The Program
The Program aims to consolidate skills acquired in previous settings such as abstinence, a sense of self-worth, initiative and responsibility.
It aims to equip residents for independent living by offering vocational and training opportunities and helping them to establish ordered, reflective and productive habits of life. For those residents who have had children removed, the Farm works with them towards the restoration of their children.
The program is designed to address the particular needs of women recovering from addiction and its aim is to help women achieve a permanent turn around. It is strength based, focusing on what the woman has achieved on her recovery journey, and her particular talents, experience and character. Counsellors work from a trauma informed perspective, aware of the correlation between substance abuse and trauma among women.
The program’s focus is on integrated and sustained recovery. Treatment extends to all aspects of the person including their physical, psychological and spiritual needs.
The day-to-day timetable involves a regular rhythm of reflection, manual labour and study. The manual labour is the care of the convent and grounds, including some light farming. Residents receive individual case management from qualified counsellors.
During their time here at the Farm, residents complete a course of training and begin the process of restoration of relationships with their families. Residents become increasingly independent as they move through the program and, in consultation with staff, monitor readiness for re-entry to independent living. Readiness is judged as the ability to access a job, a house and a social support network.
The Farm charges residents 80% of their Centrelink benefits. For those not receiving benefits, the weekly cost is equivalent to 80% of the full Newstart benefit.
The Farm has a zero- tolerance policy. Anyone found with drugs or alcohol on the site will be immediately discharged.
Individual Counselling Sessions
Residents have one-to-one counselling sessions. Counsellors are fully qualified and accredited and undergo required clinical supervision regularly.
Group Therapy
Group sessions are held regularly. These are a chance for residents to explore any particular issues that may be affecting them such as understanding boundaries, co-dependency and addiction; the nature of trauma; anger management; assertiveness; and complicated grief.
Independent Learning
Residents work through learning modules at their own pace. These are targeted to their unique needs and aim at addressing underlying and ongoing problems that are preventing full participation in life. They form part of the ‘permanence’ ethos of the program, the aim of which is to train residents in independent management of anything in their temperament or psychological make-up that is getting in the way of the achievement of their full potential.
Learning modules include:
- On-line mental health self-help modules
- On-line literacy and IT skills modules
- In-house seminars on philosophy, the therapeutic community model and relapse prevention.
Case Management
Residents at The Farm receive individual case management to ensure a consistent focus on individual goals. This normally involves attention to and assistance with legal and financial matters, further education, budgeting, housing, prospective employment, and reunification with children and other family members.
Skills for Living
Residents live in the community in conscious awareness of one another in line with the ethos of the Therapeutic Community. There are regular community meetings in which they take an active part. They also take increasing levels of responsibility in the management of the facility, being promoted to more complex duties as they give evidence of competence in less difficult ones. This prepares residents for the real life of the workforce where successful task fulfilment is noticed and rewarded with promotion.
Getting ready for work
An important goal of the program is to equip women with the tools they need to secure good employment. We believe work is an aid to permanent recovery as it provides women with both the material means they need for a good life as well as a sense of dignity and purpose. It can also be a means of developing positive social networks. As women progress through the program, they are encouraged to consider their vocations and to begin a course of study in a chosen area of interest. These are normally done through online TAFE, but other education providers are also considered.
