INNOVATIONS IN PRAC T I C E
Nurturing wellbeing through nature Melanie Vincent Wellbeing Programme Support Officer, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Wellbeing Programme provides nature-based activities – such as conservation work, wildlife walks and nature crafts. Our service is used by people with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and panic disorder, as well as more complex issues like psychosis, multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia. Evaluations suggest that the programme can improve their overall wellbeing and that afterwards most participants move on to other meaningful activities such as volunteering, education, further training and employment. This article describes the history of the programme, how it works and some of its achievements.
© Journal of holistic healthcare ● Volume 16 Issue 1 Spring 2019
I have always had a keen interest in the links between the environment and people’s health and wellbeing. This is something I focused on for my first degree in biology, and then for my Masters in Environmental Science. Later I worked for various health and environmental charities, and recently for my local NHS mental health service. There, I gained a greater appreciation and understanding of mental health issues. When the position of wellbeing programme support officer at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust was advertised, I jumped at the chance. Having worked for the trust when the programme first launched, it was the perfect opportunity for me to work on a project I felt – and still feel – so passionately about.
Supporting mental and emotional wellbeing through nature Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has a long history of delivering a county-wide wellbeing programme that offers nature-based activities for people who are struggling with mental health issues. The activities range from conservation work to wildlife walks and nature-based crafts. The programme launched in Wiltshire in 2008, with funding from Wiltshire Council for people living in the county, and in Swindon in 2017, with funding from The Big Lottery for people who live in Swindon or who access services there. Over the years the programme has helped hundreds of participants improve their mental wellbeing and, on exiting the programme, helped them move on to other activities, whether it be further volunteering, education, training or employment. It may seem surprising that a wildlife trust should offer such a service, but one of the core aims of the trust is to inspire and support people to live more sustainably; working to improve the health and wellbeing of people can clearly help achieve this important social goal. The Trust’s people- and community-focused work is one of the
largest sections of the organisation covering a range of projects. • Building Bridges – supporting people into work and education by helping them to develop new skills. • Milestones – connecting vulnerable and marginalised young people to their natural environment, offering them opportunities to widen their knowledge on the natural world. • Repair Academy – a social enterprise dedicated to reducing waste and refurbishing goods, while at the same time providing skills and training for young people and affordable goods to low-income households. • Wild Connections – enabling people of all ages from different backgrounds to enjoy and connect with nature. • Youth Wellbeing – providing forest schools, and targeted work with young people facing challenges in their lives. The Wellbeing Programme – and our other people-focused projects – has the view that by engaging people in meaningful and purposeful activities outdoors, not only is their wellbeing improved, but also their connection to nature itself, and the desire to look after it. This is not just for the individual personally, but also on a larger scale,
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