How parks and greenspaces support young Londoners' mental wellbeing

In 2022, Parks for London conducted a piece of research supported by the Greater London Authority to understand how young Londoners aged 16–25 perceive, access, and use green spaces for their mental wellbeing, as well as the barriers they face in doing so.

Through in-depth interviews and surveys with young people, the research identifies the social, cultural, and personal issues faced by this age group when accessing green spaces.

The Findings and Recommendations are grouped under three themes:

• Use and preferences
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Accessibility, community and safety.

Read the report

“I think I purposely go to a park to not use technology at all because I think I use it too much. So, me and my friends will be like “look guys, let's go to a park.” There's a lot to do when you're together, so you just don't really need your phone.”

The suggested actions are relevant to policy makers and project initiators, public realm planners and designers, health professionals, park managers, youth workers and educators in the statutory and voluntary sectors. 

“They be taking pictures of, they say ‘gangs of youths.’ Yeah. What you can clearly see is, a picnic of like ten young people.”

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