News

Extended Learning (EL) is pleased to let our campus community know that the Horticulture Skills Training Program, offered at Nova Institution for Women, is back up and running after being interrupted by the pandemic.

Nova Institution for women is a multi-level (medium/minimum and maximum) security facility located in Truro, Nova Scotia.  EL delivers this program in partnership with the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC/CORCAN).

The goal of the program is to help incarcerated women gain technical skills for high demand employment areas of the horticulture industry. Other benefits include an understanding of where food comes from, healthy food choices, the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for plant growth, and creating an optimum environment for themselves, their children and society.

The Horticulture Skills Training Program runs year-round and consists of eight courses: Organic Vegetable Grower; Garden Fundamentals, Landscape Maintenance Worker, Landscape Installation Techniques, Plant Propagation, Garden Centre Worker, Horticultural Business Exploration and Horticultural Business Operation. There are typically 10 participants in the program at one time – although currently the limit is 4 as a result of public health measures.

We welcome back Lindsay Jennings as the program facilitator. Lindsay’s expertise in programming, horticulture and horticultural therapy creates an engaging and supportive learning environment for the participants! As part of the program, Lindsay leads the participants in a truly experiential learning experience, using the greenhouse and grounds at the Institution as a true living lab to demonstrate, develop, and assess the skills required to be successful in the program.

For more information on this program visit: Horticulture Skills Training Program or to explore other Extended Learning offerings head to dal.ca/exl .  Contact us anytime by email at extended.learning@dal.ca