Wellbeing, Green Skills & Training

Being outside makes us feel good!

The benefits of meaningfully connecting with nature are numerous, and diverse. The GGGP Regional Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator is leading this work to improve well-being, increase opportunities for groups and individuals to access green spaces and improve the quality of green spaces, particularly around deprived areas.

Partnership and engagement have been at the heart of this work, and links with 28 community organisations across the region have been established. So far, 20 groups have received funding and support to initiate and deliver well-being projects. Videos charting the inspiring journeys of some of these groups in developing these projects are coming soon.

If you are involved in a community group and would like to find out more about how the GGGP may be able to support you, please get in touch with the team.

Examples of some past wellbeing community projects supported by the GGGP:

Blaenau Gwent

Sirhowy Hill Woodlands Volunteers in Blaenau Gwent created raised beds for the community allotment. Local groups are using these and food produced is being used for ‘Healthy Food on a Budget’ community workshops. Other projects include Beaufort Hill Ponds and Woodland, ‘You Are Not Alone’ (men’s mental well-being group) and Pentref Tyleri’s creation of a wetland/bog garden.

Caerphilly

In Heolddu Comprehensive in Caerphilly an ‘Edible Growing Project’ has been developed for school ‘nurture’ groups and pupils from the Learning Pathways Centre (LPC). The pupils prepared, planted and have now harvested crops from their allotment. LPC students participated in an outdoor pursuits residential, exploring how being in green spaces can maintain and enhance mental and physical well-being. Groups from St David’s Church; Caerphilly Woodland Trust; Risca Volunteers and Taraggan Community Gardens also received support.

Monmouthshire

The RHWC worked with staff at Maindiff Court in Monmouthshire to deliver a ‘Green Spaces Therapy’ programme for ex-servicemen and enhance the ‘Veterans’ Garden’. Projects involving Rogiet Wildlife Group, Together Works and Basecamp in Chepstow have been supported. Basecamp offer ‘wilderness counselling’ services to children and young people were also supported.

Newport

In Newport: MIND Newport; Portland Street Allotments; Twmps Nature Group, Alway Primary School (Edible Growing) and Road to Nature all received support. The ‘Friends of Road to Nature’ have transformed an area from being a focal point for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour into an area rich in diverse natural habitats, well used by local community groups.

Torfaen

Forgeside RFC, Thornhill Community Centre and Able in Torfaen have been supported by GGG. At Able an allotment plot edible growing project has been a focal point a group of adults with learning difficulties.

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Training Opportunities

The GGGP will be working with schools, volunteers and community groups across Gwent, offering training opportunities relating to nature, climate and wellbeing. Our Regional Landscape & Countryside Green Skills Coordinator will be leading this work. Opportunities for training will be posted here, so please keep an eye on this page.

Resources

A learning resource has been designed to help teachers and learners experience, explore, and observe the wonders of the natural world through the 5 Disciplines of the Expressive Arts. The resource uses the amazing adaptations of the flowers, birds, bees, butterflies, bugs, and trees around us, to provide innovative opportunities for learners to develop their knowledge of the environment and creative skills.

Exploring the natural environment through the expressive arts. Available to download now.

The environment and its variety of living things, its biodiversity, provide the inspiration and focus for the varied, engaging, and enjoyable cross curricular activities in this resource.

It has been designed to help teachers and learners experience, explore, and observe the wonders of the natural world through the 5 Disciplines of the Expressive Arts. The resource uses the amazing adaptations of the flowers, birds, bees, butterflies, bugs, and trees around us, to provide innovative opportunities for learners to develop their knowledge of the environment and creative skills through:

• mindful drawing
• creating perfect pollinator masks
• improvised and scripted drama
• choreographing and devising dance/movement
• composing simple music
• movie-making

We hope we’ve made it easy for everyone to access, you don’t have to be an expressive arts or environmental expert!

It’s all there for you, session plans, useful information, (referencing discipline specific considerations), aims and objectives (linked to progression steps) together with suggestions for extension activities. We enjoyed trialling these sessions and had some lovely feedback, we hope you’ll enjoy using the resource too. 

This post is also available in: Welsh