Eight participants of the H-Garden project funded by the European Social Fund went on a two-day study trip from 24 to 25 February 2022, during which they visited the Association of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Regoč from Slavonski Brod, social enterprise Hedona d.o.o. from Križevci and the Social Service Cooperative Martinov plašt from Zagreb.
In Slavonski Brod, they were warmly welcomed by members of the Regoč Association, led by President Mirjana Jakovčev and their expert associate Vehid Ibraković, who gave professional education on the well-being and therapy of plants grown in the form of aromatic spirals and methods of making the same, as well as practical advice on methods of processing medicinal herbs on examples of distillation and drying. Part of the field teaching took place in a greenhouse where participants had the opportunity to gain insight into practical methods of growing seedlings and herbs. They also visited the premises of the association where the participants had the opportunity to get acquainted with the activities of the association and its valuable users who include in their rehabilitation and occupational therapy many creative processes of making products of aesthetic – functional value.
On February 25, in the continuation of the study trip – fieldwork, we visited one of the most successful examples of positive practice regarding the inclusion of members of vulnerable social groups in the labor market – social enterprise and integrative workshop – Hedona d.o.o. from Križevci where the director Alemka Lončar gave us a lecture on the history of the social enterprise Hedona d.o.o. whose founder is the Association of Persons with Disabilities Križevci and took us through the production plant of chocolate, introducing us to the local favorite Choco Bar.
The final stage of the study trip – fieldwork was a visit to the Social Service Cooperative Martinov plašt, which operates in Zagreb. At the location of the cooperative, we had the opportunity to learn more about its history, the purpose of its activities and the success of the activities, which were briefly introduced to us by its representative Veselko Musa. This was followed by professional training on the topic of organic vegetable growing, which consisted of two modules; introduction to organic agriculture (causes, purpose, planning, tillage, cultivation methods, nutrition and fertilisation of vegetables, the need to preserve old seed varieties) and practical examples (crop rotation planning, weeds as a habitat indicator, plant protection, distinguishing varieties from hybrid varieties, compost production, etc.)
