Green Gym Evaluation 2002-2003

Executive Summary

Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland (CVNI) specialises in working with people within their community to bring about positive environmental changes in both rural and urban settings. The current Green Gym project in Northern Ireland specifically offers the opportunity for people with minor physical and mental health disabilities to increase their physical activity levels through involvement in practical conservation.

The CVNI Green Gym pilot project starting in 1999 involved Victoria Day Care Centre. Following an evaluation on this pilot project, CVNI now deliver nine Green Gym days per week supported by The Community Fund and The Community Foundations Investing for Healthier Communities Initiative. Delivering the project from multiple locations across the province, Belfast, Bangor, Coleraine, Derry and Irvinestown, enables us to make a large number of people, both health professionals and the wider public aware of the scope and potential of the Green Gym as a route to better health.

This reports compiles the perceived mental, physical and social benefits of the project on participants, carers and health trust supervisory staff, after Year One of the current project delivery. An initial questionnaire was completed on their first Green Gym task day to establish a baseline of information and subsequent monitoring forms were re-administered every 15 weeks to participants, carers and supervisory staff.

Over the past year, nine Green Gym days were delivered per week. This involved 10 Day Care Centres, 91 individuals from a range of ages groups. The statistics show that the majority of participants are between the ages of 26-59 and 87% male. This may reflect the demographics within Health Trust Day Care Centres, or misconceptions that the Green Gym project is mostly suitable for men.

From the completed baseline questionnaires we can see that 89% of individuals described their health at the time of registration as good, with 11% believing their health to be fair. No-one described his or her health as poor. When asked to describe how active individuals perceived themselves, 37% stated they were occasionally active, 41% often active (at least 2 times a week) and the remaining 22% stating they were very active (at least 5 times a week). The most important factors motivating people to participate was doing something worthwhile and learning new skills.

With regards to improving the general fitness of participants, being confined by funding to one day per week, it is somewhat hard to measure major improvements. However a high percentage of participants 79% reported an increase in their energy levels resulting in an increase in the amount of exercise they do per week. This is mainly in the form of walking and gardening in their own time. Supervisors and Carers relate to us that participants are walking further, at a faster pace and without as much encouragement compared to before they started the Green Gym. When completing tasks CVNI staff have observed an increase in participants stamina, as they now work longer before needing to rest.

Regular physical activity has very positive affects on mental well-being and self-esteem. As the Green Gym project has progressed, carers and supervisors have reported how engaged the individuals are during their task days compared to how they are within their centres. 91% of careers agree or strongly agree that since joining the Green Gym, there has been an increase in the well being of the person they care for.

The Green Gym puts focus on the personal development, i.e. confidence, motivation, communication and team work of its participants. Being outdoors participants appear to be more interactive and alert to what’s going on throughout the duration of the task. With an increase in their confidence their concentration span has also improved.

This project promotes individual and community involvement, this is fundamental to enhancing a sense of well-being and improving the quality of life of participants. The Green Gym gives participants a sense of purpose and achievement from completing projects, which are used by the wider community as a means of enjoying nature. Participants also gain a sense of ownership through the realisation that they have input on the project rather than being told what to do.

We have noticed that the individuals who register at the start of each project remain committed and attend the majority of their Green Gym task days. Between April 2002 and March 2003 there is a retention rate of 90% for the nine Green Gym days. Feedback repeated across all Health Trusts reflects this willingness of the participants towards involvement and dedication. Carers have reported an increase in motivation and willingness on their Green Gym days.

A positive aspect of the project is the integration of ‘normal’ volunteers and CVNI staff with Green Gym individuals from Day Care Centres. Working in the natural environment is a good way to bring people together in a positive, non-threatening way and to work towards a common goal. This is an effective method of developing social skills and increasing social activity with all those involved.

Training is an integral part of each Green Gym programme. Task training is ongoing, with at least one specific training day included to promote active learning and new skill development among participants. Participants are obviously thinking about conservation and the environment throughout the week as some have approached CVNI staff with ideas for projects. These have been stimulated by something they have seen on television or read about relating to the environment and or health.

The main motivating factors to being involved in the Green Gym at the baseline were doing something worthwhile and learning new skills. After completing 15 weeks of the project the most common stated motivating factor is still doing something worthwhile. However as the project as progressed participants find being outdoors and improving the environment as more important motivating factors.

