DIGnity Supported Community Gardening: Sites of leisure, pleasure and risk taking

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.