ENGLISH

ESTATE OF RAZORI

Estate of Razori is a farm on Ljubljana’s hillside, where Slovenian Association for Mental Health - SENT develops a concept of integration of social programmes with farming. Activities on estate of Razori actively involve people with mental health problems through employment and programs of psychosocial rehabilitation. Combining farming and employment of people with mental health problems support positively directed attitude towards environment and human.

Already before the 2nd World War estate of Razori became part of University Psychiatric Hospital of Ljubljana. At that time the estate served as a place for preparing food for patients. After the 2nd world war there was no need for further actions and the estate slowly started to decay. SENT - Slovenian Association for Mental Health is managing estate Razori since 1999. We managed to restore destroyed and neglected remains of the estate. With patience and persistence we arranged estate Razori to become a place where several services of social care are performed.

Our mission

Estate's basic activities are employment and psychosocial rehabilitation of people with mental health problems, who were hospitalized at University psychiatric hospital. Employment represents an important part of rehabilitation of persons with mental health difficulties and influences the quality of their lives. The aim is involvement in a working and social environment, maintaining and developing new skills and routines, as well as social and economic independence. Razori's programme is also intended for improving of possibilities for equal labour market inclusion of disabled people and providing sustainable employment possibility in this environment.
Within the programme carried out on estate of Razori we contribute also to process of destigmatization. With local community cooperation and cooperation with several partners we strive to inform local communitiy and general society aobout mental healt issue and finally contribute to better working and social environment inclusion.

Employment Centre

Positive experiences with vocational rehabilitation and training programs of Razori in previous years  were upgraded with the establishment of an Employment Centre in July 2009. Employment Centre contributes to social economy development and employment of disabled persons in general, group of the people who are difficult to employ.
Employees are qualified for the work on a farm and are employed as farmers`s assistant, some of them perform also different horticultural and household tasks. Work on estate of Razori covers several tasks: fruit growing – fruit garden with old species (apples, pears, cherries, plums), apple juice and vinegar production
growing of vegetables, work in a glasshous, goats breeding, horticultural tasks, care for animals (hens, dogs), houshold tasks
preparation for seminars, cleaning and maintainance of bulidings.

Other activities

In addition to agricultural production Estate of Razori also perform activities in the field of seminar tourism (organization of trainings, camps, picnics), which provide income and enable exsistance of Employment Centre. The aim of the so-called social economy is holding its own resources to ensure effective and efficient employment rehabilitation and active involvement of disabled people in the labor market.

Different events, venues and projects in local, national and European level take place at Estate of Razori. We strive to link agricultural activities with various social programs. Through cooperation with the local community, in conjunction with their needs, we want to increase visibility of estate and ŠENT – Slovenian Association for Mental Health in the local and wider area, thus contribute in the process of destigmatization – raise awareness about mental health issues and contribute to better inclusion of people with mental health problems in social and work environment.

References

• FIHO – Fundation of disability and humanitarian organization in Republic of Slovenia

•  University Psychiatric Hospital of Ljubljana
  
• ŠENT – Slovenian Association for Mental Health
  
• Municipality of Ljubljana 
  
• Fund for the promotion and employment of disabled
  
• University of Ljubljana , Biotehnična fakulteta -oddelek za agronomijo in zootehniko
  
• Community of Sostro
  
• DOBROVITA plus d.o.o. Company for training and employment of people with disabilities
  
• ŠENTPRIMA Institute for advising, training and rehabilitation of people with disabilities
  
• CIZA – Institute for rural development
  
• Union of Slovenian Organic Farmers Associaltion
  
• CenterKontura company for consulting, social development, vocational and professional training of people with disabilities
  
• Ministry of Labour, Familiy and Social Affairs -Directorate for dicabeled
  
• Institute for Sustainable Development