Wild Skills Wild Spaces – natural ways to wellbeing

Wild Skills Wild Spaces is an innovative partnership project using ecotherapy sessions in the wilds of North Powys to help people struggling with their mental health. Delivered by Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, in partnership with Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB), it is funded by the Welsh Government until 2023.

In 2021 the project attracted national acclaim with a prestigious NHS Forest 2021 Award for Engaging People with Nature.

Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Head of Health and Wellbeing, Carla Kenyon, tells us more about this award-winning project where people are learning new skills, meeting new people and improving both physical and mental wellbeing while making a positive change for wildlife within their communities.

What inspired the Wild Skills Wild Spaces project?

I have an overwhelming passion to connect more people to nature and wildlife so that it is protected and cared for in the future. I also wanted to reach out to people who may not normally connect with nature by offering a health and wellbeing project as I know how nature is so important in helping people. I looked to see what other Wildlife Trusts are doing and visited the amazing My Place project being run by Lancashire Wildlife Trust. It is fantastic and that is what inspired me to bring that concept to Montgomeryshire.

Carla joins a Wild Skills Wild Spaces activity

The benefits of Nature and green spaces on mental health are well documented. What is WSWS’s take?

We often get participants saying we changed their life. Those four words are powerful and that is what drives us. Not only that though, they learn about their environment and wildlife. When they turn around, and point out things in nature to us, then that makes you smile.

The whole connection to and appreciation of life - whether it is human, animal, insect or plant life - is so important. We have had participants go from being hospitalised two or three times a year to no hospitalisation since joining the scheme and actually volunteering in their own time to bird survey or help in other areas. It is so powerful, that non judgemental setting mixed with a great team, and being outdoors really clearly works.

Tell us a bit about the team – characters and strengths

The team is made up of two males and two females who have been trained in delivering to people, who may have complex needs, outdoors. As such they can call themselves Outdoor Psychologically Aware Practitioners. They come from a range of backgrounds including forest school, wildlife trust conservation, National Trust and Mencap the learning disability charity.

I have been very lucky with the team as they just gel and connect with people so well. Mark, who is supported by Jo, runs the youth sessions and just naturally connects with kids. He is very funny and has the ability to be seen as an equal with the children. It is definitely a gift and not something everyone has. He just gives out an energy that is magnetic for the youth we work with.

Jo is warm and gentle and the mothering type figure some kids need. Fran, the project manager, has an amazing skill set from being forest school trained and a passion for nature and wildlife that is her life. Eurig joined us from North Wales Wildlife Trust and has lots of experience of delivering engagement sessions outdoors; his knowledge is second to none. There is nothing Eurig doesn’t know about wildlife and plants.

Who is the project aimed at and how are people referred?

The project is aimed at anyone who needs hope basically. People are referred through primary care - GP / community connectors / secondary care / schools / statutory and we are now open to self-referral.

What does MWT’s version of ecotherapy look like?

Ecotherapy is a word thrown about and applied to any wellbeing activity taking place outdoors but that is not what it is. That is a wellbeing session. Ecotherapy requires trained staff and a programme in place based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing. It requires structure and a thought through plan of activity delivered by trained staff.

Which Wild Skills have proved the most popular and why?

The green wood work proves popular - working with tools that people may have never used before and making things they can take home for wildlife in their gardens or to place on our reserves such as bird boxes or feeders. Also cooking is always popular - foraging within the surroundings for ingredients to make nettle crisps for example. But it is always done with care and people are educated where to cut the nettle so that it grows back for the wildlife.

What is it about these particular Wild Spaces in Montgomeryshire that can impact positively on wellbeing?

As a wildlife trust we are lucky that we have urban reserves that can be accessed on foot. That is a major positive as access is a problem where we live. We can see the fields but can’t access them. However, our urban community reserves can be accessed and are in walking distance of Welshpool and Newtown. This has a huge impact as it means people who may not have known they exist now know and can access them on a weekend or outside the session. They might take family or friends and educate them with what they may have learnt. That gives empowerment and a sense of ownership to people.

What happens once participants have completed the 12 week programme?

They can continue with us by joining a Friends of Group for one of the nature reserves or mentor on another programme.

Wildlife conservation is the MWT’s first priority. How does a project like WSWS fit into the trust’s aims and objectives?

It allows us to diversify and spread the conservation message to a new target market of people. People and youth, who may have nothing to do with wildlife or access nature, are through this scheme educated about the local surroundings and nature.  And they then go home and educate others, so that passion builds.  As David Attenborough says “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced!"  This is so true! We could do an event with neon flashing signs and the same ole people would attend it and most of those people are already converted to care about their environment. How do we educate others, or find a new target market of people? Through a project like WSWS!

Hopefully then we are spreading the message wider and getting people to care thus leaving the legacy in safe hands.

Also with the participant support we are able to carry out activities under the programme that will increase biodiversity and enhance the reserves.

Why is the project being evaluated by a research team at Cardiff Metropolitan University?

