in practice, whereby you make time to any evaluative and planning and consider what is working well and activities. They may have insights not so well and how your approach into the progress of the project’s aims has been received, then change and, after all, if you’re designing a your practice where needed. service to meet the needs of particular target groups, how can you know you’re succeeding without asking them? Try to offer flexible ways to contribute and adequate support so everyone involved in the project can contribute meaningfully to the evaluation and planning process.

88 89 EVALUATIVE TOOLS For individual clients there are a Further support & information There are a number of tools that number of tools that attempt to 10 might help you evaluate your project. measure personal progress towards PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance aims. For example the Mental Measuring Progress and System for Small Organisations), or Health Recovery Star allows clients versions of it, is commonly used and and staff together to take a holistic Planning For the future takes you through the whole evaluative approach to monitoring progress process in a fairly easy way. It is within a project supporting adults quite time consuming to use, though, recovering from mental ill health. EVALUATION LEAP so you will need to ensure people Contact other projects, SCVO or The Scottish Community Development But not everyone likes this scheme. have the capacity to administer it. practitioners working in your Centre provides information on Occupational therapists in the Trellis field (mental health, dementia, LEAP at www.planandevaluate.com The Reading-based therapeutic network may be able to advise on learning disabilities etc.) to discuss and they offer a licence for use of horticulture charity, Thrive, has this and other specific evaluative how they monitor outcomes. the associated online software. produced an evaluation scheme based tools. ‘STAR’ type tools tend to Evaluation Support Scotland The Scottish Government website on PQASSO. It is called Cultivating assume upwards, positive progress. www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk offers information on LEAP and Quality and can be purchased via This may be inappropriate in works with third sector organisations other evaluation schemes. the Thrive website www.thrive.org.uk. projects targeted at people who to help them measure and report Greenspace Scotland LEAP framework OUTCOMES STAR have a degenerative condition on progress. There is a useful (Learning Evaluation and Planning) A commercial product which can or people whose goals are to do page on this subject on the Trellis takes a relatively simple approach be purchased for use with a range with maintaining current levels of website www.trellisscotland.org.uk and has been designed for ‘green’ of client groups. Information function/sense of wellbeing or to projects. It is available as a PDF VAP Third Sector Interface at www.outcomesstar.org.uk slow the worsening of a problem. from www.greenspacescotland.org.uk Community Toolkit also covers this THRIVE area www.pkvs.toolkit.sitekit.net and Cultivating Quality (2007), a includes a downloadable booklet quality assurance toolkit from the on measuring wellbeing from the English therapeutic gardening New Economics Foundation charity www.thrive.org.uk www.neweconomics.org/publications/ entry/measuring-well-being

PQASSO All the information you need about this approach from the Charities Evaluation Services www.ces-vol.org.uk

90 91 Case study 11

By Mary Stewart St. Vincent’s Therapy Garden

This is the story of how St. Vincent’s Therapy St. Vincent’s Therapy Garden, Kingussie Garden, Kingussie Following completion of my Diploma in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture came about, told by its (STH) and gaining a part time post which founder Mary Stewart. allowed me time to develop my own therapeutic project, during a chance Mary is a former NHS Occupational conversation with a local councillor I Therapist and currently a Trellis heard of a small enclosed patio garden fieldworker in Highland Scotland. area at the local hospital. It had fallen This case study is one of several into disrepair, but had borders, a few which feature on the Trellis raised beds, and a . Case Studies web page at The two of us then made contact with www.trellisscotland.org.uk a few key people including those with an interest in gardening, some with disabilities and a senior member of hospital staff. Using the feasibility study from the final part of my Diploma in STH and also the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) Community Garden Starter Pack as resources, I explained my Therapy Garden idea to them.

92 93 June 2010 April 2011 May 2012 Early 2013

Fortunately these people were very We met with an architect to draw up The summerhouse was eventually We started the year with the new interested and soon came together plans for an access ramp and summer erected, but we experienced delays committee deciding to move to a SCIO with me to form a steering group. We house. Unfortunately as this person was in getting our access path due to structure for the project and this has decided on our aims for the project and giving us his time free we were at his costs and availability of the eventual again resulted in several meetings. who to prioritise as our service user convenience — and this caused delays! contractors. We continued to make We’re finalising the necessary policies, groups. We focused on three different I would recommend that paying for funding applications, some of which and ordering equipment. We’ve not groups — patients with dementia from some services if possible is more time were successful, to have steering undertaken much of the groundwork the local hospital, people from the efficient when starting a project. group meetings, to work on our at the therapy garden as we feel the community with stress, anxiety and policies, to insure the project — and groups attending will have more More fundraising took place depression (the original group from to maintain our enthusiasm. ownership if they’re involved in through talks to local groups and the feasibility study) and people with developing the site from the start. we eventually had enough funds In September we had an official open learning disabilities from a local charity. for a summerhouse. The planning evening, elected a committee and Now that the weather is improving I had visited another project earlier department questioned our location encouraged members and volunteers we’re planning to undertake induction in the year and it had given me of the summerhouse — next to the to join the project. I was then officially and training with our volunteers encouragement, as had support from garden area! It also imposed conditions made the project manager. and start one of the sessions. the Trellis Fieldwork Co-ordinator. regarding tree roots. This meant Disclosure processes followed, and My advice? Remember that the several site visits — and more delays. The following months were spent, although essential with any project, project development processes will firstly, gaining permission from the We continued to meet on a regular basis the paperwork and the red tape can take longer than you think, ensure NHS to use the garden area, then and had meetings with local GPs and the take some time to get into place. you have people with a variety of fundraising, seeking permission to Consultant Psychiatrist from the adjacent skills in your team, be prepared for Discussions took place with build a potting shed/summerhouse, hospital to inform them of our project knock backs, remain positive. relevant people regarding the and preparing a constitution and a and ensure their support. At the end of use of the therapy garden with business plan. All these processes took this year we added to our steering group different groups of service users. By Mary Stewart considerable time. The steering group a retired lawyer — and keen . St. Vincent’s Therapy Garden were also meeting on a regular basis The weather played havoc throughout to discuss progress and next steps. the year, but we did have a short bulb planting session at the end I have to add that the garden is situated of November with a few learning in the Highlands and with very low disability service users — just temperatures and feet of snow in before we closed for the winter! winter — the garden will operate seasonally from March to October.

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Illustrations by Amanda Bataller www.amandabataller.blogspot.co.uk

Photographs by Graham Thom, taken at projects in the Trellis network.

©2015 Trellis (Scottish Therapeutic Gardening Network)

Scottish Charity No. 037429 Company No. 299227

www.trellisscotland.org.uk

96 How to set up a Therapeutic Gardening Project