About Christine Pollard, HTM

approachable * creative * dedicated * engaging * entertaining * enthusiastic * experienced
good sense of humour * great storyteller * honest * inspiring * knowledgeable
personable * resourceful * respectful * supportive

It is my enthusiasm, humour and love of life and people that led me from my BSc in Agriculture/Horticulture, to work with Agriculture Canada in virus testing, to extension agriculture and community development with CUSO in Papua New Guinea, to Horticultural Therapy (HT), Providence Farm and now Home Farm in the Cowichan Valley of British Columbia, Canada.

For the past 25 years, I have had the opportunity to combine my community development expertise with my horticulture to develop the Horticultural Therapy Programs at Providence Farm in Duncan and now in my local, national and international community. My accomplishments during this time included the establishment of an accessible public garden, community garden plots, a seniors garden club for persons with mental health issues, a supported employment program for persons with mental health issues and horticulture training and rehabilitative programs for persons with other barriers to employment and education.

Since 2001, I have established the Home Farm Horticultural Therapy Certificate, the only HT Certificate available in Canada accredited by both the American Horticultural Therapy Association and the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association.

Because of the difficulty of rural living HT students accessing Internship opportunities, I have established a mobile Internship Program recognized by both the CHTA and AHTA. Under the supervision of a registered Horticultural Therapist both organizations recognize 1000 hour internships as a way of gaining HT experience and points towards professional registration. This way HT growth and development of programs can reach rural areas where human services are traditionally lacking.

I now support the CHTA as the Education Coordinator.  We have now established the CHTA HT Competancies.  The Education Work Team is now working on CHTA Education Guidelines to be posted on the CHTA website available to CHTA members so that more educational opportunities can be made available in Canada with guidance from the CHTA. 

We are have updated the CHTA Internship Guidelines that is now posted on the CHTA website encouraging CHTA Professionally Registered HT's to mentor CHTA members working towards their professional registration. 

My current consultation contracts include Malaspina Univeristy College (MUC) Horticultural Therapy Diploma.  As of July 2007, we now have our first four graduates of the HTh Diploma in Canada!  MUC currently has 7 more students enrolled in the HTh Diploma.  We are hoping that the momentum will continue to build to support HT in Canada.

As one of five Masters level Horticultural Therapists in Canada professionally registered with the American Horticultural Therapy Association, I have spoken internationally advocating the benefits of horticulture for health.