Care in the Core – A Brain Care Centre Partnership

Led by NorQuest College students, the 2024 “Care in the Core” project brought an additional resource to those recovering from brain injuries in Edmonton. This clinic, operated in collaboration with the Brain Care Centre and supported by the Strategic Innovation Fund provided an invaluable hands-on learning experience under the supervision of educators from the College.

Students of the Interdisciplinary Therapy Assistant and Therapeutic Recreation programs helped deliver services, particularly in the area of speech therapy, and learned from staff at the Brain Care Centre. Notably, they brought a palatable new energy to the team.

“With NorQuest, we’ve shared a lot of information and came up with a lot of new ideas in terms of how we can better serve our clients,” said Melissa Scaman, Executive Director of the Brain Care Centre. “I was surprised by how much our staff learned from the students that came in and the energy they brought.“

In Alberta, there is a lack of resources for those living with long-term brain injuries. Students in the program contributed to the care and recovery of individuals in the community in an even more meaningful way by helping to fill this gap.

The “Care in the Core” project is an integrated learning opportunity which gives students real-world experience in their future careers. The vital concepts behind providing compassionate patient care can be taught in a classroom, but it’s a lesson that is best learned through hands-on experience in a clinical setting.

“I learned from this experience that patience and empathy are the most important when providing care,” said Kelly, a Therapeutic Recreation student.

Larry, a patient in the program, found that not only was he receiving the care he needed, but he was also contributing to student’s education about brain injuries.

“This was a great collaboration between the two organizations. It’s especially beneficial for the students gaining valuable experience working with clients as a part of their program,” he said.

This partnership introduced the Brain Care Centre to using innovative ways to collaborate with community partners to bring additional care to their patients. Melissa was enthusiastic about the prospect when asked if they would participate in the program again.

“Most definitely, our team really enjoyed working with both the staff and the students at NorQuest!”