“My background is in special education and children’s social care, and I have used elements of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) in my previous work, supporting children and young people to engage in multisensory gardening/outdoor activities. In my different roles, I have seen Occupational Therapists running gardening activities and taking the lead in outdoor engagement in special schools and care settings. I decided to complete an Occupational Therapy (OT) course, as I am keen to continue working with children and adults with SEN and disabilities. I am hoping to add STH to my practice in the future, so having an opportunity to spend 10 weeks at Thrive for my final placement sounded ideal.”
In addition to her interest in STH and its application in OT practice, Laura was keen to complete a ‘role emerging’ placement (a placement where there is no Occupational Therapist working at the present) which allows students to develop their ability to work autonomously. Applying previous learning from placements and academic teaching to a new area, with decreased clinical support and guidance.
“Confidence in my own skills and abilities is something that I am still working on, so a ‘role emerging’ placement was a valuable learning and development opportunity for me in preparation for my first position as a qualified OT. Being able to work with experienced STH practitioners, a varied group of clients and volunteers allowed me to develop my communication and interaction skills. I was able to manage my own learning and make decisions about my work with the clients, applying some of my learning from the course and adapt it to the needs of this setting.”
Laura’s key focus was to work through the OT Process, which involves the stages of person-centred assessment, goal setting, intervention planning and delivery, and the evaluation of the intervention.
“I applied this process during my time on this placement, working 1:1 with some clients. I had the support of the STH practitioners, who were able to provide advice and guidance as they have a wealth of knowledge about the clients, the application of STH and also about gardening in general. It was great to be able to see their work and receive feedback from them and to think about how STH principles relate to OT theory. I also completed a project, which was a great learning opportunity. I created some training documents for the volunteers, providing information on Autism, Learning Disability, Person-Centred Active Support and Communication Support Needs in an easy-to-read one-page format.”
Laura thoroughly enjoyed her time working with the clients and picked up many valuable techniques from the STH practitioners that she will be able to apply to her OT practice in the future.
“I would definitely like to incorporate gardening and outdoor activities in my work and I am hoping to complete further training in this area. Having been quite set on my plans to return to work with children, my time at Thrive has broadened my horizons, as I have really enjoyed working with this client group. It has made me consider a wider range of opportunities, which is an exciting position to be in. I am looking forward to starting my career as an Occupational Therapist and I am sure that wherever I end up working, with whatever age group, I will be able to apply my learning from this placement and explore how STH could enhance my practice and ultimately the lives of clients.”