Through the progression of the Green Gym project these motivating factors may have changed due to a better understanding of the project and the benefits of it. Exposure to the natural environment and getting their hands dirty through the Green Gym may be a release from the manmade surroundings which participants are accustomed to. Becoming more aware of a slower more relaxed pace and being away from pollution, especially noise and air may have influenced this change in motivations.

What is a Green Gym?

Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland’s Green Gym offers the opportunity to take part in practical conservation activities such as woodland management, creating wildlife gardens and improving footpaths. It combines the opportunity for physical activity with social interaction, working as part of a local group to improve the local environment. This innovative approach recognised that sustainable health requires not only effective medical approaches but also healthy environments and healthy lifestyles. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as ‘a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not simple the absence of disease’.

The concept and the Green Gym name were the result of a partnership between BTCV and Dr. William Bird a General practitioner of Sonning Common Health Centre. A need was recognised for an alternative form of exercise to conventional gym-based activities and the potential for using the natural environment as a health resource. This was evaluated by Oxford Brookes University, School of Health Care and Research, findings published by Veronica Reynolds in “The Green Gym: An evaluation of a pilot project in Sonning Common, Oxfordshire”.

The CVNI Green Gym pilot project starting in 1999 involved Victoria Day Care Centre. Following an evaluation on this pilot, CVNI now deliver nine Green Gym days per week, supported by The Community Fund and The Community Foundations Investing For Healthier Communities Initiative. This allows CVNI to run the Green Gym at multiple locations across the province, Belfast, Bangor, Coleraine, Derry and Irvinestown, and with a range of participants. This enables us to make a large number of people, both health professional and the wider community aware of the scope and potential of the Green Gym as a route to better health, both mental and physical, and of community benefits.

Initially this project has been targeting established groups organised through Day Care Centres and other formalised groups managed by the Health Trusts. The Green Gym has involved participants with various disabilities, minor mental disabilities such as depression, learning difficulties, brain injuries and minor physical disabilities. However, the Green Gym is open to the whole population given the importance of providing opportunities for people with disabilities to remain connected to society. The Green Gym supports the integration of people with and without disabilities thus playing an important role in social inclusion.

What’s Involved?

Each Green Gym session involves work on an environmental project and will be of similar structure:

Each session lasts for a minimum of one hour, with tasks tailored to suit individuals needs. (this time commitment can be built-up over project).
Participants will be talked through the tasks to be completed and the reasons for the work; e.g. tree planting is good for wildlife and the visual landscape.
The CVNI Green Gym task leader is responsible for the Health and Safety of the participants on site and recommends protective clothing and equipment when appropriate. This also includes a site safety talk and demonstration on the correct use of tools.
‘Warm-up’ exercises are undertake before any practical work starts to ensure the body is ready for an increase in physical activity and to minimise the risk of injury. All CVNI staff delivering Green Gym have received training on the correct instruction of ‘warm-up’ and ‘cool-down’ exercises.
Active practical work is undertaken, throughout which CVNI leaders offer ongoing training, support and assistance.
The Green Gym task day is completed with ‘cool-down’ exercises and a verbal evaluation of the days task.

The Green Gym is currently structured into 15-week programmes, mostly involving one session per week. During this programme a range of different tasks will be timetables which will reflect the participants interests, with ongoing and specific training days, and social days built in.

The Green Gym had the following key objectives:

To provide opportunities to a range of people for improved health and well-being through physical activity, delivered in each of our office areas
To promote the potential of the Green Gym and the link between physical activity and environment, to Health Trust personnel and the wider public of Northern Ireland.
Set up a steering group consisting of the Green Gym Project Co-ordinator, a Senior Manager from CVNI and representatives from each of the Health Trust partners. Develop mechanisms for ongoing development, monitoring, evaluation and sustainability of the project.

The Green Gym project links very strongly into CVNI’s overall strategy ‘Inspiring people, improving places’. CVNI’s purpose is to ensure that the potential of voluntary action for the environment is fully realised, and has a vision of a world where people value their environment and take practical action to improve it. Working to set objectives the Green Gym project overlaps with key objectives and targets within the ‘Investing for Health’ strategy 2002. The two overarching aims of this strategy are to improve the health status of all our people and to reduce inequalities in health.

