Nature-Based Wellbeing groups are for adults (aged 18 and over) who want to improve their wellbeing by connecting with nature and others.
Are Nature-Based Wellbeing groups for me?
Some 'Frequently Asked Questions' about what to expect from group-based support with Nature-Based Wellbeing.
You may have read a bit already about the selection of group activities we have on offer, but here is some extra information, so you know a little more on what to expect from group-based support before you sign up.
We hope you can find the answers to any questions you may have here, but if there's anything else you are wondering, don't hesitate to get in touch with us by emailing naturewellbeing@stnicks.org.uk and we'll be happy to help.
Who can join nature-based wellbeing groups?
How many groups can I join?
You can join a maximum of 2 groups at a time, and only one of these can be a Peer Group. So, this might look like:
- 1 Peer Group
- 1 Peer Group and 1 Skills & Learning Group
- 1 or 2 Skills & Learning Group/s
How long can I join for?
All participants can access the service for up to 12-months.
During this time, you can attend Peer Groups, for up to 6-months (or the duration of the group), and Skills & Learning Groups, which last between 6-8 weeks.
What can I expect from groups and facilitators?
Each group will have a facilitator, volunteer and a maximum of 8-12 members. Our community is kind and respectful. Everyone is welcome. We love the different experiences and perspectives that each person brings.
We often chat as people arrive. You can help yourself refreshments. Then, we focus on the activity for that session. Most sessions include a short walk, or some time spent outdoors.
Group facilitators will be there to lead the activity and group volunteers will be there to help deliver the session.
What is the joining process?
The first step is to read through our group descriptions and these 'Frequently Asked Questions' to find out what we offer and if it suits you.
Then, you can fill out an 'Expression of Interest' form to let us know up to 2 groups you’d be interested in joining. Here, we also ask you to explain a little about why you'd like to join nature-based groups.
After this, we'll get in touch with you to share a longer 'Joining Form' for you to fill in – we need to collect some more of your details to help us know a bit more about you. We use some of this data anonymously in our reports to funders to show who our support is reaching, but you have the option to not disclose equality monitoring data. You can read our privacy policy here.
Finally, we’ll get in touch to confirm if we can offer you a place and provide some joining information relevant to your group. We’ll always aim to give you 2-weeks notice before you start.
How do you allocate places?
We consider everyone who expresses an interest in joining and aim to give places fairly to everyone. We do not allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that places are not guaranteed.
For groups that run multiple times, we will give priority to those who have not attended the group before.
We will aim to confirm if you have been given a place 2-weeks in advance of your joining date. Please don't assume you have been given a place unless we have been in touch with you to confirm this.
If a group is oversubscribed, you may need to be placed on a waitlist or we can let you know about other groups you may like to join, instead.
What will be expected from me if I join?
- Attendance
If you join a group, we will expect you to attend as regularly as you can. We understand things happen which mean you can’t always make it, we just ask that you let the Nature-Based Wellbeing Team (naturewellbeing@stnicks.org.uk) know in advance if you can’t come to a session.
If you miss a couple of sessions and you haven't let us know, we will attempt to contact you to check in. If we don’t hear from you 3 sessions in a row, we will offer your place to someone else.
- Feedback
As part of the groups, we will ask for your feedback – this might be about how coming to St Nicks and spending time in nature impacts your wellbeing. Completing the feedback is optional, but it helps us show our funders what we do and the impact it has. It also means we can make changes if we need to, to make the programme the best it can be. We can support you to complete this, if you need some help.
- Behaviour and engagement
To join, you must agree to our behaviour policy:
- We ask our community to help us to create a safe, calm, inclusive culture.
- We don't accept unreasonable behaviour towards participants, staff, other users of the centre or members of the public.
- If your behaviour is unacceptable, we will ask you to leave.
Our approach involves connecting with both nature and each other - we find this works best when people actively engage - if you don't feel like this suits you, our group-based support might not be right for you.
What will I need to bring?
If there’s anything specific you need to know or bring, this will be included in some joining information we’ll send to you a couple of weeks before you start.
Whatever the weather, groups spend some time outside, so bear this in mind when deciding what to wear. We have spare waterproof jackets available if you ever need to borrow one.
We have some refreshments available at St Nicks (tea, coffee, water, squash) that you are welcome to help yourself to. If the group is offsite, please note that access to refreshments may be limited.
What’s not included in group-based support?
Group-based support is purely ‘group-based’ – this means we don’t provide any one-to-one support sessions for those who access these groups. We’re not counsellors or therapists, so we don’t provide counselling or talking therapy.
If you feel you are struggling with your mental health, the team can signpost you to some support you can access elsewhere that might be able to help you.
Why is the support time-limited?
We want to give as many people as possible a chance to join our groups, as we receive a lot of interest.
We limit your enrolment to 12-months and, after this time with us, we will encourage you to try new things beyond Nature-Based Wellbeing; for example, accessing a different service or becoming a volunteer at St Nicks.
We run activities of different durations (some run longer-term; others run for a shorter duration) - this means you can choose to sign up for what best suits you.
What happens when the group ends?
We’ll let you know when you are reaching the end of your 12-month enrolment and we’ll be able to signpost you to other activities and support elsewhere to help you with moving on from Nature-Based Wellbeing.
What if I am not happy in the group or want something to change?
If you’re concerned about a participant, volunteer or staff member, or feel unhappy within your group, we hope you feel able to tell us so that we are aware so we can try to support you in resolving any issues or signpost you to support that can help.
How do I access Green Social Prescribing or Employability-Focused support with Nature-Based Wellbeing?
We are continuing to develop our Green Social Prescribing and Employability-Focused support offer – check back on the website soon or contact the Nature-Based Wellbeing Team on naturewellbeing@stnicks.org.uk for enquiries.
