A therapist-led day activity experience
Care Farm program
Care Farm
Helping people before challenges become a crisis
Care Farming, or ‘Social Farming,’ is an evidence-based day activity program designed for individuals with Complex Needs, including those with FASD, Autism, or similar challenges.
Empowering individuals with complex needs through skill development in a supportive day activity program.
Building skills, confidence
and connection through a supportive
day-activity program
and connection through a supportive
Building skills, confidence
and connection through a supportive day activity program
Shining Horizons Care Farm is a living system-change pilot designed to test and implement an integrated, nature-based farming model for youth and adult mental health, education, and social services in our community.
At its core, the Care Farm rethinks how we support vulnerable individuals and families before challenges become crises. Rather than waiting until people are already struggling, it offers a proactive, non-clinical approach where participants build confidence, emotional regulation, social connection, independence, and a sense of belonging through meaningful, hands-on learning.
Nurturing
abilities...
abilities...
Helping participants discover their strengths, connect with their passions, and build the confidence to thrive in life.
Measuring Impact
As a living system-change pilot, the Care Farm will measure outcomes and build evidence on whether a structured, nature-based, therapist-guided model helps participants do better in life before challenges become crises.
Working with third-party researchers and evaluation partners, Shining Horizons aims to understand how the Care Farm supports:
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Stronger school engagement and participation
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Improved emotional regulation and behaviour
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Better social connection and sense of belonging
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Development of practical life skills and independence
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Greater confidence, resilience, and personal goal-setting
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Pathways toward community participation, supported employment, or further learning
By collecting evidence from participants, families, schools, care teams, and community partners, the Care Farm aims to show how early, non-clinical supports can improve individual outcomes while reducing pressure on formal care and crisis-response systems.
What is
Care Farming?
Care farming, or social farming, uses farming practices for therapeutic purposes. Unlike a one-time farm visit, our clients engage in regular, scheduled activities as part of a specialized program. Our approach combines nature, group work, and meaningful tasks like animal care, gardening, and crop growing. Clients become 'co-farmers,' taking on vital roles in the daily operations of the farm.
The focus of our program is not on labor but on personal growth. We aim to develop social and communication skills, encourage teamwork, improve planning and execution, and foster independence. With a maximum of 12-14 participants per day segment, clients work individually or in small groups to ensure a tailored, supportive experience.
Age:
• 15 year and older
• We also take 'mental age' in consideration
• Groups are max. 12 persons (2 groups of 6) or smaller
Duration:
• Annually we will offer
four - ten week semesters
• Sessions:
9:00am - 12:00pm
1:00pm - 4:00 pm
Staffing:
• Licensed Therapists
• Farming Experts
• Volunteers
Requirements:
• Participants with a referral
• A doctor's referral is not required
Personal growth focussed support
With a low staff-to-participant ratio of 2:4 or 4:8 etc, participants receive personalized support from licensed therapists, farming experts, and dedicated volunteers.
We foster an environment where individual strengths are celebrated, ensuring each person has the tools and support needed to succeed and feel included.
Who will be supported through
the Care Farm?
School youth
facing mental health
challenges
This stream will support students who are missing classes or struggling to stay engaged in school due to emotional, social, behavioural, or personal challenges.
The Care Farm will provide a structured, supportive, and non-traditional learning environment where students can rebuild confidence, experience routine, strengthen life skills, and stay connected to learning, community, and a sense of purpose.
Individuals with complex needs living
in care homes
Many individuals living in care homes have had limited access to education, training, employment experience, and meaningful community participation.
The Care Farm will help participants develop abilities, build cognitive and life skills, experience belonging, and feel part of the broader community. For some, the program will create a supported pathway toward supported employment, greater independence, and increased participation in society.
Newcomer youth
building confidence
and belonging
Many newcomer youth (12-15) are adjusting to a new country, school system, language, culture, and community, while some may also have experienced displacement, interrupted education, war, conflict, or temporary settlement situations.
The Care Farm will offer a welcoming, non-clinical environment where youth can build confidence, friendships, communication skills, and a sense of belonging through animals, nature, teamwork, and hands-on learning.
Program capacity and service hours
Because the Care Farm will serve three different participant groups with different needs, support levels, and program structures, it is difficult to define capacity by participant numbers alone.
Some participants may require more individualized support, while others may be able to take part in small-group programming with greater independence for a shorter period of time. For this reason, we measure our growth and capacity through available annual service hours.
At full operation, up to 12 participants may be on site at one time. Participants will be divided into smaller groups based on their needs, the program activity, and the level of support required. Staffing will grow alongside program capacity to ensure a safe, calm, and supportive environment. We plan to welcome between 100 ands 120 individuals annually.
Start-up
4,800 service hours per year
Scale-up
9,600 service hours per year
Full-capacity
14.400 service hours per year
A 'Life Skill
School'
The Care Farm is built as a collaborative model, bringing together organizations within the circle of care around vulnerable populations. Licensed therapists, farming experts, community partners, health-care providers, educators, social service organizations, and other support systems each contribute their own expertise, role, and responsibility.
As a structured, therapist-guided day activity model, the
Care Farm supports participants in developing essential life skills such as communication, problem-solving, self-care, responsibility, teamwork, and practical daily routines.
Together, they help create a coordinated, supportive environment where activities are adapted to the abilities, needs, and goals of each participant group.
Five streams
We plan to build the Care Farm in three stages: Start-Up, Scale-Up, and Full Operation.
Once fully operational, participants will be able to choose from a range of meaningful day-program streams based on their interests, abilities, and support needs. These streams may include, but are not limited to:
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Animal Care: Taking care for smaller animals, such as feeding and cleaning their habitat (goats and chickens)
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Farming Actively participate in the process of seeding, growing, and harvesting crop
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Maintenance and Groundskeeping Help with the maintenance and upkeep of the facility
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Barn Work Help with chores and activities in the barn
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Kitchen/food preparation. (when we have a community kitchen)
