Gospodarstwo opiekuńcze - lubiewice

IDENTIFICATION OF THE CASE STUDY

Case study number: PL-01

Name of the farm/organization:

Gospodarstwo opiekuńcze – Lubiewice / Social farm - Lubiewice

Title of the case study:  

Workshop of Creativity

MAIN DATA

Country

Poland         

Year of establishment

1998

Target groups

• Disabled people                                                        
• Elderly people

Type of farm

Livestock production, crop production, mixtures, rye, triticale

Size (in hectares)

6 ha

Numbers of employees from target groups

No information

Number of members from target groups using services without employment

Usually 3 groups, 5 participants each, they come and go

Sources they live from

Selling their products

Innovative / not innovative

Not innovativ

Websites

www.warsztatowniakreatywnosci.pl

www.2343ec78a04c6ea9d80806345d31fd78-gdprlock/profile.php?id=100070531836523

DESCRIPTION

The social Farm in Lubiewice, a small village near Bory Tucholskie, one of the largest pine forest complexes in Poland, is being managed by the couple Małgorzata and Grzegorz Oparka. The couple has been managing a farm for more than 25 years and they started to introduce social activities a few years later.

The farm welcomes people with physical disabilities, who move around on crutches, balconies, with visual impairments, food allergies and who require a specialized diet due to illness (such as diabetes). The forest right behind the house is conducive to walking and mushroom picking. You can also gather natural materials for handicraft workshops, as the farm, in addition to participating in household and farm activities, offers interesting workshops (Christmas decorations, decoupage, scrapbooking ) to the charges. Mrs. Malgorzata Oparka, has great manual skills, and her passion is knitting and preparing decorations for the home, which she also offers to her charges. Mrs. Małgosia is also involved in soap making and cheese making.

POSITIVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Mrs. Małgorzata Oparka - an open, warm and welcoming person. For 10 years she took care of an ill family member who was bedridden and required round-the-clock care. For 25 years she and her husband have run a farm (mainly crop production). In addition, she has been active in the Rural Housewives' Circle as well as in school and in several Associations. Her motivation for working as a caregiver is her desire to help the needy and lonely. Past experiences have taught Mrs. Małgorzata respect for the disabled and elderly.

Mr. Grzegorz Oparka - together with Mrs. Małgorzata took care of a sick family member. He runs a farm. Since Mr. Grzegorz grew up in a multi-generational family, he knows that the elderly feel best in a family atmosphere, and this is exactly the atmosphere he creates in the care farm he runs.

The experience of caring for a loved one in need was the main motivation for Mr. and Mrs. Opark to make their farm available to those in need. These include people with a variety of needs. Through Mrs. Małgorzata's involvement in the rural housewives' circle, there were many willing people from the area to participate in the farm's activities. It was a change for the better for both the farm and the elderly or lonely.

OBSTACLES AND HOW TO OVERCOME

From the very beginning, there was no shortage of people willing to participate in care farm groups. Seniors and single people are drawn to these types of groups, activities and opportunities to get involved and spend time in an interesting way. It gives them a sense of meaning and that they are wanted and liked.

The problem was keeping up with the needs of these people financially. It was a big challenge, dealing with all the formalities and fitting the place to the physical limitations of people with disabilities. In the beginning, it was hard to get funds to expand the farm, adapt the entrance, kitchen and bathroom for wheelchair users. They created the farm with their own efforts and resources with the support of good people who were willing to help physically and financially. In 2016, the farms of Brodnica, Mogilno, Świecie, Tuchola and Wąbrzeźno counties received funding from a project designed to develop care farms.

RECOMMENDATIONS, ADVICE

The main motto of Ms. Małgorzata is, as she says: “The key to success is motivation. Despite difficulties and obstacles, one must not give up.”

In her experience, the lack of resources or strength can very quickly lead a person to let go and not be able to complete this work. However, Ms. Małgorzata believes in motivation. In her own words: “One must keep the goal in front of one's eyes and constantly remind oneself why and for whom one is doing this and how much good it can do.”

Mrs. Małgorzata and her husband have experienced for themselves how hard it is for individual families to take care of an elderly person, and they know how much easier it would be for them if there was such a place that would relieve their workload. Their willingness to help has overcome difficult times. It is important to remember that if something has a good purpose, the means and people willing to help will always be there.

PROMO

The couple has opened a foundation, Warsztatownia Kreatywności (“Workshop of Creativity”) based on their social farming activities in order to develop their opportunities more and help seniors and lonely people in a better way. They have a website and a Facebook page where they promote their activities. It helps them gain popularity on a regional and national level. Many more people have come to visit them and stay for a few days on their farm. After working on various handcrafts, they started selling the results on the website. This way, you can buy something very nice and support the farm at the same time.

FINAL SENTENCES

Every year the Warsztatownia Kreatywności has been coming up with ideas on how to expand their activities. They are inspired by people, family, and participants, who more than once have leaked ideas for future activities. In the future, Mrs. Małgorzata and Mr. Grzegorz want to improve their activities and every day improve and adapt activities to the needs of the elderly or disabled. Thus, the development of the farm is very dynamic and it is difficult to predict how the story of the farm will continue in the next 5 years.