Skip to content

Custodians of the Park

Custodians of the Park is a unique 10-week program created especially for clients of disability service providers, offering a pathway to build real-world job skills in a supportive environment. Participants roll up their sleeves and get involved in meaningful park projects—growing confidence, gaining practical experience, and becoming proud stewards of the natural environment.

Real projects, real skills

 

Participants roll up their sleeves and get hands-on with park projects while building a range of practical and personal skills:

  • Trade skills – carpentry, painting, workshop safety, landscaping, bush regeneration and nursery work
  • Workplace skills – following instructions, teamwork, persistence, problem-solving and task completion
  • Community connection – contributing to park maintenance and greening projects
  • Personal growth – confidence, focus, independence and communication skills

Building skills that align with NDIS outcomes

 
  • Social and community participation – working alongside peers, staff and volunteers
  • Daily living skills – building independence through routines, safe tool use and task completion
  • Employment readiness – hands-on trade and horticulture experience
  • Learning and problem-solving – following instructions, reflecting and adapting
  • Relationships and confidence – collaboration and shared achievement
  • Health and wellbeing – outdoor activity in a green space
  • Choice and control – setting personal goals and tracking progress

Support for providers

 

We partner with disability service providers to ensure positive outcomes for participants and practical support for staff:

  • Flexible session planning and responsive communication
  • Simple daily logs and reporting templates
  • Strengths-based, person-centred mentoring
  • Clear links to NDIS funding categories and participant goals
Using power tools was a completely new experience for me. I felt really proud learning how to handle equipment like the sander – it helped me realise I can build skills I never thought possible
Ajay, participant
I didn’t realise painting could be such a different kind of skill. It used muscles I don’t usually use and needed a lot of attention to detail. I felt really focused and calm doing it.
Nicky, participant
Co-Hive loves bringing our Employment Pathways participants into the Custodians of the Park program. The team are skilled and generous with their knowledge. They give participants the chance to try skills they’d never normally access, like working with power tools. Given the right opportunities, participants rise to the occasion and build confidence week by week. They enjoy it so much they often arrive early just to join in with the regular park volunteers
Jackie Elias, facilitator

Program structure

 
  • 10 weeks, term-based
  • One half-day session per week
  • Small groups of 6 to 10 participants

Who can join

 
  • NDIS participants aged 18–30
  • People in day programs or preparing for work
  • Participants with low to moderate support needs who want practical, outdoor experience

Fill out the form below to sign up for the program

Go to top