For our first blog post we asked some of our newest additions to our Team to write about their thoughts and experiences in their first weeks with us:

From Kevin:
Having recently joined the Galtee Clinic as an Activity Therapist, I thought I would give you my first impressions of this beautiful rural setting at the bottom of the Galtee Mountains. One of the main attractions for me was the farming lifestyle mixed with the community approach. Not one day is the same as the other. A small example for me would be, one day grooming the horses to the next day, getting a head collar on an alpaca. The kids really feel a sense of achievement when working with and handling these animals. The farm acts as a nice tool for the community in aiding these kids to become more confident, courageous and content. The community and family aspect of the Galtee Clinic works for these kids and helps them feel like part of a “normal” family. Having only recently joined the team, not once have I felt like I was coming to work. Helping and supporting these kids in a setting that aids this process is a fun and exciting venture. Social Pedagogy is a relatively new approach in Ireland and from what I can see, it works! The kids all sit down for dinner as a family and this is quite nice to be part of. I’m privileged to be a part of something that puts a smile on these kids faces.