The Grow Project

Project timeframe

Project aims

Grow is a charity that provides a range of outdoor green activities for people with experience of mental distress and is geared towards improving participants’ physical and mental wellbeing. The main purpose of the project was to work collaboratively to evaluate the outcomes of participating in Grow, and subsequently produce a report.

The collaboration provided our researchers with an opportunity to have first-hand involvement in a project allied with their theoretical, applied and research interests. It provided Grow with a greater academic understanding of why what they do works which in turn, they perceive, has helped them to do it better. 

Project findings and impact

Findings acknowledged that benefits of ecotherapy included: positivity, nature connectedness, autonomy, belonging and social identity.

The final report contributes to the growing evidence base highlighting the effectiveness of ecotherapeutic interventions and supports the recognition of ecotherapy as a clinically valid treatment for people with diverse lived experiences of mental distress.

Being able to establish the clear outcomes in terms of how the project has supported participants in their wellbeing and recovery from psychological distress and illness has helped Grow to secure funding and identify development aims. In addition, we have created volunteering opportunities for students within the School of Applied Social Sciences.

Read our most recent evaluation of The Grow Project (2016)

Read our first evaluation of The Grow Project (2014)