They are evaluating it to produce standards and a framework to help influence social policy in Welsh Government. So it can hopefully be used and adopted by other outdoor third sector organisations across Wales.

What else do you do at MWT to encourage the therapeutic use of green spaces?

We use social media and other forms of communication to help encourage people out in nature. Currently the 30 Days Wild campaign run by the Wildlife Trusts is being promoted. It encourages people to do something connected with nature every day for the month of June.

Other than national campaigns like this we will have other people engagement activities on offer throughout the year depending on project funding and the projects that are currently being implemented, for example wildlife walks.

What have been the main challenges of the project?

The NHS actually referring in if I am honest. Getting referrers to take the time to refer people to the project. Also the time it takes to offer a pick up facility, in hindsight we need an 8 seater driver as part of this project. So in the future we would definitely factor this in to any future funding although that will be challenging as the funding is very scarce. SO, as always, funding is a challenge. We have a proven fantastic offering and to continue this after June 2023 is challenging as we need funding to do so.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work WSWS has done so far

Working with children from local secondary schools. The demand is huge and the number of children needing help with anxiety and other issues is increasing. Helping and delivering to these children, and seeing the difference it is making to them, pulls on your heart strings. For it to end would be devasting for all. Seeing the children have a safe environment and thrive in a group they feel comfortable enough to make friends in, talk and take part and get enthusiastic about nature is so rewarding.

We have also made improvements to the reserves themselves and put up over a hundred bird boxes which were made by some of the participants. There are too many things to list. But just seeing people connect to nature and care like David A said is what ticks the box as they say! That legacy for us is so important.

Everyone needs a boost to their mental wellbeing from time to time. With your wildlife trust hat on what can you recommend?

Keep it simple, it doesn’t have to be strenuous or complicated. It could be just going outside your front door and being mindful, for example, noticing the clouds, the insects, watching ants, birds…. anything.

It doesn’t need money or financial investment it can just be very simple. Put an apple outside and watch it being eaten, hang it on a tree and watch the birds peck at it. Or just simply visit one of our reserves, if only for 5 minutes, just go for a quick walk around it. That may be enough for some people and will instantly boost mood.

You can even just look out of the window for 5 minutes a day and notice if you see any wildlife in that space of time. Do it again the next day at the same time and see if you spot anything different or the same.

Key words – keep it simple!

Many thanks to Carla for telling us more about this award-winning project. If you want to find out more about Wild Skills Wild Spaces, you can contact her by emailing: Carla@montwt.co.uk

Infant mental health awareness week – the Powys picture

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

This week’s guest post is from Jolene Duggan, a mental health nurse who works for Powys Teaching Health Board as a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team Lead.

The post is published to coincide with Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from 13 – 19 June 2022, and is hosted by the British charity the Parent-Infant Foundation. The week provides an opportunity to discuss the importance of babies’ mental health as well as some of the issues that affect it. The theme this year is Understanding Early Trauma.

“The experiences we have in the earliest years of our lives impact the development of our brains. Experiencing trauma, such as exposure to domestic abuse, in the earliest years can have a significant impact on brain development, potentially leaving serious and lasting consequences that can create difficulties for the child into their adult years. This is not inevitable. Secure relationships with parents and carers can reduce stress caused by trauma and limit the long term impact it has on the baby’s development. Specialist support can help to strengthen these relationships and reduce the harms to babies.” Parent-Infant Foundation

Tell us about your role as a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team Lead 

The Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service is a multi-disciplinary service that provides joint assessment, support and advice to professionals working with women who are experiencing, or are at an increased chance of experiencing, a moderate to severe mental health condition during pregnancy and up to 12 months after having a baby.

The service works with women across Powys who are planning a pregnancy, currently pregnant or have recently given birth and have moderate to severe mental health conditions including bipolar disorder, psychosis, depression, anxiety and maternal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

The team currently comprises of two perinatal mental health practitioners, a specialist midwife two days a week and a consultant psychiatrist for half a day. We also have our team administrator three days a week who does an excellent job supporting us all.

What led you to this role?

I have had a special interest in maternal mental health since 2012 when I found myself supporting a mother through an episode of postpartum psychosis on an acute mental health ward and realised how little knowledge of the illness I had and was shocked at the lack of support and provision available to her, her new-born child and her partner. It was a steep learning curve, and from then I took every opportunity to further my knowledge and champion the needs of women in the perinatal period with mental health illness.

After gaining employment in Powys I was fortunate enough to be invited to, and was one of the founding members, of the Perinatal Mental Health steering group and my passion for improving perinatal mental health services continued, resulting in my successful appointment to Specialist Perinatal Team Lead post last April.

What does the ‘best start in life’ look like for an infant (0 – 3 years)?

The first 1001 days include pregnancy and the first two years of a child's life. There is clear evidence that this is a significant and influential phase in development. What happens during this period lays the foundation for every child’s future health, wellbeing, learning and earnings potential. It sets the groundwork for children developing emotional wellbeing, resilience and adaptability and the competencies they need to thrive. This period is a time of opportunity for services and interventions to support parents and primary care givers to help lay a foundation of health and wellbeing whose benefits can last a lifetime and carry into the next generation.

