Horticulture is more than simply growing plants.
Any avid gardener will likely tell you that horticultural activities build self-confidence, encourage perseverance and promote a calm, relaxed environment.
It鈥檚 these qualities that make the Horticulture Skills Training Program an extremely popular program amongst the women at the Nova Institution for Women in Truro.
国民彩票鈥檚 Faculty of Agriculture is once again teaming up with the Correctional Service Canada to offer a horticulture skills training program to women at Nova Institution to teach them many horticulture skills that will be useful outside the garden.
鈥漌e are so pleased to have this program up and running again鈥�, explains Lana Bos, education and training developer with Extended Learning at Dal AC. 鈥淚t is such an impactful program that each and every day, you get to see positive changes and growth in the women.鈥�
Continuing a successful program
Located in Truro, the Nova Institution is a multi-level facility that houses minimum and medium-security inmates. It is one of six federal facilities for women across Canada. The Horticultural Skills Training Program teaches women offenders鈥� vocational and technical skills to use in transition to employment post-release. The program also promotes and enhances life skills, including self-confidence, healthy habits and healthy eating.
The program, originally developed in 1995, is delivered on-site at Nova and facilitated through Extended Learning at the Faculty of Agriculture. Amy Unicomb, program facilitator with Extended Learning, will be the new facilitator this year, with oversight from Lana Bos who taught the course for 12 years.
鈥淭he program has grown significantly since 1995,鈥� explains Mason MacDonald, program manager with Extended Learning at Dal AC. 鈥淚t has gone from being offered two days each week seasonally to four days a week year-round. We have included two courses that teach basic entrepreneurial skills and Nova has supported the program by building dedicated programming space and a year-round functional greenhouse.鈥�
Hands-on learning
The partnership will offer eight courses that cover a variety of topics such as organic vegetable growing, gardening fundamentals, landscaping, and business operation. Four courses are offered per year, with 10 women in each course. The in-depth courses cover an equal mixture of theory and practical hands-on skill training. Participants plant, maintain and harvest a community vegetable garden as well as maintain the landscaped areas of the institution.
Upon completion of the program, women receive a 国民彩票 Certificate of Achievement. This third party certificate is highly recognized by employers and the educational opportunity helps to fill gaps in a resume. Along with their certificate, participants will also gain a better understanding of where food comes from and the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for themselves, their children and society.
鈥淢ost importantly, the women gain the skills, knowledge and attitude to be successful in various horticultural professions, like landscaping and retail garden centres,鈥� Mason explains. 鈥淭hey gain the self-confidence and personal strength to be gainfully employed post-release.鈥�
While the women in the program learn theory and practice of horticulture, their skills are also used to develop and maintain community connections. The women in the program have donated plants to community gardens, food to food banks and have made monetary donations to commu