Purpose
This project explores voluntarily organized outdoor activities as a health-promoting, preventive offering for mentally vulnerable youth. Existing research provides solid evidence that time spent in nature is beneficial for mental, physical, and social health. However, there is limited research on the processes that cause these effects. Additionally, there is a need for knowledge on how preventive interventions for mental health can be established in an outdoor context. Therefore, the purpose of this project is twofold:
- To build a framework for outdoor-based interventions in a low-cost context, through intervention testing and partnership collaboration.
- To investigate what youth perceive as important elements when participating in a nature-based, health-promoting program.
Project Description
Method
In collaboration with our project partners The Norwegian Trekking Association and Mental Health Youth, we are working to both develop and implement an outdoor-oriented leisure offering for youth aged 16 to 19 years old. The purpose of the program is to strengthen low-threshold, cost-effective, and user-oriented approaches to promote mental health. Through fieldwork and interviews with participants, we examine their experiences and perceptions of taking part in an outdoor program led by volunteer actors. The results from the project can be used to build a solid framework for the implementation of such programs.
Findings
The project is part of an article-based doctoral project. Results from the project will therefore be published continuously in the form of scientific articles and dissertation text.
