Swansea Community Farm Youth Club

Farm Clwb is a volunteer group of young people aged 8 to 18 who face a variety of mental health, behavioural, and emotional challenges. These include high anxiety, low confidence, and self-esteem issues, as well as trauma from adverse childhood experiences. Many also have additional needs and struggle in social situations. With the help of Swansea Community Farm, a wellbeing charity in a highly deprived area, the young people flourish.

The young people work tirelessly to maintain the Farm and Heathland. They plant native, pollinator­ friendly plants to encourage and support insects and use the site made, chemical free compost to help them grow. They maintain and develop the area with hands on conservation work, litter picking and recycling. They take the animals out to graze on the Heath, which stops invasive plants taking over and opens up the land to native species of wildlife.

Care for the environment is a key part of the Farm's mission, and everything they do is geared around improving the area for wildlife. The young people take regular wildlife surveys and build and maintain habitats including dead hedging, bug hotels and nest boxes.

The amazing young people have inspired the local community to take ownership of their green space with their hard work and now it is a regularly used space by nature enthusiasts and walkers of all ages.

This dedication and commitment in the young people is truly inspiring and through it confidence and mental health has drastically improved.