Needs that the Project seeks to address

The poor health of many of the citizens of Northern Ireland is widely known and clearly documented in many publications including “The Northern Ireland Physical Activity Strategy”, “Health and Wellbeing” and “Well into 2000”.
Circulatory diseases remain the commonest cause of death in males and females, accounting for 38% of all deaths. Most people in Northern Ireland (70% men, 80% women) do not take enough exercise to protect or improve their health. This has serious health consequences. In the UK each day, 235 people die prematurely due to the effects of physical inactivity,
Mental health problems are leading causes of illness, distress and disability in Northern Ireland with over 100,000 people seen by general practitioners each year. Around 11,000 people are then referred to and seen by psychiatrists. Northern Ireland has over 8,000 people with a learning disability. Over 100,000 people, 40,000 under 60 years of age, are affected by physical and sensory disabilities.
Many people also have ill-health problems compounded by social isolation and the lack of opportunity to mix with others or to have any positive involvement in their community. Well-being is not just about physical fitness; it goes much further, including ideas like happiness, self-esteem, self-worth, realising one’s potential, quality of life and fitness to enjoy the freedom of outdoor exploration.

Project Monitoring

We see monitoring and evaluation as vital if this project is going to be successful in showing the benefits of the Green Gym approach to health, and ultimately to being able to access future funding to continue the project. Two approaches were adapted to record and monitor the progress of the Green Gym and the benefits to them. These were:

A qualitative approach: to assess the perceived mental and physical benefits of the Green Gym to it’s participants, questionnaires were designed. These were finalised following guidelines from a number of different sources. A combination of experience from our pilot project and sample questionnaires introduced by Oxford Brookes University to monitor the BTCV’s Pilot Green Gym, mainly the SF36. We also sought guidance and input from the Health Trusts involved to ensure the correct terminology was used and the questions were pitched at an appropriate level for our participants.
Quantitative approach: Important records are kept on the participants, including age, gender, ability levels, projects worked on, hours-completed e.t.c.

Green Gym Statistics

Over the course of the past year, nine Green Gym days was delivered per week. This has involved 10 different Day Care Centres, 91 individuals form a range of age groups.

Numbers

Age and number of Green Gym participants
Age	Numbers	Percentage
18-25	6	6.6
26-49	43	47.2
50-59	27	29.7
60+	15	16.5
Male	79	87
Female	12	13
Total number of participant days	3379	n/a

These statistics show that the majority of Green Gym participants are between the ages of 26 and 59, and 87% male. This may reflect the demographics within Health Trust Day Care Centres, or a misconception that the Green Gym project is only suitable for men. Over the next few months we will strive to increase the number of females on the project.

Over the past twelve months there have been a total of 3,379 participant days completed on the Green Gym. This is an average of 37.13 days per year per participant.

Baseline findings

On registering to participate in the Green Gym individuals are asked to complete a questionnaire before their first task day. This assists us to gather baseline knowledge on individuals activity level before they participate on the Green Gym and the motivating factors for involvement.

From the completed baseline questionnaires we can see that 89% of individuals describe their health at time of registration as good to very good, with 11% believing their health to be fair. No one described his or her health as poor.

When asked to describe how active individuals perceived themselves, 37 % stated they were occasionally active, 41 % often active (at least 2 times a week) and the remaining 22 % stating they were very active (at least 5 times a week).

Factors motivating people to participate, starting with the most important, include: doing something worthwhile, learning new skills, being outdoors, keeping fit, improving the environment, meeting new people, and stress relief/loss of tension.

Findings after 15 weeks

Improving Physical Health

With regards to improving the general fitness of participants, being confined by funding to one day per week, it is somewhat hard to measure major improvements. However, the majority of supervisors 85 %, and Carers 67 % reported an increase in participant’s physical activity levels, some of the time or better.

A high percentage of participants 79 % reported an increase in their energy levels resulting in an increase in the amount of exercise they do per week. This is mainly in the form of walking and gardening in their own time. Supervisors and Carers relate to us that participants are walking further, at a faster pace and without as much encouragement compared to before they started the Green Gym. When completing tasks CVNI staff have observed an increase in participant’s stamina, as they can now work longer before needing a rest.

