The Our Bright Future scheme, a series of 31 projects in communities and natural spaces led by the Wildlife Trusts and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, has reported improvements to youth mental health by being involved.
Over 128,000 people aged 11 to 24 took part, with two-thirds reporting that their appreciation of the natural world and belief that they could make a difference to their local environment had significantly increased. 95% also reported a boost to their confidence and 86% stated their mental health had improved as a result.
Spending time in woodlands, wetlands and other natural spaces has been shown to improve mental health and reduce loneliness in cities. Another recent study found that a two-hour “dose” of nature a week significantly significantly boosted health and wellbeing. (The Guardian)