In 2023 Out in the Field worked in partnership with Ellana Hall, a Masters student of Creative Health at UCL, to assemble an impact evaluation on behalf of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.
Trust, connection and good communication and understanding with colleagues hugely impacts levels of stress, wellbeing, ability to focus, quality of care and overall quality of life.
Mind-body practices combined with active listening exercises help us to build awareness of ourselves and each other.
Reflecting in a group deepens the connections within teams, by helping people to feel heard and acknowledged.
“The depth of relationship between the individuals in a system determines the strength of the system” Author – adrienne maree brown, Emergent Strategy
Having tools and practices that support and restore ‘inner balance’ is essential when working in high pressure jobs caring for others. Our aim is to up-skill staff to be active participants in their own health care and many have used what they’ve learnt to start their own regular team-based wellbeing practices on their return to work.
The retreat programme and follow up Out in the Field resource pack provides the participants with a tool kit of mind- body, reflection and nature connection practices that are very accessible and easy to use in everyday life.
The nutritional therapy and medicinal cooking provided on the retreats is designed around the pressures frontline workers are under – long working hours, shift work, difficulty accessing healthy food. We look at some of the ways nutrition can impact stress and anxiety and provide practical tips and ideas that enable participants to actively integrate important nutritional principles into their daily lives.
Forest Bathing and nature connection practices have been shown to reduce tension and stress, improve mood and powers of concentration, boost the immune system and accelerate recovery from illness and trauma.
See A review of nature-based interventions for mental health care- Natural England
It is important that the individual feels valued and supported for the work they do and that the wellbeing of staff and teams is recognised as central to staff training and retention. The Out in the Field retreats aim to reflect the ‘care values’ in our frontline services through the careful curation, hosting, quality of care, compassion and idea that ‘everybody counts’. The health and wellbeing of frontline workers is seen as central to the health of the overall system.
The Out in the Fields retreats are very much a thank you and acknowledgment of the important work and role of frontline workers in society. The reflective practices support participants to recognise that they are making an active and positive contribution to society.
Reflecting on their experiences of work over the last few years the groups are supported to capture key insights and learnings and think creatively about what can help their wellbeing moving forwards.
Through sharing values and stories about their lives, and what brought them into the work they do, participants are supported to reconnect with their sense of purpose.