Feedback from participants indicates that over 90 % have become more aware of the importance of physical activity on their health. Due to a combination of medication and lack of physical opportunities within Day Care, a number of our participants are conscious of their weight. Being outdoors and active is not only helping them loose weight, but emphasising how easy it is to become more active. Participants are increasing their activity levels outside of their Green Gym sessions; this enhances and maintains benefits to their physical health as activity is more sustained.

Through the variation of tasks worked on during each Green Gym programme, participants are using different sets of muscles. By gradually improving stamina, muscle strength and flexibility participants are taking steps to minimise their chances of injuries. Increased flexibility, particularly in the postural muscles of the back and legs, can help prevent back problems. Being active on the Green Gym also helps improve their co-ordination, muscle function and balance, again compared to sedentary people; Green Gym participants enhance their ability to perform reaching and bending tasks.

Improving Mental Health and Well-being

As the project has progressed, an increase in participant’s confidence, motivation and communication has been evident to us. On repeated occasions carers and supervisors have been impressed at how engaged the individuals are during the Green Gym compared to how they are within their centres. 91 % of carers agree or strongly agree that since joining the Green Gym, there has been an increase in the well being of the person they care for.

The Green Gym puts focus on the personal development, i.e. confidence, motivation, communication, and teamwork, of its participants. Being outdoors participants appear to be more interactive and alert to what’s going on throughout the duration of the task. With an increase in their confidence their concentration span has also improved. The Green Gym programme is also enabling the participants to improve their time keeping skills, being in the centre on time, having the appropriate clothing and willing to get going.

Each group are issued with waterproof clothing at the start of their Green Gym programme, these remain their responsibility throughout the duration of the project. Currently a group of participants with learning disabilities are using this responsibility to develop their motor skills, having to recognise their name, and clean and care for their own waterproofs.

The Green Gym promotes individual and community involvement, this is fundamental to enhancing a sense of well-being and improving the quality of life of participants. The Green Gym gives participants a sense of purpose and achievement from completing projects, which are used by the wider community and tourists for walking and enjoying the natural environment. In the past the groups have done projects that fill time but have no real benefits to their health, the environment and / or others. The Green Gym groups feel they are making a positive contribution to their local area, gaining a sense of satisfaction in seeing a finished task, i.e. being able to walk along a path which they created. Positive publicity and the high standard of end results are holding them in greater esteem with the greater public. Participants also gain a sense of ownership through the realisation that they have input on the project rather than being told what to do.

We have noticed that the individuals who register at the start of each project remain committed and attend the majority of their Green Gym project days. Feedback repeated across all Health Trusts reflects this willingness of the participant’s towards involvement and dedication. Their participants will be ready, kited up with waterproofs and lunch boxes before CVNI staff arrives, without instruction to do so. There is also a very low sickness rate among Green Gym participants on their particular task day. Carers have also reported an increase in motivation and willingness on Green Gym days.

It has been noticed by CVNI staff on one of our projects that participants have become more argumentative among themselves, squabbling over who will do a specific job or tell others they are doing something the wrong way. During a regular problem solving session with carers, we were informed that this was a result of increased confidence, self-esteem and independence. This comes from being in an environment where they are happy and relaxed, and feel they can express themselves. This is reflected in the monitoring returns with 98% of participants stating that they enjoyed taking part in the Green Gym.

Improving Social Activity

Through the Green Gym we offer the opportunity for individuals to work outside their usual surroundings. Working in the environment is a good way to bring people together in a positive non-threatening way and to work towards a common goal.

Feedback from supervisors especially highlights the social benefits of the project. They have noticed that participants continue to work as a team in the centre, helping each other with chores and additional gardening work. When we asked supervisors and carers if participants discussed the activities, which they are involved through Green Gym, supervisors reported 80 %, and carers reported 75 % positive answers.

Green Gym participants tend to relate back to other trainees the different tasks that they have been involved in, this builds confidence in communication skills. At home they discuss the work which, they complete and how important the work is and how much they enjoy it.

A very positive aspect of the project is the integration of ‘normal’ volunteers and CVNI staff with Green Gym individuals from Day Care Centres. Finding this is often the first time they have integrated with people with physical and mental health difficulties, after initial trepidation’s they have mixed well and made some good friends. This is a very good method of developing social skills and increasing social activity with all those involved. The regular team building nature of our tasks also promotes social inclusion and offers opportunities to participants, whom beforehand may never have experienced practical conservation first hand. The project challenges and develops their communication skills through direct participation with volunteers and CVNI staff. This is particularly true in our Fermanagh office where the Green Gym is becoming increasingly integrated with our other projects that promote/support community based actions in a mainly scattered rural community.

