The Venny Permaculture and Therapeutic Garden Project

A healing, productive sensory garden targeting at risk young people and their families in Melbourne. Up to 400 young people each week will be able to access this garden and:
- grow and eat nutritious food grown organically
- share in excess produce
- cook with at the various lunch and dinner programs
- interact with the garden and respond throughout the changing seasons in their play
- staff at The Venny will be able to use the garden as a central therapeutic tool in a range of early intervention and prevention programs

This project responds to a range of identified environmental and social issues including:
- food security, increased biodiversity, carbon sink,
- lack of access to green space
- entrenched cycles of disadvantage
Benefits to the local community include:
- fresh, locally grown food and herbs
- increased opportunities for intercultural play, education, mentoring and skills transfer
- strengthening of the world leading community asset, The Venny
- opportunity to promote young people as the co-creators and designers of their own community garden
- access to a beautiful, healthy ecosystem available to the whole community