The idea
A series of ten outdoor wellbeing sessions for adults (over 18's). We will be based in Stanborough Lakes in Welwyn Garden City, where we currently run family focused Forest School sessions. Here we will explore our local natural ecology and environment, practicing simple bush-crafting skills, (fire making, using wood as tools, campfire cooking, foraging for food, and field identification skills).We will be encouraging adults to take time away from their busy lives, screens and social media, to just be with nature, re-connecting with ourselves, using nature to improve our well-being, physical and mental health. Using nature as a natural re-set button. We will be creating a cohesive new community group whose participants will learn from each other and engage with nature. We are passionate about teaching others to respect nature by appreciating how much nature does for us! Ten daytime sessions and two night time bat walks (using specialist equipment and learning about bat ecology).
What we'll deliver
- Learning new skills- bush-craft and plant identification and using tools and specialist equipment safely
- Local people making new connections, reducing isolation and loneliness
- Improving well-being, mental and physical health
Why it's a great idea
We will bring members of the community together, creating a new community group and new relationships. We will be encouraging local people to have ownership of their local greenspaces. which in turn encourages renewed respect toward nature and everything that natural processes provides for us by nature. We will be improving physical and mental health, and improving general well-being. We will be exploring our natural environment and learning about our local ecology and wildlife. We will be using nature to create art and learn new skills, including bush-craft skills, using woodland resources as tools and for wellbeing and therapy. Our leader is a trained and qualified Forest School practitioner and Wilderness Therapeutic practitioner, and has been running nature based sessions for adults and children for over five years. There is plenty of scientific evidence to show that regular exposure to the outdoors, and nature has a positive impact on not only physical but also mental health.
Steps to get it done
- Photo evidence of sessions provided and activities carried out
- Using adult style observation sheets (ASOS) to measure emotional wellbeing/involvement and progress
We will be using volunteers to support our qualified Forest School and Wilderness Therapeutic practitioner, with a maximum of 12 adults attending each session. we would encourage all participants to attend a minimum of 5 sessions. We will be based in Stanborough Lakes in Welwyn Garden City, where we currently run family focused home education Forest School sessions. Our lead is a fully qualified Forest School leader, and qualifying Wilderness Therapeutic Practitioner, with a degree in Environmental Management and ten years of experience of outdoor sessions (including working as a Parks Ranger within Hertfordshire parks and nature reserves).
