Nature, Policy, and Mental Health: Highlights from A Day of Action in London

By: Jessica Smits & Ella Jenkins

On Tuesday the 18th of February, the YPAG members involved in the Agile Project got the opportunity to go to London to take part in a Deliberative Policy Action Workshop. This was a highly interesting event in which we were able to discuss how nature could be a policy solution to mental health in schools. Poor mental health has been a growing crisis in young people and people generally, and the Agile Project aims to provide a way to help via nature-based programmes in the school curriculum. 

The day started with us being put in groups, getting introduced to the wonderful company of the teachers and policy makers who joined us. Everyone was so friendly and had so many points to put forward during the group discussions, which involved writing ideas on sticky notes and putting them on the board. By the end of each discussion the board was covered! What was especially wonderful to hear were the personal stories each person had concerning nature, and why, because of this, it means so much to them.  

The kind people at the Abbey Centre supplied us with a truly delicious spread of fruits, cakes, and sandwiches and of course, the venue. The large hall, without which, we wouldn’t have hoped to fit the staggering number of individuals, who were passionate enough about nature-based policy solutions to attend the event. 

Suffice to say, the whole day gave us an amazing insight into: the workings of policy making; how mental health is handled in schools at the moment; and just how keen so many individuals are to help our younger generations. All information that will be immensely useful moving forward in making nature more accessible to everyone, and providing an opportunity to better mental health. 

For more information on the Agile Project: https://neuroxypag.org/projects/the-agile-project/