Post on 20-Dec-2015
Presentation outline
• Outline ‘Green Exercise’ programme
• Outline ‘Greenways to Health Initiative’
• Present mid-project data
• Directions for future research
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
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
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’
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)
Interviews• Explore the questionnaire
• Informal, deeper discussion
• Group interviews
• Held after the intervention
• Transcripts subject to inter-rater reliability testing
• Sample size (n=6)
Questionnaire results suggest that there was a post-intervention increase in frequency of visits to greenspace.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Pre once a
month or less
Post once a
month or less
Pre 1-2 days Post 1-2 days Pre 3-5 days Post 3-5 days Pre 6-7 days Post 6-7 days
Pre- and Post-intervention Levels of EngagementN
um
ber
of
St u
den
ts
Frequency of Visits
“….visit more….’cause I liked doing it [the project] and I liked the wildlife and stuff…I liked the bees and stuff”
“ 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 “
Profound Some Limited Negative Impact Impact Impact Impact
Student A Student B Student F Student C
Student D Student E
Impact Continuum
Factors influencing analysis
• Small sample size – robustness of the study may have been affected.
• Familiarity – seven days passed between pre- and post-intervention questionnaire.
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.
Future Research
• Greater understanding of the correlation between nature and mental, physical and social health.
• Requires an inter-disciplinary approach• BeWEL
• Outdoor Health Network
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.
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\3D59814741561\p\981\0
• http://www.groundwork-northeast.org.uk/
• www.guidance.nice.org.uk/PH2