Promoting wellbeing through nature school for youth in Helsinki

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to provide environmental activities in English to seventh and eighth grade students in the Helsinki region through nature schools. Additionally, the project's impact on the students' mood and feelings related to the natural experience was evaluated, and it was emphasized how important it is that such services are offered in Helsinki. The three objectives were to plan and implement three nature school lessons in English using environmental education approaches, to examine feedback from students and teachers, and to create a leaflet for future use.

The three nature schools were implemented in the spring of 2022, and the evaluation of the project took place over the course of the summer. The evaluation was based on observations made and daily diaries kept during the project's implementation days, and paper questionnaires filled out by the students and teachers at the conclusion of each project day. The results showed positive impact of the nature schools in the student’s mood and stress levels. Additionally, most of the students and all of their teachers agreed that the existence of English language nature school programs in Helsinki is important in order to promote inclusion and connection between youth and nature through environmental education.

Keywords: Environmental Education, Youth, Nature, Wellbeing, Eco-Social Approach