Throughout the first years delivery the topic of participants smoking levels has been a constant area of discussion. Within a number of groups participants greatly reduced their cigarette smoking when they commenced the Green Gym, only for this to increase over time. Health Professionals inform us that this is because they now feel happier and more relaxed. They use smoking for social reasons, when they feel uncomfortable they can stop smoking. We realise this is a negative physical health benefit but is a major step in their mental health development. A number of participants do smoke less when they are out in the Green Gym than when they are in their centre where they smoke through lack of anything else to do.

Promoting learning

At CVNI we feel very strongly that the Green Gym project is not only about making practical conservation available to its participants but also providing the opportunity for learn. Learning plays a vital role in helping individuals to realise their own potential and to gain self-confidence and motivation.

Training is an integral part of each Green Gym programme. Task training is ongoing to enable participants to complete tasks, with at least one specific training day included. Taking into consideration the individuals needs we plan this around their interest, e.g. Victoria Day Care Centre have a willow structure in their garden, they completed a training day on the ‘maintenance of willow structures’. By building in the importance of using the structure as shade from direct sunlight in summer we are continuing to develop their all round health awareness. This helps us promote active learning and new skill development among participants.

Through task rotation the Green Gym participants have been able to gain broad conservation knowledge and through ongoing training have learnt skills which they have transferred into their home life. One particular participant now helps his father in their garden, which, before being involved in the Green Gym he did not seem to even notice.

Feedback from supervisors and carers reflects this trend, stating that over 85 % of participants now incorporate skills, which they have learnt on the Green Gym to their centre and / or home gardens. This includes weeding, leaf raking, and watering of plants, indoor and out.

Participants are obviously thinking about conservation and the environment throughout the week as some have approached CVNI staff with ideas for projects. These have been stimulated by something they have seen on television or read about relating to the environment and or health. For example, creation of compost pile within their garden, recycling paper, glass and cans, planting of window boxes and use of colourful plants / wildflowers. Learning through participation in practical conservation has introduced a positive element of physical and mental challenges, which do not exist within the confines of a Day Care Centre.

Learning does not stop with the development of their conservation knowledge, a lot of participants are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of regular exercise and diet on their overall health. A substantial number of participants will relate how they now walk a lot more than what used to and complete tasks around their home and centre. Some smokers now do not smoke at all on their Green Gym day and have cut down in general, and a number of heavier participants now talk about their diet and how being more active is helping them loose weight.

Motivating factors

Participants' main motivating factors
Factor	Initial relevance (baseline)	Continuing relevance	Change
Being outdoors	5	2	-3
Improving the environment	6	3	-3
Meeting new people	4	3	-1
Keeping fit	3	6	+3
Learning new skills	2	5	+3
Weight control	7	7	=
Doing something worthwhile	1	1	=
Stress relief	8	8	=

Through the progression of the Green Gym project these motivating factors may have changed due to a better understanding of the project and the benefits of it. At the baseline being outdoors may have ranked low as result of a number of participants having never been involved in practical conservation before. Exposure to the natural environment and getting their hands dirty through the Green Gym may be a release from the manmade surroundings which participants are accustomed to. Becoming more aware of a slower more relaxed pace and being away from pollution, especially noise and air may have influenced this change in motivations.

Beneficiaries of the Green Gym project

The main beneficiaries are primarily the client groups who linking with CVNI activities, are broadening their knowledge and experience of the environment as well as benefiting their own health. This has a positive knock on effect on the individual carers and supervisory staff. The Health Trusts also see this as a valuable opportunity to extend the diversity of the projects, which they are able to offer clients within their Centres.

Where Green Gym Projects have been carrying out tasks within their own grounds, all of the Day Care Centre clients benefit from the project, not just the individuals directly involved. A number of projects have been based within and completed in community gardens and woodlands, the benefits of which are more wide spread. For example, the L/Derry Green Gym projects are currently based within Gransha Woodland, where the groups are working on restoring the woodland to its natural glory. This woodland is a popular place for a relaxing walk, used by local people, tourists, Health Trust staff and hospital patients on site and local school children participating in cross country running.

