Sarah Nichol recently completed the Recreation North Training Program earning her Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership. Sarah, who graduated in October 2019, is a teacher based out of Fort Smith, NT. After completing the program, Sarah shared a bit about her experience.
I am from the lovely community of Fort Smith where I live with my husband and our dogs.
I have really enjoyed learning with Recreation North! I found the program to be very accommodating and was able to manage the workload alongside my full-time job. If I wasn’t able to participate in a conference call I could still submit answers to the questions and listen to and comment on the recording when it was posted. I found the budgeting course (BF 101) to be the most challenging. It took me several tries to understand the project but Caroline, our trainer, was very helpful and available through email and/or Moodle messaging. I learned a lot from these courses and had a great time interacting with the other participants!
I now have a better understanding of what is involved in planning a program, what aspects to consider, and how to determine what is needed by the target audience or community. I have gained confidence through this program, as well, and feel better prepared to help others. This course helped me understand that I can start now with the resources I already have. Next month, I will begin visiting Fort Smith’s retirement and special care homes with my pug Charlie. I am excited to be able to offer something positive and beneficial to our seniors through time spent with a ridiculous, loving pug who will comfort them and bring them a smile and a laugh!
My words of wisdom concerning the Recreation North Training Program would be – do it! I wondered if these learning events would be applicable to me, someone who is not currently in a leadership position or even in a recreation position. But I’ve learned helpful, practical tools to prepare me for my future roles.