Farming 4 Care: Using nature to cultivate resilience in young people

About the Project

Summary

Young people who have experienced trauma, maltreatment and disrupted families are extremely vulnerable, but often slip through the system. As they rarely engage in traditional therapy, non-traditional interventions may offer a viable alternative that should be explored and harnessed for this population. Using an innovative multidisciplinary design, this study tests four hypotheses about how passive and active engagement with nature might influence outcomes for young people who have experienced adverse circumstances.

Aims of the Project

This project aims to test whether engaging with activities centrally focused on the natural environment can favourably impact young people who have experienced maltreatment and trauma. Specifically the study aims to investigate whether such engagement can (i) reduce the fatigue associated with stress and trauma, (ii) contribute towards positive social interactions among those being supported, (iii) improve socio-cognitive skills and (iv) improve participants’ capacity for attachment.