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Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - The Morning Star B5
EDITOR: KATHERINE MORTIMER
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Morning Star Staff
Journey to Successful Employment is an Aboriginal Alternative Learning Program that takes a different approach. Project coordinators Lorraine Denommee and Marilyn Evans, who both have extensive training and experience in education, spent five years developing the program, which addresses all ways of learning workplace skills. “The program takes a holistic approach and recognizes that everyone has a different learning style and some of these differences are barriers to employment,” said Denommee. The process starts with each participant doing an assessment to identify areas they need to work on, including literacy, communication, strengths and interests. The assessment tool used is the Structure of Intellect (SOI), which assesses 26 separate learning abilities. A plan is made for each participant to improve comprehension, memory, problem solving, evaluation and creativity skills. What makes the program different is the use of Integrated Practice Protocol (IPP) which involves visual, auditory and other sensory exercises to help develop skills like focusing and concentration. Participants also use Brian Gym movements to reduce stress and improve learning as well as working to improve literacy. An example of how the sensory training helps is a person who is having trouble reading because of the way they move their eyes across the page. This can be corrected by the training. A college placement assessment also helps identify gaps in learning. “Many of the participants are pleasantly surprised at how well they do with the assessments and it improves their self-confidence and self-esteem. They may
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Marilyn Evans (left) and Lorraine Denommee developed the Journey to Successful Employment for aboriginal people of all ages. have been told they were dumb and that’s heartbreaking. Now they have a chance to do their best,” said Evans.
“All of the participants have a strong interest in their culture.” — Lorraine Denommee “They identify their strengths and goals and get a feeling of hope for the future. The Guiding Circles technique helps them find career paths.” Denommee said people who have not been able to learn in traditional ways have often developed strong coping systems,
problem-solving abilities and creativity to make their way in the world. “It’s amazing and uplifting to see them realize that they do have a lot to contribute. They feel empowered,” she said. The program is based on the Medicine Wheel, which has traditions that vary around the country but with some common themes of emphasis on the importance of the whole person, the family, community and spirituality. “All of the participants have a strong interest in their culture and the traditions of the Medicine Wheel. As you live the Medicine Wheel, it helps you to learn the tools you need,” said Denommee. Program participants are men and women ranging in age from 18 to 45 who
see SKILLS on page B6
Club helps roses to bloom Editor’s note: Julius Topf fills in for regular columnist Fred Lyall this week. he landscape design for the original Vernon Hospice House in 2000 included a sizable garden bed along the south side of the main building. Our group, the Okanagan Gardens and Roses Club, Fred Lyall decided to undertake the placement of a rose display garden on that location. The project was largely spearheaded by club executives Fred Lyall and Bonnie Semeniuk who planned the planting layout and the selection of rose varieties. There was a problem at first with planting success due to hidden heavy soil compaction incurred during construction. (Vernon Swan Lake Nursery Land graciously donated necessary replacement plants.) The garden has turned out extremely well and is a pleasure for patients, staff
T
IN THE GARDEN
201, 3117 32nd St., Vernon
and visitors to view and enjoy the sea of beautiful blossoms conveniently from the wide sidewalk alongside the garden. Maintenance of the garden is performed by club volunteers on an ongoing basis during the seasonal calendar. At the end of March the frost covering is removed from the roses and spread out as surface mulch. Each plant is checked for possible frost damage as indicated by discoloured bark on the canes. The canes are cut off below the lowest frost burn above the next outward-facing bud. Also removed are weak, spindly growth and any crossing canes. The ideal end result is a plant with about six or seven well-spaced healthy canes. On the other hand, in the case of severe frost damage, the plant may need to be cut virtually to ground level, in which case new growth will readily come from the graft bud. Developing growth and proper structure is routinely checked at future visits and corrected as necessary. At about the middle of April a granular fertilizer is applied to the perimeter of each rose (above the feeder roots). The fertilizer formula used is 14-16-10, with a
total amount required of about 10-15 lbs. for the whole bed. (Okanagan Fertilizer of Enderby has generously donated the fertilizer.) Throughout the blooming period spent and faded, over-developed blossoms are removed (dead-heading) about twice weekly for neatness of appearance and to promote re-blooming. Cuts are made above the next major outwardfacing leaf or further down to correct the overall plant structure. Also monitored is the possible appearance of mildew on the foliage requiring an application of a fungicide spray. At the end of October the garden is prepared for winter rest and protection. All growth is cut down to about knee height and a heavy covering of fir bark is applied on and around each plant. (The fir bark mulch has been freely donated by Pryce Landscaping Products of Vernon.) Our club was pleased to receive mention by the Vernon Communities in Bloom Committee in their 2009 judging: “The judges found the (Hospice House) rose garden section especially attractive, with more than 70 varieties.”
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