Frank Dejonghe
Occupational therapist works for 26 years with children and adolescents with psychiatric problems.
I followed postgraduate courses in psychomotor therapy and experiential learning. Now I am a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences a bachelor's degree in Occupational therapy, with a minor Experience & Challange.
I'm a coordinator of a postgraduate "Experiential Learning in and with Nature" second edition in 2023-2024, in collaboration with PXL.
In the workshop with Ellen, we want to explain the methodology of our research, share the results so far with the participants, and do some practical exercises, for example, KAWA, using nature metaphorically while working with others
Occupational Therapist, Howest, Belgium
Experiential learning in and with nature
Experiential learning in and with nature (ELNA) is a potent approach for enhancing individual well-being and resilience (Butler, 2022; Walsh et al., 2020; Sze Nga Fan et al., 2023). This holistic approach can be applied both preventively and therapeutically, addressing the increasing demand within the sector and society for strength-based and recovery-oriented interventions across diverse contexts (Pijpker et al., 2022). However, despite its potential, experiential learning in and with nature remains limited in availability, often met with hesitancy. Various barriers have been identified.
The ELNA project has been enrolled in Belgium aiming to gain enriched insight into the barriers and facilitators for the sustainable implementation of experiential learning in and with nature across diverse contexts, as well as to identify strategies for mitigating barriers and reinforcing facilitators. Ultimately, these insights will be translated into high-quality solutions developed through an iterative process.
In this presentation and active combination of the workshop, we introduce experiential learning by doing exercises and shortly present the results of the facilitators and barriers and let the GATE participants experience the method of KAWA to facilitate the discussion about barriers and facilitators in their working environment as regard implementation of nature or/and experiential learning.