• The Gardening Process:
  • “Rotary Gardening Applications” are referred to RCNB from ‘Care’ organisations and identify ‘Residents’ (or their families) who are unable to physically or financially care for their ‘Property’. 
  • Based on these applications, the RCNB Gardening Project Assessor then arranges to meet the resident/Carer to discuss and formally assess the needs, size and possible timing a subsequent Gardening ’Visit’. Additional visits may also be planned.
  • A confidential “Rotary Assessors Report” is then completed, given a Job # and forwarded to the RCNB Gardening ‘Coordinator’.  As part of the aim, RCNB generally  limits ‘visits’ to bi-annually (depending on the circumstances) as more frequent mowing services may compete with commercial operators and are outside the general intent of the RCNB Gardening program. One other limitation on the scope of the RCNB Gardening Project is that Tree removal and similar large jobs requiring ladders are generally excluded for practical reasons from the Project.
  • The RCNB Gardening Coordinator constantly maintains a rolling Gardening Schedule/diary for the forward 12 months, noting ‘Partner’ availabilities by time/day during School terms and where special ‘Visits’ are promised. This key Gardening Schedule really glues the triangular partnership together and is completed in conjunction with continual advice from our on-ground Assessor and others. 
    • At each Thursday evening Rotary Meeting, the Coordinator will: 
    • Record RCNB Gardening participants from past week as ‘make-ups’.
    • Circulate the forward fortnight’s Gardening diary for RCNB Rotarians to volunteer as Supervisors/Assistants as necessary – importantly, this diary is 99% locked-in by the end of the Meeting to save last-minute confusion and worry.
    • Every Sunday evening, the RCNB Coordinator advises the:
    • Forward fortnight’s diary of timings for Gardening ‘visits’ in the weekly RCNB Grapevine (to give Rotarians a chance to check diaries for volunteering).
    • Individual Property (on separate eMails to protect Resident/Property confidentiality) to be visited for the coming week by eMail, giving Date, Time, location, individual ‘Care’ referee, ‘Partner’ organisation contact, RCNB Supervisor/mobile number, RCNB Assistants and brief requirements. Should other RCNB, Partner, Care organisations then find they have time available on that day, contact is made with the RCNB Coordinator who will disclose the address of the Property. 
    • Individual Supervisors/Assistants to confirm the address, date, time, tools involved and normally attach the Confidential Assessment sheet for further reference as necessary.
    • Council (purple lid) waste Bin requirements for the coming week are eMailed to Council employees - numbers required, delivery, emptying, removal as appropriate.
    • Residents are notified, if not already, of intended visits, preferably two weeks out.
    • On the day of the ‘Visit’, the RCNB ‘Supervisor’ generally will::
    • Collect the necessary Gardening tools and equipment from RCNB shed in ‘Hilda St’. This includes gloves, vests, first aid, and all necessary Safety gear, not forgetting to check fuel levels in equipment. Also the “Rotary at Work” advertising sign is to be positioned, preferably on nature strips, during the visit. 
    • arrive well before the ‘Partners’ to meet the Resident, check and plan for completing the requirements, unload the tools/gear. Handy tip – pre-place the colourful Rotary bins around the property to mark where work is needed, then Partners fill the bins!!
    • Welcome ‘Partners’ on arrival, explain the requirements, ensure safety gear and safe use of tools is fully understood (including wearing gloves) and give encouragement for them to take initiative where they see requirements themselves.  It’s meant to be a safe learning experience.
    • Note – students are not permitted to use power tools or engage in dangerous activity so yes, Supervise!!  Easy to get distracted on your particular ‘patch’ but keep a watch on Partners effectiveness, especially, for example, from history where congregating in groups around Bins with sharp gear/tools especially ‘lateish’ in the visit is to be avoided. 
    • 10 minutes before ‘knock-off’, encourage/tell ‘Partners’ to properly complete binning all waste (it’s a pain having to return again..), locate then place all RCNB tools/gear (please!!) to an obvious central position (to avoid Rotary property being lost).
    • Then confirm with the Resident what has been achieved, if another visit is necessary, and provide the Resident an opportunity to personally thank our Partners/RCNB team.
    • Review achievements with ‘Partners’ and RCNB ‘Assistants’ and thank them!! Ensure ‘Partners’ have a safe means of getting home and stay until they are picked up. On no account should Rotarians transport ‘Partners’ unless specific/phone permission from the parent/guardian is given.
    • Return the tools/gear to ‘Hilda St’, refuelling the equipment as necessary. Also, there is a ‘To Do/Shopping List’ inside the Shed door to note items needing attention/buying or warrant suitable comment….. This really helps the Coordination role.
    • Contact the ‘Coordinator’ with a quick summary of the Visit, any feedback and what Council Bins need emptying/removal/changeover. Then, have a beer – you deserve it!!

     On a regular basis, the RCNB Coordinator will oversee the 

    1. RCNB shed in ‘Hilda St’ (with Rotarian support): 
    • Adequacy of tools/gear being used,
    • Tidiness, cleanliness and proper working condition of equipment.
    • regular servicing of equipment
    1. Activities in Grapevine/other publication/advertising the RCNB Gardening Project. Note – photos of the Gardening Program are always encouraged with the caution to comply with strict Privacy of Students where any well-intentioned photos of ‘Partners’ HAVE to be formally approved by the organisation prior to publication. This may also apply to ‘Care’ organisations and Residents where simply seeking okay at the time of the photo is usually acceptable. Otherwise, great for PR.
    2. Face-to-face Meetings with ‘Care’, ‘Partners’ and Residents as necessary.
    • Specific Gardening spreadsheets, Word/Excel files, Contact lists, and other associated details are available from the RCNB ‘Coordinator’ upon request.
 

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