Issue 20

OCN Gardening Course     

As most people are aware, the gardening group have been taking part in an Open College Network (OCN) course during the summer period, not that there's been much of a summer! But we've persevered and the group members have had some amazing results to boast about!! The course was led by our very own gardening expert Alan T (Cardigan Ward) and was also facilitated by myself (Paul) to ensure that links between the clinic and OCN ran smoothly and that all group members were registered to take part in the course.

Just to give everyone a quick reminder of the background to OCN; The Open College Network provides nationally recognised learning credits which can be used as evidence of personal abilities and achievements for potential future employers.

The course enables patients to gain formal recognition of their achievements and also provides a flexible syllabus that people of all abilities and levels of motivation are able to engage with. This approach towards learning has helped to enable patients to take ownership of their learning experience. The course has focused upon the practical element of learning and through this approach has also helped to increase personal confidence in abilities in order to aid the pursuit of further learning opportunities in the community. Group members have also maintained their own portfolio of work, and have worked towards their own learning objectives at their own rate, whilst continuing to enjoy the activity of gardening

The course enables patients to gain formal recognition of their achievements and also provides a flexible syllabus that people of all abilities and levels of motivation are able to engage with. This approach towards learning has helped to enable patients to take ownership of their learning experience. The course has focused upon the practical element of learning and through this approach has also helped to increase personal confidence in abilities in order to aid the pursuit of further learning opportunities in the community. Group members have also maintained their own portfolio of work, and have worked towards their own learning objectives at their own rate, whilst continuing to enjoy the activity of gardening

There were issues along the way whilst taking part in the OCN, these issues ranged from the garden occasionally being out of bounds, overgrown compost heaps that appeared to be getting bigger and bigger and another issue which shall be remembered as "the great slug invasion of 2007". It was great to see how the group embraced these obstacles and were able to resolve the matters arising; the most dedicated of all problem solvers has to go to Melly who formed a routine known as "Slug Watch" and would frequently patrol the garden area looking for rogue slugs that dared to enter behind enemy lines.

Now that the course has been completed, group members have achieved between twelve and twenty-one credits each in Horticulture, that's an awesome result, so Congratulations to all group members!! This result is a brilliant reflection on the group's hard work and determination throughout the summer period and we hope to have a garden presentation soon to recognize these achievements.

To move things forward with OCN, I've been maintaining regular contact with the Open College Network to explore the possibility of expanding the OCN into other areas within the clinic. This means that patients are able to continue the same success within other areas such as bricklaying, woodwork, cookery and many others. (Watch this space!!)

PaulF (OT)