Recruiting the beneficiaries, ‘our Gardeners’

A key element to running a successful STH garden is reaching as many beneficiaries as is manageable. Those who attend your garden for social and therapeutic horticulture are called a variety of terms in different venues; you may hear ‘Service Users’, ‘Clients’, ‘Gardeners’ or ‘Beneficiaries’ and other terms too.

At Gardening4Health we have a broad remit to offer the garden to those with mental health issues, physical health concerns and those looking at preventing future illness. Each organisation offering STH will need to identify the characteristics of the people that they can support.

We have different routes for reaching the three different categories of Gardeners.

Mental Health

We see our gardeners coming from self-referrals, GP referrals, Community Mental Health Services, Link Worker Social Prescribing, Mental Health Charities and Community Groups. We have seen interest from mental well-being charities, such as Mind, dementia charities, such as the Alzheimer’s Society, Veteran’s groups, Domestic Abuse charities, Housing Associations, Temples and Churches as well as those caring for the homeless. The relevant organisations will vary area by area.

Physical Health

Those with physical health needs can benefit hugely from STH, particularly those suffering with COPD, Diabetes and obesity. We again see referrals from GP Practices and self- referrals.

The referrals from GP Practices are often via Practice Nurses who may be regularly monitoring symptoms. Local Councils now have a key role in managing Healthy Lifestyle programs and will be an important point of contact. Community Health Services sit within the NHS and are most often used by children, older people and those living with multiple and/or complex health needs. They work closely with many other parts of the NHS and deliver services in a wide range of settings, including gardens. Community Nurses and District Nurses both work in the community and may see patients they think would benefit from STH. Physiotherapists may also be interested in referring their patients to a garden setting for further supervised physical activity. Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, sitting astride a triumvirate of the NHS, Social Care and the Third Sector, bring together professionals from different organisations—health, social care, mental health services, and even the voluntary sector—to work as one team and will again value being made aware of STH opportunities.

Preventative

Many of the organisations above will have an interest in Public Health and a role in preventative work to enhance the health of the community. So many of the health problems we face today are rooted in lifestyles that could be healthier. This includes mental and physical ill health. More physical activity in a nature-based setting can protect both physical health and well-being as well as mental health problems. In the same way an ST setting allows people to learn about food and nutrition and how to better nourish themselves and their families – in every sense of the word.

Liaising and informing all these different organisations will take time and resources. We have found a combination of:

• Providing leaflets and Posters
• Talking to Groups and attending meetings
• Attending Networking events
• Forging links with GP Practices and the Social Prescribers
• Seeking out appropriate officials within County and Borough Councils
• Having an active and informative social media presence

Have all proved successful in letting self-referrers and those wishing to refer to us know about the possibilities on offer and the groups who could benefit.

Induction of Gardener

Every potential Gardener will be contacted by our full-time Coordinator.

They will initially make contact by phone (if appropriate) and ascertain the following:

• Their name, date of birth and address.
• Their GP’s name
• Consent to contact their GP
• Consent to take part in STH.
• Their health
• Their understanding of the benefits of STH to them
• Whether they would attend alone or with a carer/supportive adult.
• Who to contact in case of an emergency

Our Coordinator will then contact their GP (with the participant’s written consent) and ask specific questions to ensure both the beneficiary, and the Social and Horticultural Therapists are safe and know the risks.

The GP will be asked:

• Their opinion on any specific health and safety needs, such as likelihood of fits and how to manage them
• Their opinion on where the potential beneficiary sits within the 5 levels of Mental Health Care needs (see the Reference Library section for further information)
• Whether there is anything that providers would need to be aware of such as any safety concerns that need to be flagged.

When all the information from the initial phone call and from the GP letter has been received, collated and assessed as a suitable Gardener , then the coordinator will arrange to meet the individual face to face.

This in person meeting should be conducted in a place that feels safe for both parties. We are planning to use a space within a Garden Centre.

This meeting is an opportunity to:

• Explain the practicalities of venue, transport and clothing
• Discuss what to expect and who will be running the therapy sessions
• Explain what will happen on Induction Day
• Answer any questions and address any concerns
• Explore what they hope to get out of the program.

With regard to clothing, you will need to decide if you will provide it for each participant or whether you will have a pool of clothing available to borrow for each session. You will need to agree a minimum level of footwear, warm clothing and gloves that each person should have access to.

Each Therapeutic Garden will also need to consider its offering. The range on offer is varied. Some are offering 2-year placements. More are offering a 10 -12-week period of therapy. The offering will vary depending on the organisation and the groups it serves.

When all parties are content that assessment and practicalities are resolved then the coordinator will hand the Gardener on to the Therapists.