Nature and wellbeing in education: Survey on needs and gaps for schools and child support services. |
Wild Skills Wild Spaces - project background
Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, through its Wild Skills Wild Spaces project, has spent the past 3.5 years supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of young people (ages 11-17) by reconnecting them with nature. This programme, developed in partnership with Powys Teaching Health Board and Cardiff Metropolitan University, combines nature therapy - also known as ecotherapy - skills building, fostering personal growth and confidence, along with community engagement.
Nature-Based Activities: Participants engage in hands-on activities, such as wildlife conservation, bushcraft, and food-growing, helping them to develop practical skills and a lasting connection with the natural world.
Community and environmental empowerment: The programme encourages young people to actively contribute to their local communities, building environmental stewardship and social cohesion.
The Wild Skills Wild Spaces programme has primarily focused on young people of secondary school age, but is exploring opportunities to expand its impact.
With current funding from The National Lottery ending in June 2025, we are assessing if a similar programme of activities can address critical educational and social gaps by reaching younger children in primary school settings and other marginalised youth. This aligns with research showing that early connection to nature supports emotional resilience, social skills, and academic engagement.
We believe expanding our model into these new areas could be especially impactful, using our existing approach of working to the Five Ways to Wellbeing framework to create a holistic approach to education and personal development.
This survey is a part of our effort to gather insights on what potential demands there are for nature therapy. It is our ambition to create meaningful partnerships to ensure that our activities remain community-driven and responsive to local educational needs.
By addressing any gaps, we aim to strengthen educational support structures, enhance children’s wellbeing, and provide skills that foster both individual growth and community resilience.
Please give as much detail as possible so that we can continue our work with young people.
Please be advised that this survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete.