Wednesday 21 May 2025
Durham CAMHS are providing young people with the opportunity to look after part of the garden at North End House in Durham city centre to support their mental health and wellbeing.
The fully enclosed garden includes a newly installed shed, a lawned area and planting beds. The new shed can also be used as a place for young people to have their CAMHS appointments if they feel overwhelmed by clinical spaces.
Durham CAMHS, which is part of our Trust, support children and young people up to the age of 18 by providing assessment and appropriate treatment or intervention for a range of mental health issues.
A place of calm
Suzanne Prowse, associate practitioner, said: “Our CAMHS garden is a place of calm and promotes good wellbeing.
“The young people have achieved a number of fantastic projects, including making bird boxes. They’ve also worked in partnership with each other to gain grants for completing their project ideas.
“We’ve found that this safe environment has helped them to develop and improve their mental health and gives them a real sense of achievement.
“The garden and shed are used by lots of our young people but mostly by the young people from our social activities and gardening group. It’s an important space as some of them don’t have access to a garden at home.”
Six to eight young people, who have been referred by their CAMHS clinician, can enjoy eight sessions with the gardening group. Projects are based around seasonal themes and young people decide what they would like to do.
Inclusive and non-judgemental
A young person who has previously accessed Durham CAMHS services and now volunteers to help with the group said: “I like everything about the gardening group. It’s a really fun thing to do. It’s inclusive and non-judgemental and you get to meet new people.
“All the gardening activities are what the young people want to do, and we all have an input. It’s about working together with the staff as equals.”
A calm, relaxed non-clinical environment
The weekly group is led by CAMHS support worker, Andrew Bull. He said: “Our gardening group provides a space for our young people to build their confidence and social skills.
“There’s no pressure to talk but it can provide a calm, relaxed non-clinical environment where young people receive low level therapy that they don’t realise they’re having.
“All the activities are led by the young people. They learn how to use hand tools for woodwork, grow plants and flowers and enjoy the outdoor space. They take pride in their achievements and feel valued.
“It’s a great environment and all the young people support and motivate each other.”
Earlier in the year, during Children’s Mental Health Week, the gardening group offered children and their families visiting Durham CAMHS the opportunity to plant seeds such as herbs, sunflowers and chillies and decorate a biodegradable pot to grow them in.
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