Wellbeing, Green Skills & Training – Monlife

Wellbeing, Green Skills & Training

The appointment of a ’Green Skills and Training Officer’ in May 2023 has strengthened the GGGP Team and paved the way for a more holistic approach to this work strand. By working in collaboration the Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator, we have been able to identify and deliver a range of training and development opportunities in response to the needs of volunteers. An example of where this collaborative approach has been successful is in the commissioning of Coed Lleol to deliver a Level 2, Agored Cymru accredited, Outdoor Learning Programme for former armed services veterans, receiving treatment at Maindiff Court Hospital.

The strong links with a wide range of community groups established during ‘Phase 1’ of the programme led to many innovative and impactful Health and Wellbeing Projects. Examples of those projects were captured in the GGGP Health and Wellbeing Project videos, which we commissioned from Yogi Communications:

Those videos have been used to inform and inspire many other community groups across the Gwent region.

One of the key challenges in ‘Phase 2’ of GGGP is how we continue to support the community groups we funded in phase 1, whilst creating links with, whilst supporting and funding a new cohort of community groups.

One of the ways we have achieved this is by creating support networks that allow community groups to share information and Knowledge in relation to well-being, nature, sustainable food production and green spaces.

The Well-being Network Event held in Newbridge Memo in November was one such networking opportunity. Community Groups from Blaenau-Gwent and Caerphilly We attracted 43 delegates, 6 presentations involving 10 presenters.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive with the majority of those completing evaluation forms, requesting twice yearly networking events.

Since the start of ‘Phase 2’ in April 2023, the Health and Well-being Co-ordinator has established links with 26 ‘new’ community groups. Many of these groups have initiated new projects and/or work strands.

Whilst we have endeavoured to ensure that there is an equitable approach to support and delivery across each of the 5 participating local authorities, differences in the funding allocation through the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) has resulting in significantly more funding being available in some local authorities than others.

Nevertheless, there are many good projects taking place right across the region:

In Blaenau-Gwent we have been working with ‘Special Movers’ who are based at Rassau Community Centre. They work with children and young people with significant physical and learning difficulties. We are funding and supporting them to develop the outside space at the rear of the building to create an edible/ wildlife garden.

In Caerphilly, we are working with Growing Space at the Ty Siriol site in St Martins. They are creating a quiet area of the garden that will be used for reflection, mindfulness and counselling.

In Monmouthshire, we are working with Friends of Castle Meadows. We are funding a bi-lingual ‘interpretation panel’ at the pond. This will benefit the many users of the open access site, but will be particularly beneficial to children from local primary schools, who use the area for pond dipping and nature walks.

In Newport, we are continuing to work with ‘Twmps Nature Group’ and ‘Friends of Road to Nature’. I am currently working with our Green Skills and Training Officer to offer their volunteers a range of rural skills training. In addition, we have funded Pill Trust to develop a wildlife garden at the community centre located at St Stephens Chuch, Pillgwenlly.

In Torfaen, we are continuing to work with ‘Able Wales’ and supporting their links with Blaen Bran Community Woodland. By funding Blaen Bran to purchase and install composting toilets, we hope to increase opportunities for more residents and community groups to participate in well-being activities at the site.

Training Opportunities

The GGGP will be working with schools, volunteers and community groups across Gwent, offering training opportunities relating to nature, climate and wellbeing. Our Regional Landscape & Countryside Green Skills Coordinator will be leading this work. Opportunities for training will be posted here, so please keep an eye on this page.

Resources

Digital ResourceDownload

A learning resource has been designed to help teachers and learners experience, explore, and observe the wonders of the natural world through the 5 Disciplines of the Expressive Arts. The resource uses the amazing adaptations of the flowers, birds, bees, butterflies, bugs, and trees around us, to provide innovative opportunities for learners to develop their knowledge of the environment and creative skills.

Exploring the natural environment through the expressive arts. Available to download now.

The environment and its variety of living things, its biodiversity, provide the inspiration and focus for the varied, engaging, and enjoyable cross curricular activities in this resource.

It has been designed to help teachers and learners experience, explore, and observe the wonders of the natural world through the 5 Disciplines of the Expressive Arts. The resource uses the amazing adaptations of the flowers, birds, bees, butterflies, bugs, and trees around us, to provide innovative opportunities for learners to develop their knowledge of the environment and creative skills through:

  • mindful drawing
  • creating perfect pollinator masks
  • improvised and scripted drama
  • choreographing and devising dance/movement
  • composing simple music
  • movie-making

We hope we’ve made it easy for everyone to access, you don’t have to be an expressive arts or environmental expert!

It’s all there for you, session plans, useful information, (referencing discipline specific considerations), aims and objectives (linked to progression steps) together with suggestions for extension activities. We enjoyed trialling these sessions and had some lovely feedback, we hope you’ll enjoy using the resource too. 

This post is also available in: Welsh