The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October each year as an opportunity to start conversations about mental health.
World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health. It’s also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to get help if you are struggling.
The Groundwork North Wales group offers various projects and volunteering opportunities for anyone to get involved with across North Wales. The projects and volunteering opportunities offer individuals the chance to improve their mental health and well-being by providing emotional and mental well-being support to individuals, the chance to be active and to get outdoors.
The Mental Health Foundation UK explains that physical activity is not only good for your body but is great for your mind. Being active releases chemicals in the brain that make individuals feel good - boosting self-esteem, helping individuals concentrate as well as sleep well and feel better. And that being in the outdoors in nature generates many positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, and creativity and can facilitate concentration. Nature connectedness is associated with lower levels of poor mental health, particularly lower depression, and anxiety.
The Groundwork North Wales groups various projects and volunteering opportunities all offer the chance to be active and to get outdoors and the other great thing about these opportunities is there in no cost to get involved!
The Healthy Rivers: Healthy Communities project focusing on the River Clywedog in King’s Mill, Wrexham provides opportunities for people to use and enjoy the natural environment around the river. The project focuses on building a resilient community by increasing community participation in nature to benefit health and well-being.
The Next Steps project works with young people 16 - 24 allowing them to grow and develop new skills and confidence. The programme promotes positive emotional health, confidence-building and self-belief, through strong mentor engagement, encouraging participants to focus on improving their health and well-being, to live safer. This project allows young people to grow and experience positive change in the future.
Wild Ground offer weekly outdoor volunteering sessions at their various nature reserves across North East Wales. Individuals can get involved in these sociable outdoor sessions at no cost. These sessions provide an opportunity to meet new people, have fun, and enjoy the natural environment, as well as to help wildlife, learn new skills and boost job prospects.
Wild Ground specifically are currently running a ‘Woodland Wellbeing’ project that aims to connect the woodland areas in the communities of Buckley, Alltami, and Broughton through volunteering opportunities for all, with a focus on woodland management and creation, as well as holding engaging education and well-being events. Woodlands improve our quality of life by helping to make us physically healthier and improving our mental well-being.
Wood Shed based at Refurbs Flint helps those who face or are at risk of negative mental health, by providing emotional and mental well-being support, alongside motivation and encouragement that will empower each individual to take action and create lasting change.
To keep up to date with our projects and volunteering opportunities look for Groundwork North Wales on your social media.