When it comes to education, there isn’t one size that fits all. Finding the right education setting that meets your child’s needs can be difficult, particularly if they struggle in the traditional learning setting. Everyone learns differently and for some children and young people, a classroom environment isn’t the right setting. Learning through open play and being given the freedom of outdoor spaces can be a game-changer for some, allowing them to develop skills such as teamwork, confidence, resilience and listening away from the classroom. Solidarity Farm CIC provides this type of learning environment for those who struggle in a conventional classroom setting, allowing them to thrive in outdoor spaces, interacting with nature and their peers in a way they are unable to do in a school.
From its base in the heart of the Northumberland countryside, the farm offers a wide range of activities to meet the needs of children and young people who:
- are unable to attend mainstream school currently
- would benefit from additional support outside of the classroom setting
- have been or are close to exclusion
- have complex neurological conditions
- are care experienced
During their time on the farm, they go on a journey of discovery, learning about the abilities and skills they already have, but haven’t understood how to use in the constraints of the mainstream education system. In this article, Solidarity Farm’s founder, John Harrison, shares a bit about what led him to create this unique learning environment and some of the services they provide to support children and young people and help them to thrive.
I began Solidarity Farm CIC on our family livestock farm in Northumberland in 2023. My career had begun in farming in 2001, but I left in 2009 following my own struggle with isolation and increasing anxiety when ultimately it dawned on me that the only option was to let go. This led me to three years volunteering in Malawi, completing the Camino de Santiago, a further three years in Liberia working in development, and five years working for a homeless charity in the UK, followed by a period working for a local forest school.
Two things I have learned on this journey and coming full circle back into farming, looking at the world from a different lens are:
- The stories that you tell yourself are not always true.
- When you let go those that hold you are not always who you expect, with belonging found in the most unexpected places!
Drawing on these lessons and all of the experiences I learned during my time away from farming, I wanted to create a safe space for those children and young people who don’t fit into the mould in terms of education and learning, helping them learn life skills away from the conventional classroom setting. Solidarity Farm believes in mutual support within a group and provides young people with a space to belong and discover more about themselves through undertaking meaningful, fun and character-building activities. We do this by spending quality time outdoors in a safe and supportive farm-based environment that allows the development of a community through undertaking shared experiences that are enriching but also offer different perspectives.
We provide a wide range of experiences from educational farm visits to holiday activities and alternative education provision. On the farm this year we have offered funded holiday camps through the government-funded HAF programme, educational farm visits and alternative education in both small groups and on a one-to-one basis and I continue to learn from the young people who join us. It’s been a real privilege to see how much young people from a variety of backgrounds love the sense of freedom being on the farm brings, embracing the outdoor play of forest school and how in an alternative environment, those who may have been labelled as having behavioural issues can take the lead, demonstrating a far wider set of skills than can be evidenced in the classroom.
Nature and a farm offer a safe space for connection, free of judgment, where the pace of life slows down and meaningful relationships can thrive. We continue to see an increasing demand for our services and want to accompany those young people who are struggling with mainstream education, allowing social and emotional learning to take place. In 2025 I hope we can continue to develop relationships with individuals and organisations that share our values, reaching those young people who would benefit the most from joining us on the farm, while allowing them to take the lead in shaping our offer.
It’s still early days for us, but we are fortunate to have started the journey, and I am excited to see where it leads. You can find out about the work we do at Solidarity Farm from our website and our latest newsletter. If you’d like to support the farm and the work we do with children and young people, please get in touch.
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