Green Social Prescribing

Groundwork is part of the Nature for Health network which aims to improve mental health and wellbeing by offering activities in the natural environment via Green Social Prescribing

What is Green Social Prescribing?

We know that being in the natural environment and taking part in activities such as gardening, food growing and walking can improve our mental and physical health. Green Social Prescribing (GSP) describes the practice of connecting people with social and therapeutic activities like this to support their resilience, recovery and maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.

What are the benefits of Green Social Prescribing?

• There is evidence to suggest that GSP has multiple benefits for those who take part:
• Increased general mental wellbeing
• Reduction in depression, anxiety and stress related symptoms
• Improved self-esteem, confidence and mood
• Improved happiness, satisfaction and quality of life
• Increased social contact, inclusion and sense of belonging
• Increase in work skills, meaningful activity and personal achievement

There are a number of wider benefits too, including:

• PREVENTING ILL HEALTH – self-referring to GSP before mental health deteriorates and medical intervention is required is a great way to prevent ill health in the first place, and consequently reduces the strain on GP services.
• PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT – many GSP projects include an element of environmental protection, therefore by signposting more people to nature we are allocating more resource to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Examples may include:
  • More people participating in community gardens will lead to more locally grown food and reduced air miles.
  • More people planting trees will lead to enhanced biodiversity and carbon reduction.

Our Services

We have experience delivering and evaluating Green Social Prescribing programmes, taking a people-centred approach throughout and applying the 5 ways to wellbeing.

We’re a key partner in the GM Nature for Health project, developing an online resource platform which showcases GSP best practice, supporting more people to deliver GSP in the future.

In addition, as part of Sow The City’s Nature for Health delivery programme, Groundwork have been running weekly GSP sessions at Crumpsall Park Community Garden.