In August 2024 we welcomed 12 active youth workers from different disciplines to discover Forest Therapy and explore how we can include tools from this 'way' into our multidisciplinary youth work practice.
Rather than focusing on strict rules or meditation practices that many youth might find difficult, we built a program of example sessions that could be engaging and fun which improved mindfulness as a side-effect.
We learnt about the latest science, and the many benefits to our health, mental health and connection with community that we can grow through being in green spaces and interacting with the natural work.
For 4 days we rose early from our tents for yoga with Inga, enjoyed breakfast prepared by our wonderful volunteers and then began our sessions to explore different ways we can focus on our senses to improve ourselves.
We hunted for colours in the forest, planted trees, molded clay, played plant bingo and explored the often forgotten tool of storytelling around the fire. We experienced about each other’s local cultures, food, song and dance and relaxing in the sauna in the evenings.
Much time was spent with reflection exercises to monitor our learning and ensure we could apply it to our home environments be they rural or urban.
Day 5 Our yoga was improving and the local youth arrived. We broke into 3 teams and learnt about landscape art before beginning our own natural installations by the river and forest.
Day 6 The youth returned and we worked together to design and implement workshops including our installations to introduce Forest Therapy Tools to our visitors who arrived for the exhibition opening.
We were already a relaxed happy family and many costumes and body-paint were spontaneously included!
Day 7 We opened up the toolbox of our suggestions from throughout the week and began compiling a document to share our useful tools and knowledge with other youth workers.
After returning home our visitor put their experience into practice again, this time with local youth.
This project was made possible by the support of Eikellegimaa’s local community and the funding of the EU Erasmus+ Youth Mobility project and the support of The Education and Youth Board (HARNO).
And a big thank you to Triinu Guerrin and family, our enthusiastic and creative participants, Triinu Guerrin and family, the young participants in the sculpture and workshop days, our expert contributors, volunteers, the Piusa valley and the various animals involved.