Canterbury, UK – October 9-11, 2024
The NeuroLandscape team was pleased to attend the recent General Assembly Meeting for the GreenME project, hosted by the University of Kent. To mark the project’s second year, the gathering brought together the diverse consortium of partners from across Europe and the U.S., with the goal of furthering their efforts in relation to mental health equity through nature-based solutions. The three-day assembly offered valuable updates, discussions, and practical workshops that set the groundwork for the next phase of the project's ongoing research.
Day 1
The first day opened with a review of the GreenME project's objectives, led by Helen Cole, one of the project coordinators. Some of the topics that were covered during the morning’s discussion were the promotion of publications by consortium members and the standardisation of key terms that are most important to the GreenMe project. These included "green care" terminology to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment across all partner contributions and outputs. Following, each country also presented examples of its own green care practices, and the consortium explored the varied cultural and regional landscapes that the GreenME project will address in the coming year.
Day 2
The second day featured more “hands-on” sessions. The morning workshops and discussions focused on gender equity and participant inclusion within green care initiatives. NeuroLandscape joined the consortium members to explore new methodologies for assessing nature-based interventions. These discussion provided valuable food-for-thought into the various stakeholder perspectives, highlighting the importance of inclusivity in green care research.
One of the highlights of the day was the confidential affinity spaces organised by the Gender Equity Working Group. The participants were split into three groups, each occupying a separate room, including self-identified women (facilitated by Beata), self-identified men (facilitated by Nicolas), and intersectional identities and experiences (facilitated by Antonella). This was a time for each group to discuss topics around equity and representation, drawing from their personal experiences. These discussions emphasized the role of mental health equity and accessibility in achieving GreenME’s mission. They also provided the opportunity for the participants to find connection and understanding to the diverse experiences of the rest of their group.
Day 3
On the final day, we traveled to the Community Garden at Abbey Physic in Faversham. During the visit, we were introduced to local examples of nature-based mental health promotion and initiatives that sparked discussions on how similar models could be applied across different regions and cultures. Seeing green care in practice and hearing the experiences from those leading the efforts in their local community with such compassion for the people they are supporting, was an inspiring close to the GAM. We finished the day warmed not only by the delicious pumpking soup, made fresh from the produce grown in the garden, but also by the connections we made during the three days. “Connections change lives,” a recent WHO report promises, and we fully stand by it.
A Look to the Future
The GAM set a strong foundation for the next steps in the GreenME project. Plans are already underway for further policy development in this next year, together with further communication strategies, and data analysis efforts to advance the understanding and integration of nature-based solutions.
Our team is ready to support GreenME’s mission through our ongoing research, as we work together to advance accessible, evidence-based mental health care.
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue our journey with GreenME!