CVNI staff and volunteers have also benefited from the project, gaining knowledge and experience of working with adults with physical and mental health difficulties. This has been through the successful combination of our hands on approach and training and advice given by Health Trust staff.

Organisational learning

CVNI, specifically the staff and volunteers involved with the direct delivery of the project have gained a better understanding on a range of mental and physical health difficulties. The importance of communicating information, e.g. Health and Safety and Warm-up and cool-down exercises, and adapting tasks to suit particular abilities and needs of Green Gym participants.

CVNI has become aware of the importance of this project as an integral part of our wider organisational aims and objectives. Through the Green Gym project we are able to highlight the mental and physical health benefits gained by everyone involved in conservation work.

Conclusions

By offering Day Care Centres the opportunity to become involved with the Green Gym we are enabling them to make healthier choices on their lifestyle. Inactivity is often a significant factor in major physical and mental illnesses: obesity, heart disease, type II diabetes, depression and stress. Physical activity is a key determinant of good health and exploiting the natural environment has positive effects on physical, mental and social health.

Contact with the natural environment and being directly involved in it can extend positive influences on individuals physical and mental health, acting as an antidote to stress from our increasingly artificial surroundings. The positive effect that physical activity has on self-esteem and depression is enhanced whilst at the same time being exposed to nature.

Using the Green Gym to break down barriers to social isolation and working on local environmental projects we emphasis the importance of social inclusion and community engagement. This is especially true for individuals within the Day Care system who have not been give the opportunity to experience practical conservation and the added benefits it gives through the Green Gym.

In addition to individuals and environmental health benefits of the Green Gym, there are economic benefits, a fitter more emotionally content population will cost the economy less. Increasing the support for and access to the Green Gym for all sectors of society has the potential for substantial public health benefits. For this to become reality the Green Gym has to progress from the margins of health strategies/policies to a long-term mainstream project.

Appendix 1

Comments made by participants on monitoring questionnaires

Do you enjoy taking part in the Green Gym?

I enjoy going out with Green Gym and enjoy the work I take part in.
It gives me something to look forward to.
I like hard work and when you are working the time goes faster, also I do not smoke as many fags.
I am trying to lose weight and working helps me do this.
I enjoy walking on the paths which I have helped to lay.
As I work hard I become fitter and help me lose weight which is a good job.
I like hardwork and being outside, it helps me sleep at night.
I enjoy working with Leo and John. I have had my photo in the paper and I like to wear the Green Gym waterproofs.
I have been able to assist with work I the woods to make path ways safer for people to walk on.
Very enjoyable
Very important project to me
I like digging and wheeling barrow
Very very enjoyable

Appendix 2

Comments made by family and carers on monitoring questionnaires

Do they discuss the range of activities they are involved with through the Green Gym?

Would say they have been out buying plants.
Discuss activities when they get home
Talks about working on paths
Talks about new skills which he is learning
Working hard either using a wheelbarrow or digging
Helps to dig out paths and litter clean-up
As he is over weight this activity will assist him with weight loss
Works with John on wed in woods, helped to build a bridge
Gardening in VDC garden and Colin Glen
Likes to tell us where he has been with GG
Will discuss things like how busy he is, how impt the work is and how much he enjoys it
Talks about what they have been doing on GG every thurs
Gardening, raking, cleaning up
Talks about working in Crom and planting flowers
Planting trees and flowers, and making flower beds
Raking, gathering leaves, weeding and planting

Do you think they enjoy taking part?

Enjoys the outdoors, even with physical limitations
Uncertain as it is never discussed with staff at home
Requires prompting to participate but the activities enhances lifestyle
He loves outdoor activity and helps maintain a healthy lifestyle
Not smoking as much and is more switched on
Enjoys being outdoors, manual work and meeting new friends
We get day to day run down on GG activities, and at weekend will assist me in the garden and tell me to do warm up exercises before I start
Enjoys all forms of outdoor work, likes to see task completed
At start told us of Dianne driving from Belfast and always tells us of the work he has done
Gets great joy out of the GG activities and enjoys socialising with the other members
Good to have an interest in outdoor activities
Likes to be out in the open air
Very happy, always waiting for Thursday
Looks forward to Thursday when Green Gym is on

Do you think their physical health has improved since they started the Green Gym?

