A blossoming partnership between Lake Macquarie Landcare and local disability support providers is already bearing fruit.
Sunnyfield and Clear Sky Australia have signed up to the program, which teaches horticultural skills to people with disability.
Volunteer participants look after vegetable and fruit trees at the Landcare and Sustainable Living Centre, umali barai-ku, at Booragul by planting, potting up and watering seedlings and helping with weeding and general site maintenance.
Landcare Coordinator Simon Lubinski said it was a win-win arrangement.
"It has so far been a really positive and rewarding experience for all involved," he said.
"Without volunteers, we wouldn't be able to run our nursery or regenerate our natural areas. Partnering with disability support providers allows us to provide meaningful work experience to participants while helping produce top-quality plants for our city's natural areas."
Clear Sky Australia Director Patrick Bellamy said his organisation was always looking for ways to connect with "meaningful, hands-on opportunities" in the community.
"There's a mix of practical skills we are developing, like planting, weeding and tool use, alongside important life and employment skills like teamwork, communication, following instructions and showing up consistently," he said.
"It has also helped build social connections and self-esteem, which is just as important."
"It's been awesome to see how proud everyone feels after a day out with Landcare. There's a real sense of purpose and teamwork, and it has also sparked some great conversations about looking after nature and how we all play a part in that."
Mr Lubinski said the program could be expanded down the track to include bush regeneration with Lake Macquarie City Council's Green Team, or with volunteers working on their own Landcare sites.
"The skills we're building will allow for a wider range of roles and opportunities for these volunteers into the future," he said.
