Connecting young people with nature: The “Whys and Hows”

Join us to explore the power of connecting to nature and provide the young people you work with the tools to feel good, function well and protect the natural world. Learn how to lead sessions to improve wellbeing, reduce anxiety and empower young people to take positive action for themselves and the natural world. This in-person participatory workshop (3 hours) is structured into four sections:

1. Introducing nature connectedness and why we should care (30 minutes). Professor Dawn Watling (Royal Holloway) will introduce what the research shows.
2. Understanding our role in training young people to connect with nature (45 minutes).  Julie Whelan (Kew, RBG) will share practical experiences and advice plus discuss low resource, pick up and go ideas to facilitate nature connection. She will lead hands-on activities to increase your confidence, demonstrating the positive impacts of nature connectedness on wellbeing, and how connecting to nature leads to an appreciation of its wonder and beauty, thus fostering a desire to value and protect it.
3. Opening ourselves to nature as an inclusive experience (45 minutes). Dr Karis Jade Petty (University of Sussex) will discuss research evidence, lead a discussion on barriers to nature connectedness and extend the hands on activity to put skills into practice.
4. Identifying barriers and a call to action (30 minutes). All attendees.

There is a growing interest in understanding the wider benefits of spending time outdoors engaging with nature. Social nature prescribing is discussed frequently as a way to support people experiencing mental health difficulties and who are not able to access services, as well as for preventative care. Researchers have found that in the UK around 18% of children 7-16 years old have a probable mental health disorder. 

This in-person participatory workshop is designed to provide: 1) knowledge to empower those working with young people to argue for embedding nature into daily activities; 2) training and guidance on supporting young people to connect with nature; 3) hands-on experience with example low cost, low resource nature connectedness activities ; 4) knowledge and training for inclusive practice with nature connectedness; 5) networking and learning from others.

Professor Dawn Watling is in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. Dawn’s research focuses on children’s social-emotional development, with a focus on supporting positive mental health and wellbeing. 

Julie Whelan is the Learning and Development Manager at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst. She worked as a teacher and school leader in both primary and secondary education for over 20 years before joining RBG Kew in 2020. 

Dr Karis Jade Petty is a Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Sussex whose research expertise is experiences of nature for people living with disabilities. 

This event is open to anyone working with young people.

This event will be particularly of interest to professionals and volunteers working with young people, including:

• Headteachers, SENCo, Pastoral Leads, Science Leads, School Inclusion/Attendance leads
• Teams within County Councils, Borough and District Councils
• Health including Mindworks, Primary and Secondary Care, CFHS
• Social Care, Safeguarding, Early Help and Police
• Charities and Community Groups
• Parks and Heritage staff
• Academics and researchers

10:00, 23rd October, 2025