Better Health & Wellbeing | Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust

Community Mental Health Activities

Outdoor programme to encourage older people to explore greenspaces to help them improve their health, wellbeing and to reduce isolation

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Funded by: Community Mental Health Fund

Outputs:

20 sessions in North East and South East Edinburgh
Each session is run with groups of approximately 14 people

Outcomes:

Improve mental health
Reduce isolation
Encourages the participants to gain new friendships
Increase levels of activity

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Thrive Brown to Green

Greenspace improvement projects to NHS estate

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Funded by: NHS Lothian, Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership

Outputs:

Create Designs for each space
Provide seating
Install Planters and Trees

Outcomes:

Improve the appearance of urban greenspaces
Encourage people to use greenspaces to improve health and wellbeing

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Wellbeing Activities for Young People

Health and wellbeing programmes for young people

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Funded by: Community Mental Health Fund

Outputs:

Outdoor science activities with young people
Outdoor environmental arts – opportunities for unstructured creative activities
Woodland Activities. These are delivered in local woodlands and involves a range of activities including tree I.D., green exercise, and relaxation.

Outcomes:

Improve knowledge of the local environment
Improved lifelong resilience for young people
Help reduce anger and bring focus for young people
Increase confidence for young people
Restore mental health and positive mood for young people
Improve stamina and levels of physical activity for young people
Improved perception of neighbourhood and sense of place
Improved mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people
Increased capacity of carers in supporting the emotional needs of their young people

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Wellbeing Activities with the Travelling Community

Health and wellbeing project that will aim to bring communities together

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Funded by: COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING FUND

Outputs:

Develop a programme with the travelling community
Deliver 24 half day taster outdoor sessions

Outcomes:

Help integrate the travelling communities to the local area
Increase appreciation for the local woodlands and wildlife
Improve the health and wellbeing of the travelling community
Improve the biodiversity of the local greenspaces.

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Community Link Worker

Provides social prescribing to help people improve their health & wellbeing

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Funded by: Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership

Outputs:

Keeping up-to-date with what’s happening both locally and city wide, sharing with the wider team when appropriate
Highlighting gaps in services
Providing 4-6 sessions per patient
Providing feedback, case studies and stats
Attend CLW Locality Team meeting
Providing appropriate and timely interventions

Outcomes:

Encourage people to lead healthier active lives through participating in physical activities for all abilities in their local greenspaces to help improve their self-esteem.
Enabling participants to link up with local community groups so they can continue to participate sustainably
Develop relationships with patients/clients and support engagement with services and activities to promote the development of individual resilience and ability to self-manage
Build a good relationship with lead GP to monitor how the service is going.
Networking, building and strengthen relations with community organisations, services and groups.

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Thrive Edinburgh – Physical Activity and Greenspaces

To improve the mental health and wellbeing of people in Edinburgh by delivering a range of services and programmes to support the delivery of the Thrive Welcome Team and Thrive Collectives

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Funded by: Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership

Outputs:

Each year to deliver the following

96 Conservation sessions for 160 participants
48 Woodland (Branching Out) sessions for 48 participants
200 Walking sessions for 48 participants
96 Jogging sessions for 48 participants

Outcomes:

Deliver activities that encourage and build resilient communities by using local greenspaces
Deliver meaningful activities that are convenient and easily accessible throughout the city.
Enable participants to learn new skills to build their confidence
Provide activities that are enjoyable and enable people to come together at their own pace in an open environment.
Encourage people to lead healthier active lives through participating in physical activities for all abilities in their local greenspaces to help improve their self-esteem.
Enabling participants to link up with local community groups so they can continue to participate sustainably

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Branching Out is a programme of therapeutic activities in woodlands, pioneered by the Forestry Commission Scotland, working with mental health patients referred by medical practitioners, using interaction with woodlands to improve mental health and well-being.

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"Branching Out has helped me in ways I never thought possible. Spending time outdoors, exploring, thinking and feeling in touch with nature, has made me feel different about life." Branching Out participant

Funded by: Scottish Forestry, NHS Lothian

Outputs:

24 programmes delivered with 5 different partners
262 Branching Out sessions delivered
120 people presented with John Muir Discovery Awards
30 support workers engage

Outcomes:

Mental health of participants improved through involvement in woodland activities
Wellbeing and self-esteem improved through guided and group-based activities
Physical health promoted through gentle outdoor exercise
Involvement in similar outdoor activities promoted.
Access to the outdoors for adults with mental health issues increased.
Knowledge of woodland areas increased
Woodland-based knowledge and conservation skills developed
Confidence in using woodland areas improved
Importance and understanding of conservation of woodland areas promoted

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Out & About in South Edinburgh

The project focuses on getting a variety of individuals, communities and groups engaging in their outdoor space through lots of different avenues to help improve their health and wellbeing

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Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership has been working closely with ELGT on a dedicated part of the Southeast Edinburgh Local improvement Plan which highlights the needs in Dumbiedykes. “Support people living in Dumbiedykes, including those experiencing hardship, and help co-ordinate a sustainable response that builds community resilience and promotes life chances". We have secured funding from Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation and over the last two years, ELGT has established a very successful working group. In partnership with The Cyrenians and Braidwood Centre we have set in place a pantry, and ELGT have set up a range of outdoor activities to support local people" This aligns with NHS Lothians Public Health focus on Social prescribing" Paul Powrie, SE Public Health Practitioner

Funded by: NHS Lothian, City of Edinburgh Council Health & Social Care, The Robertson Trust

Outputs:

10 x 6 week programmes of workshops introducing people to physical activity in the outdoors
A series of cooking sessions to encourage healthy cooking and eating on a budget
20 growing workshops to grow their own produce
12 environmental enhancement workshops

Outcomes:

Increase awareness of physical activity recommendations by public health professionals
Increase levels of participation in outdoor activities
Increase numbers of local people achieving recommended levels of physical activity
Improve health & wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem and social contact
Improve the local environment
Increase awareness of making healthier choices with eating habits

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