Becomes fitter with each session
As he is trying to lose weight his physical health will improve with time
Very active person, but with the manual tasks involved in this field he is more content and in good physical condition
He is starting to lose weight, to date 1 stone
He has become more fit with the physical work in which he is involved in
No significant difference
Enjoys the outdoors
I think so. It gives him some exercise and he has taken more interest in his own garden, planting bulbs and weeding etc
As he is putting on a bit of weight he definitely needs the exercise
Loves being outside so it is good for him

Have you noticed an increase in their well being (confidence, motivation) since they started the Green Gym?

Too early at 15 weeks to notice any improvement
He has become more motivated and his behaviour has improved
Better time keeping
Has become more confident and is working around the centre
He has become more motivated in that he is now sitting ready each day for the bus
Becoming more confident in using tools
He is becoming more confident on his whole outlook on life, our the past 15 weeks this course has helped
Working with S&G and GG has improved in confidence in the past few months
He enjoys talking about plants and enjoys watching them grow
In summer if it is warm weather, he will water the hanging baskets and garden, which he never really noticed before GG
Has become a much more outgoing person since starting the GG
A primarily indoor individual is more interested in being outside. Gives him a sense of purpose and that he is doing a good and important job
This work placement activity has definitely increased his confidence
He likes working outdoors with GG leaders and his friends from the centre

Additional comments

I think the GG has been really good for him, we appreciate all the hard work done by CVNI and wish them all success in the future
I have only known him for 3 months and did not know him before GG, but ha talks about it so it must be doing him good
Enjoys his thurs @ GG with CVNI. It gives him the opportunity to mix with others and gets out on a day when he would otherwise stay inside
Great idea, happy that he is involved and if he wants more days of GG I would be happy to support this
Keep up the good work you are doing
I am pleased that he is working as part of a team to improve the local wood area, keep up the good work CVNI
He is very pleased with having his photo in the local press and is helping his dad in the garden at home – this is a first for him
We have taken family members into the woods for Sunday walks, talks about GG tasks. You should tell more people about the woods, it’s a great place
He is now starting to assist with brushing up leaves around the house and is keen to help with gardening tasks
Good project, good for motivation and physical and social needs of individuals
I would like more info and he benefits form other interest / activities like this
He had not let us know of any change in the activities he was involved with
Enjoys the GG and likes to talk about it when he gets home
He has enjoyed very much the outdoor activities and has benefited from the experience of a different environment using different abilities and meeting new people
Very enjoyable for the individuals and gives them a good sense of self
It improves them to know how to help with little jobs at home in the garden and cleaning up
As he loves being active and having plenty of things to do, he thoroughly enjoys the GG project
Since working with the Green Gym, he helps more at home with the garden. He goes out of his own accord to weed, mow etc and he is careful not weed out flowers etc.
It’s a good scheme both for the adults involved and the wider community benefits as well. A win-win situation

Appendix 3

Comments made by Health Trust supervisors

Please comment on how you see your trainees benefiting from the Green Gym.

Good atmosphere, physical in-put prompts a more positive form with the group
Having the Green Gym programme into their weekly timetable the trainees are improving skills like being in the centre on time, being ready on time, willing to get going.
Trainees are becoming more confident and their concentration span has also improved
Will offer to do and help with chores around the centre
Appetite is greatly improved
All the trainees are enjoying the session, they are definitely better motivated
Trainees often help around the gardens and appear happy to do so
GG group members do help to keep outside the centre tidy
With the training, the trainees are becoming more confident in all their given tasks
Sometimes with supervision they will clear leaves and weed the garden
A number of trainees appear to benefit from interaction with members of the GG
Personal development, communication teamwork, appearance, time keeping, not smoking
They continue to work as a team in the centre and help each other with chores
As I stated before the trainees get great satisfaction in seeing a finished task, ie being able to walk on paths which they have laid, seeing trees starting to show leaves, which they have planted. John is a good team leader and has big plans to improve other sections of the woods, the S&G team want to be part of this.
All of the trainees who take part are keen to continue with the GG
The overall physical and practical in-put challenges their abilities to communicate with staff and other group members. Allows plenty of exercise, helps their diet and good to get fresh air.

CVNI : Green Gym : Evaluation : Green Gym Evaluation 2002-2003