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Family Wild Walks, Outdoor Families, Research - January 28, 2022

Feeling good on the inside about getting outside

The Feel Good Inside & Out project took place at the Outdoor People Community Shop in Hackney over November and December. As a Participatory Action Research project, the topics for investigation and the methodologies were determined by the group. Each week the group would reflect on the previous session, and using that reflection, agree on a question and activity to investigate.

Through the project, we wanted to explore ways we could help make people feel better physically and mentally, by getting outside every day. The research team included four adults and three children, supported by two members of staff from Outdoor People. What follows is a summary of the discussions we had, and the suggestions that were made, in each of the sessions.

We hope by reading about our project, you will be inspired to develop your own set of prompts, hints, tips, thoughts or ‘call-to-actions’ that will help you, your friends and family to go outdoors more regularly. How do you connect with nature even when you don’t have much time, stay out on your adventure for longer, or go out on an adventure even on the days you ‘don’t feel like it’?

Feel good on the inside about getting outside, everyday!

Post-pandemic, winter is setting in, COVID-19 cases are rising again... We know getting outdoors regularly boosts our immune system and keeps us healthy. So, we are turning to our community to ask: how can we help ourselves feel good on the inside about getting outside everyday?

We are inviting Hackney residents to become members of a small research team to work together across four workshops to explore our experiences of getting outdoors in Hackney.

Workshop 1: Tuesday 23rd November 4-6pm

Workshop 2: Tuesday 30th November 4-6pm

Workshop 3: Tuesday 7th December 4-6pm

Workshop 4: Tuesday 14th December 4-6pm

Winter Solstice Celebration: Tuesday 21st December 4-8pm

All workshops will be held at Outdoor People Community Shop, 352A Mare Street, E8 1HR. Dinner will be provided!

Each adult will receive a £20 Retail Gift Card (of your choice). Each child will receive a magnifying glass, a Live & Learn First Aid Pocket Guide and a pair of Stance socks (the most comfortable socks ever!). All travel expenses will be covered.

What if... we made outdoor classrooms the new norm?

As head teachers in the UK wrestle with the whether, when and how of reopening their schools, they are having to drastically rethink the school day and the learning environment. In this article, written by Cath Prisk for the London National Park City Schools Network, we consider how getting outdoors could offer some potential solutions.

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Coronavirus, Research - May 03, 2020

Children’s mental health during lockdown

Can you help? Can you and your children complete this survey? This research on children's mental health during Covid-19 will be super, super important!

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