Learn more about a recent evaluation of the Green Wellbeing Alliance that reported ‘strikingly high satisfaction’ and ‘resoundingly positive impact’ on wellbeing for attendees
The Green Wellbeing Alliance (GWA) is a network of organisations providing therapeutic outdoor activities for vulnerable groups across Sussex, and we are one of its founding members. We deliver gardening sessions within Brighton & Hove, as well as nature-connection sessions across the South Downs with Grow or on our Growing New Roots programme.
Whilst the significant positive impact of outdoor and gardening activities on wellbeing has long been understood, what ‘wellbeing’ actually means can be unclear. In a recent evaluation process that the GWA undertook with an independent evaluator, we broke down some of the metrics of physical and mental wellbeing. We measured several factors that contribute towards wellbeing and how our participants experience these factors before, and after, their participation in a GWA programme. The metrics we used to measure to identify and quantify the impact of the various Green Wellbeing Alliance programmes were based on the (short) Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale – one of the most widely used and respected tools for measuring changes to wellbeing. Over 75% of participants showed an increase in their SWEMWBS score after participating in a Green Wellbeing group (average increase of 4 points).
Questions cover factors such as: ‘feeling optimistic’, ‘feeling useful’, ‘feeling relaxed’, ‘dealing with problems’, ‘thinking clearly’, ‘feeling happy’, ‘spending time outside’, and ‘increasing skills/knowledge’. Participants scored higher against every metric after their Green Wellbeing Alliance programme had finished, presenting an overall picture of increased wellbeing. ‘Feeling happy’, ‘spending time outside’, ‘feeling relaxed’, and ‘increasing skills and knowledge’ where the areas with the largest increase.
This evaluation was part of an ongoing effort to assess the impact of longer interventions (Growing New Roots runs for 8 weeks, for example), to help secure their ongoing funding and expand their reach to new audiences and activities. The evaluation process revealed that longer programmes are much needed and provide significant impacts on the wellbeing of participants. Those participating in the GWA programmes scored on the ‘before’ survey as having lower-than-average wellbeing and higher rates of depression. Scores from surveys at the end of the programme indicated that participants’ wellbeing levels are ‘no longer different from the general population to an extent that would be meaningful to themselves’. Feedback gained through the evaluation, such as the quote below, show what this increase in wellbeing means in the context of participants’ lives:
‘I would not hesitate to be part of another group on the Changing Chalk project. I absolutely loved every minute of it. I have become more outgoing, more willing to leave my house and always up for a new adventure, thank you to everyone involved. I’m forever grateful!’
The questionnaire asked participants to rate the extent to which participating in this project had changed how likely they were to visit nature/outdoor spaces in the future from 1 to 7. The mean rating was 6.7, giving a resoundingly positive result. Just under half of participants shared concrete plans such as joining other groups + sessions or signing up to volunteer. This suggests that not only do participants want to continue engaging more with the outdoors – they will continue to engage with the outdoors:
‘I feel inspired by the nature on our doorstep, I didn’t realise quite how special the Downs are, and I pay much closer attention to things now. Whereas before I would walk through somewhere and think how nice and green it was, I’m now picking out specific plants and butterflies! I’m Googling things much more to learn about them. I feel more in touch with nature, and it has really helped me deal with my anxiety and stress.’
Increased confidence in areas such as ‘dealing with problems’, ‘feeling close to others’, ‘thinking clearly’, and ‘spending time outside’ create the foundations for continued and lasting impact beyond the sessions themselves, as evidenced by feedback such as: ‘trust will grow from this’. These interventions cultivate enduring habits and connections for participants with nature, themselves, and those around them –a sentiment summed up by one participant more eloquently than we ever could:
‘I feel as though tiny roots are emerging into beautifully maintained soil’.
Read the full evaluation report.
Find out about the next Growing New Roots group.
Visit the Green Wellbeing Alliance website.
