Curricula

Objectives

The purpose of yhe course:
The aim of the course is to increase your understanding of the well-being effects of nature on people and to learn how to strengthen the relationship with nature in a professional and goal-oriented way in client work.

The competences of the course:
Sustainability and development

Competences defined by the Green Care Pro training network:
Defining Green Care activities
Using nature-based methods as part of professionalism

Defining Green Care activities: You understand the importance of nature for human wellbeing, know the theories behind its impact and know how to make use of the well-being effects of nature in your own activities. You can classify the well-being and health effects produced by nature, explain the mechanisms of their generation and assess your own relationship with nature. You will be able to assess and interpret the specific characteristics of Green Care and distinguish it from other well-being promotion methods and other nature-based activities. You will be able to describe the characteristics of the Green. You will be familiar with the defining factors and quality criteria of Green Care and be able to apply them to the analysis of nature-based activities.

Using nature-based methods as part of professionalism: You can respect the diversity of nature relationships and understand the importance of guidance skills, taking into account different clients and their needs. You can choose ways to strengthen the relationship with nature and support the strengthening of the client's relationship with nature in a professional, goal-oriented way.

Sustainability and development: You can assess the relevance and impact of Green Care activities in society and take into account sustainable development aspects in your activities.

Content

The main content of the course is the relationship with nature, the well-being effects of nature and the guidance work. It also looks at terms and concepts related to Green Care, the scope of activities and quality criteria.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Salonen, K. (2005). Mieli ja maisemat Eko- ja ympäristöpsykologian näkökulma.

Vehmasto, E. (Ed). (2014). Green Care -toimintatavan suuntaviivat Suomessa [Verkkodokumentti]. MTT Kasvu 20. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-487-509-7

Vehmasto, E., Salonen, K., Ilmarinen, K., Hirvonen, J., Saarinen, S., Peuraniemi, T., Paakkolanvaara, J.-V., Aho, M., & Lipponen, M. (2021). Suomalainen Green Care: Green Care -toimintatavan käsikirja & LuontoHoivan ja LuontoVoiman laatutyökirja. Luonnonvarakeskus (Luke) ja Green Care Finland ry. http://urn.fi/URN:978-952-380-189-9

Teaching methods

Flipped learning & online pedagogy:
- online lectures, webinars and learning assignments

Practical training and working life connections

Get to know green care operators

Student workload

Orientation to the course 4h
- Familiarisation with learning materials 87h
- Completion of learning tasks 27h
- webinars and introduction to the operator 13h
- Self and peer assessment 4h

Further information for students

Assessment:
- developmental assessment
- self-assessment
-peer evaluation

To complete the course you must attend a 7 hour webinar day. The course is part of the Green Care Pro - Expert in the well-being of nature: https://blogi.eoppimispalvelut.fi/greenca

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Evaluation criteria, pass/failed

Pass:
You can describe the importance of nature for human well-being and explain the theories behind its effectiveness. You can identify and link the welfare effects of nature to your own activities. You can list your observations on the social impact of Green Care activities. You will identify different nature relationships and describe the importance of stewardship skills in Green Care activities. You can identify the key elements and quality criteria of Green Care. You can identify the specific characteristics of Green Care and its differences from other well-being and nature-based practices. You can identify the Green Care field of practice in Finland.