1. Greenways to Health Dr Beth Christie Prof. Peter Higgins & Dr Robbie Nicol

2. Presentation outline Outline ‘Green Exercise’ programme Outline ‘Greenways to Health Initiative’ Present mid-project data Directions for future research

3. Green Exercise programme South West: 3G Woodland Games East of England: Youth Outdoor Experience North East: Greenways to Health South East: Get Active in Milton Keynes’ parks West Midlands: Walk to Water North West: Health on Wheels Yorkshire & Humber: Walk 4 Fun East Midlands: Heelers: Exercise Referral

4. Greenways to Health Aim - Engage 11-16 year olds in non- competitive forms of green exercise which make valuable connections with the natural environment Target - 100 young people between Nov 2007- 2009

5. Research Design Cramlington – demographically homogenous Case Study 1 - f/t week long course Case Study 2 – session per week (12wk) 10-15 students (x2) Pre- & post- intervention questionnaire Post- intervention interviews Cumulative analysis – ‘Impact Continuum’

6. Questionnaire Composite questionnaire –Level of outdoor activity –Knowledge and use of local greenspace No statistical analysis – no significance Purely descriptive statistics Piloted July 2009 Administered pre- & post-intervention Sample size (n=9)

7. Interviews Explore the questionnaire Informal, deeper discussion Group interviews Held after the intervention Transcripts subject to inter-rater reliability testing Sample size (n=6)

8. Questionnaire results suggest that there was a post- intervention increase in frequency of visits to greenspace.

9. Pre- and Post-intervention Levels of Engagement Number of Students Frequency of Visits

10. “….visit more….’cause I liked doing it [the project] and I liked the wildlife and stuff…I liked the bees and stuff”

11. “ I’d visit more and I’d take more notice of things around us. As before I wouldn’t take notice of what was in the trees and stuff I’d just walk really quickly through, now I’d slow down a bit and look around us and stuff “

12. Profound Some Limited Negative Impact Impact Impact Impact Student A Student B Student F Student C Student D Student E Impact Continuum

13. Factors influencing analysis Small sample size – robustness of the study may have been affected. Familiarity – seven days passed between pre- and post-intervention questionnaire.

14. Summary Case Study 2 (Sept- Dec 2009) Project due for completion March 2010 Interesting mid-project results Example of one approach – value lies in its contribution to the broader field.

15. Future Research Greater understanding of the correlation between nature and mental, physical and social health. Requires an inter-disciplinary approach BeWEL Outdoor Health Network

16. References Bell,S., et al. (2008). Greenspace and quality of Life Literature Review. Greenspace Scotland. Department for Communities and Local Government (n.d.) Planning Policy Guidance 17 – planning for open space, sport and recreation. NICE (2006). Four commonly Used Methods to Increase Physical Activity: brief interventions in primary care, exercise referral schemes, pedometers and communitybased exercise programmes for walking and cycling. Public Health Intervention Guidance No.2.

17. Websites www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored www.education/ed.ac/uk.esf www.greenspacescotland.org.uk www.whi.org.uk/results.asp?key=2133\0\3 D59814741561\p\981\0www.whi.org.uk/results.asp?key=2133\0\3 D59814741561\p\981\0 http://www.groundwork-northeast.org.uk/ www.guidance.nice.org.uk/PH2