I need some life advice

[wombatsandaplant]

Background: I have severe mental health problems, psychosis mainly with some depression and anxiety thrown in too. I have a degree in environmental management and I’ve worked a postwoman too. I’m mid 20s.

Basically I have the opportunity to do a post graduate diploma in conservation management and also to join a therapeutic outdoor garden thing, basically it’s a large garden where they grow a variety of different things and offer training and therapy to autistic people, people with learning disabilities and people with mental health issues.

I’d love to do the conservation pgdip. It’s distance learning with some study weekends. I have 6 years to complete it it’s part time so two modules a term, 4 a year. And it takes two years to complete. I think I could cope with it but it’s not guaranteed. I tried to do a hnd in animal care last year and couldn’t cope after a month but it was only one afternoon off a week, which was way too little for me to cope. I’m optimistic about the conservation management pgdip as it’s less official time and more study on your own time which I can manage.

Now onto the garden one. It seems like a good idea in theory I’d get training in horticulture and I’d get socialisation and it would be low pressure. The only thing I’m concerned about is it would mainly be people with learning disabilities there and I don’t have one, I am autistic though. But I’m just worried it wouldn’t offer enough for me as it seems really geared for those with learning disabilities. Which is great but obviously not ideal for me personally. I’m just worried it wouldn’t fit me too well. And also I’m not sure I really want to do gardening. Hence why I said it’s a good idea in theory.

I’d love to do conservation, an outdoor job (which gardening would also offer), I just don’t know.

Anyone got any pearls of wisdom.

Anyone?

It sounds good to me. I'm not going to offer advice because I am not qualified to do so but it was once explained to me (by someone who did know), than learning difficulties means difficulty in learning, not being of low intelligence. However I expect you would be rubbing shoulders with people who are not very bright, you don't know until you go. That could be difficult if you were hoping to talk to people of 'like mind'.

I think as long as you are enjoyed it, it may not matter.

Ask a few more questions and look around to see what else is available.

Good luck.

I think that the gardening group sounds like a very positive thing to do, just because the others going may be different from you it does not mean that you will not make friends and get a lot out of it. You will support each other, learn from each other and have fun doing something productive. It’s worth giving it a go, if nothing else you can see if gardening is something you enjoy. I run groups for those that are isolated and it is the variety of people that come that makes the groups work.

I didn't want to let this slip by OP, but I think it's really difficult for anyone to advise without knowing you in RL, or not knowing the organisation you'd be joining.

If you don't have anyone you could talk it over with in person could you contact the course managers or the people who run the garden project? I'm sure there would be someone there who would listen to your concerns and be able to give proper insight into what you might gain from being involved. My feeling (as a random stranger on the internet!) is that, even though you don't have a learning disability and the programme may be set up with the needs of those who do specifically in mind, you might still gain significant benefit from being involved and working alongside people with differing needs, especially as it's in the outdoors and has a therapeutic ethos at its core. I think it's really great that you're exploring different possibilities and looking to develop your (already considerable, by the sounds of it) skills and this sounds like something that really might be a great fit for you - fitting in with your interests, providing MH support, but also widening your experience and giving you the possibility of being able to add your own skills and support for the benefit of others too. It seems to be a really positive thing, but talking to those involved and putting your reservations to them would definitely be a good idea, for peace of mind before you commit.

Good luck! (I think it sounds great...)

Is the course going to cost a lot of money? Also the gardening thing , could you give it a trial period and judge if you like it? I've worked with people with learning difficulties and honestly there is a massive spectrum, I found some of them absolutely hilarious and really enjoyed spending time in their company.

The pgdip will be covered bar 500£ by saas so that’s not an issue.

One of my concerns is I struggle to interact with people and I’m worried about interacting with others who struggle to interact with others. Not saying they all do but I’m sure some of them do.

I think my hesitation is that I don’t really want to do the garden thing even though it seems like a good idea.

I really want to do the conservation course, even though I’m really anxious about it I can get kinda past the anxiousness because of how much I want to do it.

Thanks guys

Sorry I'm not clear if the come together? Or if you can do the course without the gardening?

It’s an either or situation.

Agree you should go for it as long as it doesn't get you into ugly debt.

It's a pity that it's an either/or situation because they sound very compatible and the garden work would give you valuable work experience which would be good when you finish your course.
I'd be tempted to join the garden scheme for a year, see how you find it and what skills it gives you, both in horticulture and in immersing yourself with a diverse group of people in a non pressurised environment.
The course sounds fascinating, but may be a little solitary and if you have six years to complete it, it may allow time to work alongside?

I am an autistic person who works in a bank. Therefore I work around lots of neurotypical people. I got involved in a programme we run to support autistic job seekers last year. I too had never met lots of other autistic people and wondered if I would “fit” in and also expected it to be very socially awkward.

Three years later, we run the programme every year and it’s my favourite day of the year workwise because I get to spend a day surrounded by other autistic people. My worries about a room full of autistic people being socially awkward were COMPLETELY wrong. What actually happened is that because everyone in the room was in the same boat, we all felt comfortable to be ourselves and not have to mask or act socially appropriate. It’s always a joyful room, full of laughter, where everyone is comfortable to be themselves. No judgement at other’s social presentation or jokes that not everyone gets, everyone being straightforward and honest with each other about our struggles and sharing ideas for things that may help.

Meeting other autistic people was so important at improving myself confidence and realising that other people like me and that I can get on with people so I would say you should join the garden group as you never know what it might do for you to meet other people who might have a better understanding of how you experience life as well as enjoying the outdoors and the gardening.

I'd go for the course in your situation.

Will you be working during the course? Are you working now? It doesn't seem you have much interest in the gardening project tbh. I also think that some of your concerns rethe interpersonal aspect may have some basis. Having worked with people with learning disabilities.

Perhaps where you do your course will have options for support /socialising which will fulfill some of the things the gardening would have offered?

The course will have study weekends, both virtual and in person. So will allow for some socialisation.

As much as I want to do the conservation course I’ve decided there’s no way I will cope with it. Maybe another year.

So I’ve decided despite my concerns to do the gardening one, at least try it anyway. There’s another similar one near me which is purely for people with mental health problems which I’d bite their hand off at going to, the one I plan to try and go to is a 40 minute drive away. Whereas this other is 15-20 minutes.

Thanks for all the advice.