The identification and recruitment of participants is carried out by Futuris, which focuses on people with disabilities such as autism. They work with the social services of the city of Eindhoven, and in collaboration with Phood Farm (PHF). They inform candidates about training opportunities and refer them to PHF.
PHF welcome the participantswith a first interview where the young people can say what they expect from the training, so that the training can be adapted to meet their objectives.
They can choose between several modules on different topics and different way of learning (hands-on, in class, on-line).
The training takes place at two aquaponics pilot sitesrun by PHF in Eindhoven and Tilburg.
The training lasts six months with the training week organised as follows :
The first aim is to develop participants’ skills, competencies and self-confidence, to get them used to the pace of work so that they can progress in society by finding and keeping a real sustainable job.
The young people are accompanied by a coach on a daily basis. S/he motivates them to attend the training, takes their opinions into account and relays this to others, and is responsible for the practical training on the field.
The approach here is to involve participants – singly and in groups – to the greatest possible degree in designing and determining what they will be doing during their time on the programme. The professionals involved from the other partner organisations listed elsewhere in this paper also participate in the development of the learning programmes.
Co-production is applied from the first interview stage where the young person is supported and encouraged to say what they expect from the training, so that the training can be adapted to meet their objectives. Subsequently there is the opportunity to organise her/his own learning programmes on the basis of a framework given by PHF. This framework encourages a solution-focused approach :
Participants are supported across and beyond their time on the training by the project partners. They are supported into employment, volunteering, and other meaningful activity by the pilot partners and 10% of them will be hired at Phood Farm itself.
