Microsoft Word (DIGnity Supported Community Gardening: Sites of leisure, pleasure and risk taking. ANZALS 13th Biennial Conference: Leisure for Social Change 4-7 December 2017 Hobart Tasmania) Pending copyright assessment - Request a copy 13Kb

DIGnity is a wellbeing project that aims to understand and develop the therapeutic capacity of three established community gardens. Through DIGnity health workers, artists and researchers work alongside community members, garden coordinators and volunteers in a shared public gardening space. People who have lost the confidence or physical or cognitive capacity to garden are encouraged to participate with other members of the community. A team comprising Occupational Therapist, fibre artist, mental health counsellor and social researcher liaise closely with local service providers, GPs, carer organisations and community groups. Using a Participatory Research methodology and qualitative methods of participant observation, in-depth interviews and onsite videography, we explored participants’ experiences of DIGnity and their understandings of the benefits and challenges. . Initial findings indicate that having health staff on site reassures carers that participants will be well looked after – while at the same time the outdoor setting affords people a certain dignity of risk, which benefits physical and mental health as well as self-esteem.

Item Type:	Plenary Presentation
Keywords:	community gardening; therapeutic space; comprehensive primary health care
Research Division:	Human Society
Research Group:	Human geography
Research Field:	Social geography
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Evaluation of health and support services
Objective Field:	Health education and promotion
UTAS Author:	Marsh, P (Dr Pauline Marsh)
ID Code:	122988
Year Published:	2017
Deposited By:	UTAS Centre for Rural Health
Deposited On:	2017-12-08
Last Modified:	2018-03-22
Downloads:	1 View Download Statistics