The 5 Acre Project provides opportunities for young people who have become disengaged from education, training or employment and who may experience barriers that prevent them from achieving their full potential a circuit-breaker where they can work and learn on the farm in a non-judgmental, therapeutic environment. 5 Acres allows young people to use permaculture and organic farming principles to grow beautiful and nourishing food and plants, cook food for all those on site each day. develop baristing, food handling, develop design, building and timber skills and experience therapeutic animal care with all our furred and feathered friends.
 The therapeutic framework in which The 5 Acre Project operates aims to reduce high cortisol levels in young people through the physicality of the programming thus supporting de-escalation of heightened states.  The development of secure and safe spaces and relationships alongside the magic of animals- both small and large, supports the strengthening of healthy attachment in the young person- an often disrupted developmental aspect of childhood leading to loss of trust and difficulty in establishing and understanding healthy future relationships.              
The purpose of 5 Acres is to allow young people to immerse themselves in a range of skills in a safe, holistic space that offers the opportunity to engage in a wide and diverse range of projects that build capacity & knowledge whilst experiencing a sense of belonging and feeling good about themselves and who they are.
​The following principles are embedded into The 5 Acre Project .
The Essentials: 
Providing opportunities to build on, address and close any existing gaps of learning young people may have when they join the 5 Acre Project that then allows them to return to or move into accredited training with a strong foundation for success. 
This work is unseen by the young people attending The 5 Acre Project but it is carefully, thoughtfully and intentionally woven into every aspect of the day. Young people are learning through practical teaching, working alongside a professional in the field to develop and remember the basic building blocks of foundation literacy and numeracy required in order to have genuine choice and success in future pathways. Young people are provided with many different ways to access their existing knowledge, advance on what they currently know and apply the knowledge in a range of applications that ensures deep understanding, developing confidence for success in further study or employment. This is not accredited education but based on pre-accredited educational outcomes and can be significantly tailored for individuals.
Good Health:
The primary focus of Good Health is to introduce or build young people's knowledge of a range of harm minimisation tools & therapeutic approaches to anger, rage, depression, anxiety, despair, triggers, unhelpful thinking, entrenched negative beliefs, substance use, hopelessness, fear, self sabotage & any patterns of behaviour they want to change. This is not one size fits all and approaches well-being and strategies for change and coping with a difficult life from a wide lens. Young people will walk, breathe, garden, build, talk, reflect, take ownership, practice skills,  learn and understand the effects of trauma, participate in workshops, journey and develop strategies that will bring awareness, offer opportunities for change and support informed choices for their future.
Skill Building:
Skill Building is essential knowledge and skills which allow young people to try new things and build a picture of achievement and capability. The purpose is to intentionally open the world up to young people who may not yet know what they want to do, what they may want to learn or even how they prefer to learn. We are committed to providing a broad range of skills that increase opportunities for employment and also allows young people to try their hand at a a range of professions such as hospitality/barista/cafe, food growing and cooking, nurseyship, carpentry, landscaping, farming and organic growing, animal care and design industries. We also continue to instil and foster a growth mindset that builds personal belief- an essential ingredient to success!!