Role Title: Project Intern 2: Therapeutic Garden and Accessible Outdoor Space
Organisation: Melville Cares
Internship Period: Summer (November - December)
Location: Willagee
The intern will assist the team to research, design, and plan a therapeutic and sensory outdoor garden space. The intern will prepare guidelines which will allow our organisation to implement the garden with the support of the local community.
• Client Engagement: Consult directly with clients to gather input on their preferences for the sensory space and garden features.
• Research: Identify and recommend sensory/therapeutic plants suited to the local climate, client interaction, and raised garden beds (annuals/herbs).
• Accessibility Design: Investigate layout options including ideal sun positioning, non-slip/accessible pathway options, shade structures, and seating arrangements.
• Community: Research small grant opportunities, local community support for laying a fake turf bowling green, local nurseries to explore donation or "busy bee" planting support.
• Research: solar water fountains, investigate methods to attract native birds, and design clear visual guidelines to maintaining compost system and worm farm.
Identify opportunities for client to utilise outdoor space
1. Action Plan: A comprehensive report detailing plant recommendations, layout/accessibility designs, shade and seating
2. Community: List of targeted small grant opportunities and documented outcomes from nursery/community outreach.
3. Flowcharts: Two easy-to-follow visual guides/handovers for client and staff use on maintaining the compost system and the worm farm.
Our vision is we at Melville Cares believe older peoples lives should be as fulfilling as at any other stage of life.