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Success for students with mental illness

Success for students with mental illness . Joy Sharpe Outreach Coordinator Shoalhaven . Access to Horticulture . 9071 Certificate I in Access to Work and Training Jim Da Silva Farm West Nowra 2 days / week for 18 weeks Horticulture electives and employability skills units

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Success for students with mental illness

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  1. Success for students with mental illness Joy Sharpe Outreach Coordinator Shoalhaven

  2. Access to Horticulture • 9071 Certificate I in Access to Work and Training • Jim Da Silva Farm West Nowra • 2 days / week for 18 weeks • Horticulture electives and employability skills units • Units are chosen to suit the work to be done and the students’ interests and needs

  3. Helping hands mosaic made by students

  4. A partnership between • St Vincent De Paul Society • Helping Hands – a project of the Schizophrenia Foundation • TAFE Horticulture and Outreach • TAFE Teacher Consultants Equity • With input and assistance from Illawarra brain Injury Service, Flagstaff ( Disability Employment Provider)

  5. Key People – the driving force • Kelly Upton – TAFE Teacher • Katy Smith -Helping Hands Coordinator • Steve Sweeney - Jim Da Silva Farm Manager • Ninu Sethi – teacher Consultant Psychiatric Disabilities • The students

  6. Kelly , Katy and Steve

  7. History • TAFE have been running a Cert II in Horticulture for a couple of years at the farm in partnership with Helping Hands • Funding has been sourced from a variety of local, state and federal Govt departments for infrastructure • Kelly has developed the plan for the garden and students and volunteers have created the garden • Outreach has been involved from semester 2 , 2008 using the Cert I to provide a pathway into Cert II in Horticulture

  8. The students • 12 enrolled • All have disabilities – some more than one • Mental illness, brain injury, physical disability, learning disability • 9 men and 3 women • Late teens to 50’s

  9. Positives • A peaceful, beautiful learning environment • Learning by doing • Assessment on the job • Support from teacher consultants • Team work from coordinator, teachers , teacher consultants , support teachers

  10. Practical support • All students have interview with teacher consultants • Plans in place including strategies for dealing with health issues • Teleconference with all TC after first week • Teacher also studying Cert IV in Mental Health • Support workers from Helping Hands and other agencies involved • Additional teacher funded by TC , LLN learner support for one student

  11. People in all our classes are struggling with mental health • WOW class held at Family support • 6 regulars – all have experienced depression, anxiety and drug and alcohol • A supportive environment has broken down the stigma and allowed for discussion and sharing

  12. Students’ suggestions to make the learning environment positive for learners with mental illness • Don’t be judgemental • Make people feel equal and comfortable • Recognise what people know • Treat everyone the same • Don’t make a big thing about the mental illness • Don’t ask people to share- wait till they feel comfortable • Everyone be aware of confidentiality • Be careful of the language we use

  13. Helpful strategies • Bringing the Counsellor and Teacher Consultant in to • run relaxation and stress management sessions • Talk about learning and memory strategies • Talk about counselling services

  14. Dealing with anxiety • Allow people to go for a walk or get out of the class room if they feel anxious or stressed • Provide plenty of toilet paper • Teach stress management strategies – breathing ,rubber band on wrist • Change our self talk “I find it difficult” not “I can’t”

  15. Sensitivity • Understand the side effects of drugs and how they impact on learning , concentration ,memory • Be aware that remarks or discussions can trigger past trauma • Follow up incidents where someone gets upset • Let people know that they can come back to the course when things get better – they haven’t failed • Understand that some people don’t want to disclose because of stigma

  16. My personal view • Balance an understanding of the devastation and loss of mental illness with a sense of hope and expectation of recovery • Focus on the person not the problem • Normalisation • Mental health is a continuum

  17. Resources • Mental Health First Aid (Professional Development) • Video: Angels and Demons http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/interactive/angelsanddemons/ • Beyond Blue the National Depression initiative http://www.beyondblue.org.au • SANE Australia http://www.sane.org/

  18. discussion • Share your positive experiences with students with mental illness • What are the success factors? • What are the helpful support strategies? • What is your action plan?

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