Dr Sara Bradley, Dr Liz Ellis & Dr Rebecah MacGilleEathain (UHI)

Nature for Health green health programme

Over the course of a year Nature for Health ran a series of outdoor activities for refugee families from Syria and Afghanistan, now settled in the Highlands.  Starting from September 2021, the 5 hour long events took place in Dingwall Pefferside Park, the beach and Big Burn woods at Golspie, Inverness Botanic Gardens and Inverness Bellfield Park.  On average there were 33 people attending the six events with a maximum of 44 at one session in Golspie.

These events featured combinations of fire-making, sharing food, family games, pétanque, crafts, story-telling, nature walks and sensory activities. The general approach was based around active sessions where there was less need for communication such as crafts and sensory activities. Participants with excellent English helped to get messages and stories across to others with little or no English. Eating together and making social connections was a central part of the day but the group activities and games were also important elements. Everyone enjoyed the walks and the opportunity to connect with nature.  This was usually offered in smaller groups.  Often the men and children preferred the activities and the women would chose to sit and chat together. To accommodate everyone’s preferences, the leaders introduced activities that could be done seated while still socialising, such as paracord or cordage weaving, felting and other craft ideas.  One of the leaders from Nature for Health told us:

“The feeling of warmth and gratitude was palpable for a lot of what went on and it was a pleasure to be able to work in this way. The mix of activity and socialising worked well and there would be little to change in that respect. Food and space to commune were vital ingredients but active play was also a great energiser and warmly welcomed, particularly by the men and children.”

Participant feedback

We talked to two couples with children, refugees from Afghanistan now living in Inverness.  A worker from High Life Highland contacted them directly to invite them to participate in Nature 4 Health green health activity sessions.

We asked them about their experiences and what they felt about taking part:

“I will say that it was really inclusive for women, which was very important, so we could do different things like fitness classes or yoga. We could also do new things that we couldn’t before, such as walking in the hills or climbing or meeting people from different places. We could make our own choices, that was really beautiful.”

“For the family generally, being in these very natural and green areas was positive for our mental health after the trauma of war, because it helped us to forget about the war and at the same time make new friendships. We left a terrible situation in our country and being in the countryside here, reminded us of the time before the war, because it’s similar to home.  The fresh air, nature, the mountains, it reminded us of home during peacetime, which made us feel safe and secure.”

“These programmes are really good – so much laughing together, it is really good for newcomers and especially the children. It’s been so helpful. Doing these activities also helped us to feel less alone, even though we’re separated from our family. There is a lot of sharing of cultures, food and language. We would try Scottish food and share dishes from our country with our new Scottish friends. People made such an effort, expressing an interest in our language, even learning some phrases in Pashto. We hope to learn some Scottish dancing. We have really enjoyed the activities which have helped us to meet new people and make friends, and although there aren’t many Afghans here, we have met some Pashto speakers, which is helping us to feel more at home.”

“Most of our friends and family in the UK are in England, especially the south, in urban areas, but Nature 4 Health helped us to feel less alone and part of the community, otherwise we may have moved away. We don’t regret settling here and would do so again given the choice. When we tell our friends and family living in England about all the activities here, they’re surprised.”

“One of the good things about the programme is that we don’t have access to a car, so it’s good to be supported to explore rural spaces we may never normally see. I hope that as the weather improves there will be more activities so we can enjoy the sunshine during the summer, though it might be good to have some indoor activities for when the weather is bad.’

“We would like to express our gratitude to these friends. It was a blessing that they introduced rural Scotland to us and helped us to explore some nice areas.”

“Physically we didn’t feel much difference, but mentally, you sit in these very natural, green areas, it has a very positive impact on your brain, you feel refreshed and forget about everything, you don’t feel alone, it’s a very positive impact.”

Summary

In general, the activities helped participants to feel connected and to make friends.  The atmosphere was very welcoming and inclusive, reducing feelings of isolation.  They were able to visit greenspaces they would not otherwise have been able to access.  Being outdoors and engaging with nature boosted their mental well-being. 

More information is available at Nature for Health.