What is the social/environmental problem/issue that this project will address?
Mental health has gradually become less hidden and stigmatised, but there is still a great deal of difference between rhetoric and reality. People experiencing mental ill-health continue to be poorly understood and discriminated against within society, while the kinds of services that current research suggests there is a need for are thin on the ground. As illustration of this, our projects regularly have a waiting list, meaning that we can’t offer places to everyone referred who would benefit.
Participants accessing our projects are adults experiencing mental health issues, including individuals with psychotic disorders. This group of people are by definition disadvantaged & their ill-health tends to cause them to sink through the socio-economic strata of society over time, becoming socially isolated and marginalised and being more likely to experience poverty. These processes lead to massive losses in confidence, big gaps in job histories & consequent difficulty in accessing employment. Our project work focuses on tackling these trends using a person-centred approach.
Scotland is one of the most deforested parts of Europe (20% forest cover versus an average across Europe of over 40%). Only ¼ of our forest is native species woodland, the remaining ¾ is non-native plantation. Early and intensive industrialisation and other historical features of land-ownership mean that Scots have a weaker relationship with their natural landscape than is evident in a number of neighbouring European nations. This disconnection leads to a lack of collective stewardship. It also leads to a lack of opportunity for local people and communities to engage with and benefit from their local environment.
At a global level, we are seeing rising global greenhouse gas emissions that the world has thus far failed to act to curb in an adequate way. The latest evidence from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the world. Climate change will have far reaching effects on Scotland's economy, its people and its environment. The world-leading Climate Change (Scotland) Act requirements to reduce carbon emissions by 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 will only be achieved if we all make changes to our patterns of behaviour.
Can you give us some statistics on this problem?
Statistics compiled by the Mental Health Foundation indicate that in the UK, 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year, with mixed anxiety and depression the most common mental disorder. Self-harm statistics for the UK show one of the highest rates in Europe, while annual prescription rates of antidepressant in the UK rose above 50 million in 2013 and continue to rise.
There is a growing body of evidence that shows activities like gardening, green gyms and environmental conservation can help lift mood, raise self-esteem and reduce stress for people with mental health problems. Research demonstrates that supervised programmes of exercise can be equally effective as antidepressants (MIND, Ecotherapy: The green agenda for mental health) in treating mild to moderate depression.
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have significantly increased since 1900. Since 1970, CO2 emissions have increased by about 90%, with emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes contributing about 78% of the total greenhouse gas emissions increase from 1970 to 2011. Agriculture, deforestation, and other land-use changes have been the second-largest contributors. While growth in global carbon emissions has shown signs of slowing since 2012, total global carbon emissions continue to rise. Enough is not being done.
What is your solution?
What we do is all about potential. Enabling people who have experienced mental ill-health to develop and grow – highlighting their potential to everyone, especially to themselves. Showcasing Scotland’s woodlands and orchards and their potential to help us all live more environmentally sustainable lives.
How will you deliver this?
Since 2008, we have set up three core ‘people projects’ - Good Wood, Fruitful Woods & the Fruitful Woods Collective - that together provide 75 placements per annum. Together, these projects offer a 3-tier pathway which provides linked & graded stepping stones enabling people who have experienced a period of mental ill-health or with enduring mental health issues, to work towards reduced social isolation, a more active role in society and employment.
1. Good Wood (from 2008). Woodland-based placements ½ day per week for up to 30 weeks. Very supported, gentle, focus on engaging, broadening out horizons & confidence building.
2. Fruitful Woods (from 2014). Emphasis on working towards employment, the setting is nurturing & supportive, but also deliberately challenging. Placements are 1–3 days per week for up to 12 months.
3. The Fruitful Woods Collective (being piloted from 2016). Fruitful Woods alumni make & sell their own produce as a form of self-employment. Decision-making is in their hands, support is given to negotiate psycho-social & business hurdles.