Kentucky Gardening for Recreation or Work (KY-GROW) Project

. ~e Kentucky Gardening for Recreation or Work (KY-GROW)Project will introduce individuals wIth phYSICal,sens~ry ~nd .~~ntal .disa~ilities to horticulture and gardening in inclusive settings. Inte~estedpersons wIth dIsabIlItIeswIll enJoythe recreational and vocational outcomes that accom hortICultural and g.a:d.ening Pur~uits. The ph~sical and psychosocial benefits of gardening are ;:?; do~umented. By UtI~IzmgstrategIes such as uruversal design and assistive technology this activity can be eIlJoy~d by those. wIth or without a disabili~y. Square foot and container gardeni~g are examples of tec~ques that wIll be used to enhance expenences for gardening enthusiasts with a spectrum of abilities. ProJe~t goals are: l).~evelop~ent of pilot gardening programs that promote recreational, leadership, and vocatI~nal opp~rtumtIes; 2) mcreased capacity of professionals and volunteers to provide accessible gardemng expenences, and; 3) development and dissemination of project materials. The project will design and implement a three-year pilot program of accessible gardening in Kentucky. The Kentucky Department of Vocational Rehabilitation will coordinate this effort in cooperation with the Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute-University Center for Excellence and Kentucky AgrAbility at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. KY-GROW will initiate pilot gardening programs at four sites that represent the central, southern, western, and eastern regions of ~entucky. Establishment of the KY-GROW Advisory Board will ensure that the statewide project meets Its goals. Program participants will be identified through advertising and/or referred through agencies and organizations (e.g. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (UK-CES) county offices, Kentucky Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, state Independent Living Centers, Kentucky Department of Mental HealthlMental Retardation, Kentucky AgrAbility, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, community centers and religious organizations). Participants will be adults and youth (secondary school age and above) with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds with and without disabilities and interest in gardening as a recreational or vocational pursuit. A year round inclusive gardening program will be developed. At the end of the three-year project, there will be a minimum of 150 program participants, approximately half of whom have physical, sensory or mental disabilities. Project staff have a strong history of working with people with diverse cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds. UK-CES county agents for horticulture and KY-GROW staff will develop program activities. Program participants will be encouraged to pursue certification as Kentucky Master Gardeners. Those achieving Master Gardener status will be prospective program leaders of the future for KY-GROW. Vocational opportunities will be explored in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and identified partners in the horticulture industry for those participants interested in developing related vocational skills. Program materials will be developed, maintained and disseminated on the KY-GROW Web site and CD-ROM in conjunction with year one activities and used in years two and three to replicate the program throughout the UK-CES network. In this manner, the impact of KY-GROWwill be extended to each of the 120 Kentucky counties resulting in approximately 500 professionals and volunteers trained in accessible gardening and techniques for starting their own inclusive gardening programs. All information will comply with accessibility guidelines and be available in alternative formats. These materials will also be provided to state rehabilitation counselors to enhance their ability to work eff~cti~ely with consumers who want to pursue horticulture or gardening as employment. As a means of replIcatIOn at the national level, program materials will be submitted to the 4H Youth Development Curriculum Collection for approval and subsequent adoption by states nationwide. . .. This proposal holds exciting promise for positive outcomes at a both a system and m?IVIdual level. There will be increased knowledge of accessible gardening and awareness of commuruty members with disabilities by UK-CES professionals and volunteers, thus magnifying the efforts begun by ~YGROW. Those who take part in the regional pilot programs will acquire a variety of valuable skills. Program participants may achieve greater knowledge of .gardening te~hn~ques, h~ight~ned self-effica~y for horticulture, an added inclusive recreational avenue, mcreased socIal mteractIons, mcreased vocatIonal options, and an opportunity to play leadership roles in the success and continuation of KY-GROW.