Creating an Inclusive Community through Nurturing Gratitude, Compassion, Responsibility, Peace and Kindness

Camphill Community Glencraig (Glencraig) was established in 1954 to provide a unique approach to supporting children, young people and adults with learning disabilities. Over the years, Glencraig has developed a reputation for providing a special holistic approach, which enables everyone to reach their full potential and live a content and meaningful life. Since the turn of the 21st Century Glencraig has developed from a community run by vocational volunteers to an organisation managed by professionals in paid employment.

Volunteering has always been a fundamental aspect of life at Glencraig. Each year 20 - 40 international volunteers come and live at Glencraig. Most of these volunteers came from mainland Europe but some came from other Continents, Ireland and other parts of the UK. Over the last three years we have been hosting European Solidarity Corps volunteers and others to participate in projects at Glencraig.

Glencraig continues to explore how to attract volunteers and provide them with the support to enhance their volunteering experience. As part of the evaluation process for the volunteers, we have adapted the Outcomes that Matter (OTM) approach developed by Dr Leon Fulcher and Dr Thom Garfat. The OTM approach enables the volunteers based at Glencraig to record the nurturing of Gratitude, Compassion, Responsibility, Peace and Kindness in their activities and interactions with other people.