Synergies of affordances and place-based relationality in Forest School practice: implications for socio-emotional well-being

Vinathe Sharma-Brymer; Eric Brymer; Royce Willis; Matthew J Leach

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352374

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Synergies of affordances and place-based relationality in Forest School practice: implications for socio-emotional well-being

Journal article

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Synergies of affordances and place-based relationality in Forest School practice: implications for socio-emotional well-being

Vinathe Sharma-Brymer, Eric Brymer, Royce Willis and Matthew J Leach

Frontiers in Psychology, Vol.15, pp.1-6

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352374

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Abstract

Ecological applications not elsewhere classified

Expanding knowledge in the health sciences

Affordances

Indigenous place-based relationality

social-emotional wellbeing

Forest School

nature-based activities

Research shows that the human-nature relationship positively impacts human well-being. Forest School (FS) practice offers young children a structured program of nature connection through activities, aiming to enhance their self-esteem and social skills. FS is now adapted in countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand where a unique cultural interface occurs between European settlers and Indigenous peoples. Responding to socio-cultural diversities, geographical contexts, and the traditional ecological knowledges, FS needs to go beyond play pedagogy and incorporate theoretical perspectives that promote human-nature relationship in local context-specific environments. We argue that the synergies between Western perspectives on affordances perceived in person-environment relationship and Indigenous place-based relationality perspective provide a more suitable approach for developing reciprocal relationships between FS participants and land/place/nature. We propose that the synergies between affordances perceived in FS and place-based relationality cultivated in participants will enhance social and emotional well-being. We call for specific research investigating such synergies supporting participant well-being. Future research on FS practice should be directed toward initiating and exploring co-designed studies by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers incorporating methodologies that study participant experience as well as evaluating the impact of FS programs embedding affordances and place-based relationality perspectives.

Details

Title: Synergies of affordances and place-based relationality in Forest School practice: implications for socio-emotional well-being
Authors: Vinathe Sharma-Brymer (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Law and Society
Eric Brymer - Southern Cross University
Royce Willis - Southern Cross University
Matthew J Leach - Southern Cross University
Publication details: Frontiers in Psychology, Vol.15, pp.1-6
Publisher: Frontiers Research Foundation
Date published: 2024
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1352374
ISSN: 1664-1078
Copyright note: © 2024 Sharma-Brymer, Brymer, Willis and Leach. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Data Availability: The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Organisation Unit: Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Law and Society
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991022298902621
Output Type: Journal article

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