Growing Kids By Growing Plants: Horticultural Therapy and the Benefits of Environmental Learning on Youth Mental Health

This learning session will introduce you to the basics of horticultural therapy, and approaches/strategies that can be incorporated within the school environment and beyond.

We will discuss the benefits of this therapeutic approach, and share practical tips for embedding this approach into your existing work. We’ll present information and case studies from our youth-led urban farm, and tell you more about Loveland Youth Gardeners, a nonprofit serving young people ages 3 – 21. Come join us for an opportunity to see how environmental learning can benefit students academically, interpersonally, and with respect to their mental health and overall wellbeing.

Learning Goals:

• The learner will be able to define horticultural therapy

• The learner will gain at least one practical intervention they can bring into their work

• The learner will understand the connection between youth mental health and access to nature-based learning

• The learner will be gain knowledge of the Loveland Youth Gardeners model for youth services