25/06/2010
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
SAINT JOHN OF GOD HOSPITALLER SERVICES
5TH INNOVATION AWARDS 2010
23rd June 2010
The Innovation Awards are designed to acknowledge and reward innovation and to share creative ideas which lead to enhanced quality of services and supports to individuals. Menni Services was the overall winner with their initiative “Garden for all Seasons” in the category “Innovation in Developing/Supporting Partnerships.” The awards are open to all of the St. John of God Services including England and the USA.
South Dublin’s Social Inclusion Unit and Parks Department have worked closely with Menni Services in Tallaght (connected to St. John of God towards the creation of a Sensory Garden in Sean Walsh Park which is in the heart of Tallaght. The design of the garden provides for universal accessibility, so other visitors to the Park can also enjoy the sensory quality of space.
The partnership garden project was developed in response to a local need to create a Garden for all Seasons, a garden appealing to all senses, and accessible to everyone in the community. To advance the Social Inclusion agenda, it was considered appropriate that the County Council should provide a dedicated space in one of our parks which provides the opportunity for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities, to participate in the creation and upkeep of a visually stimulating garden. The garden is now maintained by students from Menni Services and staff from South Dublin County Council Parks Department.
The maintenance of the garden facilitates ongoing life learning for students from Menni through participation in a FETAC Horticultural Programme which is delivered by Lisa McLachlan and Killian Byrne, Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght and Maria Finn and Sandra Hickey, Social Inclusion Unit, Community Services Department. The schedule of work for maintenance of the garden incorporates learning outcomes which identifying common plants, planting, use of garden tools, safety etc.
For further information please contact:
Maria Finn, Social Inclusion Officer or Sandra Hickey, Staff Officer
Social Inclusion Unit, Community Services Department, South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Tel: 086 3803060/01 4149270
Email: mfinn@sdublincoco.ie or shickey@sdublincoco.ie
Website: http://socialinclusionsouthdublin.ie
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Innovation Awards