© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Exploring Nature with People
with Disabilities
Julia Duncan – Business Development Manager, The Conservation Volunteers.
8.12.16
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Background
•TCV disability partner consultation – Jan - July 2014
•Pilots with key partners including RNIB, Cornerstone,
ENABLE
•Greenability Conference - Oct 2014 – 130 attendees,
joining up disability and environmental organisations
•Partner event with Sense Scotland, ENABLE,
Donaldsons School for the Deaf
• Led to established TCV network of disability
organisations
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Our approach to developing nature based programmes for people
with disabilities: all about partnership and listening to staff
and service users.
KEY to:
•understanding needs of people with disabilities and
resourcing projects eg staff support
•understanding barriers and challenges for people with a
range of disabilities eg. BSL signer, sighted guiding
•Understanding Scottish context eg. One million
people in Scotland are disabled
•Understanding need relating to: mental health, transport,
physical health, social exclusion, fewer opportunities re
education & employment.
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Who are we working with and what have we been doing?
•Established key partnerships
•Run pilot projects to test activities for people with
different disabilities and needs
•Pilots consist of short 1-3 hour sensory nature based
sessions
•Run environmental training for partners
•Run disability training for TCV staff
•and external orgs
•Run events to share good practice
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Sense Scotland – nature walks and sensory activities for people with
multiple sensory deprivation eg Deafblind
Sense Scotland
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neque. Mauris mi lorem, vestibulum vitae
consequat eget, malesuada non nisl. Proin
interdum rutrum felis eget vehicula. Cras
interdum sapien a leo.
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Caledonia Clubhouse– nature walks and forest skills for people with
mental health problems
Sense Scotland
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tempus rhoncus neque. Duis ac ligula leo.
Quisque quis neque diam. Vivamus et velit
neque. Mauris mi lorem, vestibulum vitae
consequat eget, malesuada non nisl. Proin
interdum rutrum felis eget vehicula. Cras
interdum sapien a leo.
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Deaf Action – nature play for children/families with
hearing impairment
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Training
Scottish Autism – Citizen Science and forest skills
Training
•Citizen Science Workshops for
SA staff
•Autism training for TCV staff
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Training
ENABLE – nature play for children with learning difficulties
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
RNIB/iWomen – nature walks and sensory activities for sight loss
and visual impairment
Sense Scotland
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adipiscing elit. Praesent quis semper nibh.
Nunc sapien augue, mollis vel imperdiet ac,
tempus rhoncus neque. Duis ac ligula leo.
Quisque quis neque diam. Vivamus et velit
neque. Mauris mi lorem, vestibulum vitae
consequat eget, malesuada non nisl. Proin
interdum rutrum felis eget vehicula. Cras
interdum sapien a leo.
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Key Activities
• Nature play
•Citizen Science/Bio recording
•Forest Skills / outdoor cooking
•Nature walks
•Enviromental art and craft
•Conservation
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
What have we learnt?
• The benefits of nature based exploration and
discovery for children and adults with disabilities
are huge. Key impacts include: improved sleep,
reduced stress, reduced isolation and improved
mental health.
•To be flexible and adapt to need
•To listen and tailor activities to need
•To train our staff and encourage disability
sector orgs to train theirs
•The importance of tea and bisuits!
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
2015 Awards – TCV won Innovation Award at RSPB’s Nature of
Scotland Awards Nov 2015 and finalist for Collaboration Award
at Guide Dogs Association Annual Awards Dec 2015.
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
Income for pilots projects
• SNH – 2015/16 Exploring Nature programme (&FCS)
•SNH - 2016-17 Accessibility theme focusing on work with
autism and visual impairment/merge with midweek activity
•FCS – 2014 Winter Woodlands £9K,
•FCS – 2015 – Exploring Nature - £4580
•RSMcDonald Trust(£18K/2 years), SG – (£14K/2 years)
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities
© The Conservation Volunteers 2016
2016 Key achievements & next stages
• Established Jupiter as hub for people with disabilities
through Falkirk Environmental Trust (£38k) – food growing
and woodland. Started Sept.
•Building on key partnerships eg Sense Scotland, Deaf
Action
•Partner with Heritage Lottery for event to showcase
“natural heritage” work to date (7 Nov)
•Successful HLF applications – Young Roots (£50K) for
partnerships with Glasgow Disabled Scouts and Stories
Stones and Bones (£9.5k) for work with Deaf Action
•HLF Our Heritage (£10-100k) – to develop Jupiter hub
•TCV staff disability training investment
•Promoting our USB and leadership in this field
TCV Board Meeting 22.9.16
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