CAMHS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
After a successful pilot of CAMHS Goes Wild!, an innovative initiative offering nature-based lifestyle medicine interventions for young people at Newquay Orchard, the project has been awarded £150,000 from NHS Charities Together to take it forward.
CAMHS Goes Wild! is a nature-based lifestyle medicine group for children and young people waiting for a therapeutic intervention from CAMHS, offering evidence-based lifestyle medicine for management and prevention of ill health.
During the pilot, eight 14–17-year-olds otherwise entering a waiting list for their first CAMHS intervention attended three cycles of an eight-week programme. As lead delivery partner co-facilitating the programme, our team used evidence-based nature connection and ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ activities to engage and develop skills in self-care and pathways to learning. This included making a nature mandala, learning the benefits of growing your own food, and making smoothies and healthy snacks to share. We also helped them explore other local, community-based activities and clubs so they can keep up social connection outside of the Orchard and outside of the programme.
The project addresses the potential deterioration in mental health and wellbeing among young people waiting for a therapeutic intervention from CAMHS, and making sure that those young people who turn 18 while still on the waiting list – therefore becoming ineligible – do not miss out on vital help.
With CAMHS Goes Wild!, it is hoped that participants may not require a further CAMHS intervention once completing the programme; and if they do, they may be better equipped, meaning a shorter recovery time and less pressure on the service.
“We are thrilled to be co-delivering this programme that has now received the backing of NHS Charities Together. As an organisation, our mission is to help people grow their wellbeing, skills and confidence through nature connection and growing and sharing food… CAMHS Goes Wild! is aimed at those young people who could benefit the most from this.” – Charlotte Hill, CEO