We’re thrilled to announce Therapy Care has a new Group Program Centre! The Whalan-based residence will initially host our Enrichment Club, and in the coming months, will welcome our Life-Skills and Mind-Full program participants.
We chose this private space based on its ability to accommodate our participant’s needs and its potential to host an extensive roster of activities. Our hope is that this safe space will increase our participants’ abilities to engage, connect and learn.
We’ve also refloored, refurnished and repainted, to make the space more accessible and inviting. We know our participants thrive in a familiar and homely environment, so it was a no brainer to invest in making this space exactly that!
The facility has a spacious indoor area and fully functioning kitchen. Our team has filled the facility with interactive games, a painting area and construction stations. This array of inviting activities provides participants with multiple opportunities to explore their creativity, learn something new, or engage in an activity they know and love. The full-functioning kitchen is the ideal space for participants to work with our Chef, Stephen. Together, they will prepare healthy and nutritious meals.
Outside, we have installed an interactive area, which includes a sandpit and veggie patch. While our participants are already involved in caretaker duties – where they’re learning so much about growing produce, we have big plans for the coming months. Participants will work together to transform the current veggie patch into a fully thriving vegetable garden! Participants will then continue to care for and harvest from the garden in the many cooking activities that will follow.
There will also be a collective of animals that participants can interact with on a regular basis. We already have our beloved resident, Ginger Spice, who sparks lots of joy and indulges in many pats!
As you may have picked up on, one of the focus areas of this space is to play out ‘from-pasture-to-plate’. Through this journey, participants will take care of animals and the garden with tangible outcomes. They will see how rewarding it can be to grow produce and care for animals (particularly of the egg laying nature), and develop the confidence and skillset to cook nutritious meals in the kitchen.
The facility has plenty of parking and is close to a bus stop, a suite of local shops and multiple venues. Our day programs will be making use of the local community and venues for day trips.
We believe this space will be the base of many life-long learnings, meaningful friendships and memorable moments.