How is infant mental health supported across Powys?

Infant mental health is supported by many agencies and support services across Powys and is at the forefront of consideration with all professionals who work with families but, as a newly established team, the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health service have recently been undertaking further training to improve our knowledge and skills in relationship parent infant assessment. In the future we will be looking to provide parent-infant therapies for parents who experience moderate-severe mental health illness in the perinatal period.

Who is eligible to receive support and how do they access it?

The Specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Service is a multi-disciplinary service that provides joint assessment, support and advice to professionals working with women from across Powys who are experiencing, or are at an increased chance of experiencing, a moderate to severe mental health condition including bipolar disorder, psychosis, depression, anxiety and maternal OCD during pregnancy and up to 12 months after having a baby

The Perinatal Service runs alongside the Community Mental Health teams' core hours Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Referrals can be made by any professional working with an individual including social workers, midwives, health visitors, GPs, hospital-based teams, local authority services and mental health services.

Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash

Tell us more about Early Trauma and its impact on babies’ mental health

It is widely now recognised by professionals throughout the world that what happens in the first 1001 days of life are incredibly important. Children’s brains develop fastest, and are at their most ‘plastic’ or adaptable, in the womb and early years of life. A baby’s development is strongly influenced by their experiences of the world and these are shaped by their primary caregivers which are usually their parents. A parent’s response to a baby’s needs shapes how they experience their emotions and how they learn to regulate and express these emotions.

It is also important to remember that nurturing relationships begin before birth. The baby’s brain is developing rapidly during pregnancy and is influenced by the physical environment of the mother’s womb, and the environment beyond it. Babies can experience adversity in the womb. For example, where domestic abuse is occurring, research shows that babies’ stress regulation systems adapt accordingly, leaving them more responsive to threat but consequently more irritable and difficult to settle once they are born.

Therefore, it is vital to consider the parent infant relationship when supporting parents who may be experiencing, or are at an increased risk of developing, moderate to severe mental health problems during the perinatal period.

How are you working alongside other agencies, in particular voluntary groups, to promote good mental health for infants?

Two years ago ten professionals from Powys Teaching Health Board's Mental Health and Women's & Children’s services became the Institute of Health Visiting Champions. The role of the champions is to be ambassadors for perinatal and infant mental health within our local area and take an active role in leading the perinatal and infant mental health agenda.

Despite the obstacles that all of us have faced with COVID-19 the team of champions has successfully delivered perinatal and infant mental health training to over 60 healthcare professionals in Powys who work with families in the perinatal period. Our aim over the next 6 months is to open this up to Third Sector services as well as establishing a Powys perinatal and infant mental health Community of Practice where all agencies and professionals can come and share good practice and knowledge in relation to service development.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Parental / carers’ wellbeing is important too. How do you support parents / carers who might be struggling?

Supporting other primary care givers’ mental health is also a key priority of the specialist mental health team and in our role as perinatal practitioners we take into consideration ‘the whole family’ when assessing needs in relation to perinatal and infant mental health.

Just like mothers, fathers go through a multitude of complex emotional changes during the perinatal period, and it is important when thinking about perinatal mental health that equal consideration is given to the mental wellbeing of fathers’ mental health. Once needs are identified appropriate signposting and or referral to relevant services to support the family’s needs are completed.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job as a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team Lead?

On a daily basis the complexities of the perinatal and infant mental health needs that present to our services can be challenging but, as a needs-led service we are equipped to be adaptable to meet those needs and work closely with other agencies and services across the health board to ensure co-ordinated and consistent care are delivered.

The most challenging aspect that I have personally encountered since embarking on this professional journey is that of trying to set up a new service in such a large geographical area which can present a number of barriers and challenges to equitable service provision. That said, I do like a challenge, and it has been very rewarding trying to think creatively about how we can deliver this across Powys.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done as a Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team Lead

We have recently undertaken our Perinatal Service peer review by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Perinatal Quality Network. It was a great opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved over the last 12 months and felt very rewarding to hear positive feedback in respect of the service being delivered by the team.

What is the most valuable thing you have learnt since starting your role?

Communication and patience are key components needed when setting up a new service. The ability to ‘learn to walk before you can run’ is also fundamental.

If there was one thing you could change in the Infant mental health world, what would it be?

A specialist infant mental health service in every health board across the UK!

When you are not working in the Perinatal mental health team, how do you enjoy spending your time?

I have two boys aged 5 and 2 who keep me busy on a daily basis as well as helping my husband on the family beef and sheep farm where we also have an egg production unit. I am a club leader for my local young farmers’ club and enjoy giving back to an invaluable youth movement that gave me so many opportunities in life! I enjoy walking and spending time with friends and when I get the opportunity, I love to travel to new places both in the UK and abroad.

Many thanks to Jolene for telling us about what is in place to support infant mental health in Powys. If you would like to find out more you can contact Jolene by emailing jolene.duggan@wales.nhs.uk or follow her on Twitter.