Gaining insights into young people's playful wellbeing in woodland through art-based action research

Abstract

the silvanus trust, cornwall sue Waite, 3 sjwaite@plymouth.ac.uk Plymouth Institute of Education, UK As part of the Good from Woods research project exploring the wellbeing outcomes of time spent in woodland-based activity, an artist-practitioner undertook research for over 18 months to explore the benefits of outdoor play. Using techniques that encouraged young people playing outdoors to collaborate in the research, data generation took place within a managed woodland adventure play area in a neighbourhood challenged by multiple deprivation. this article explores how arts practice as action research can help to capture and represent how young people aged 7 to 15 feel about themselves and their free play. the research methodology was able to encompass playwork practitioners' principles for child-led activity and perspectives that understand play as an art form. However, tensions can be found in the use of such an approach and generation of analysis and findings comparable to investigative frameworks used in other wellbeing research. key words playwork research • artist as researcher • arts practice • adventure playground • practitioner research • nature play • wellbeing

Place as partner: material and affective intra-play between young people and trees

“…She aimed to establish and maintain a relationship with both place and people via artistic, playful interventions and data capture, responding to and articulating evidence from the fluid communities of human and more-than-human players. The PR undertook and reflected on interactions between themselves, the methods and the participants (including place) as a shared creation or 'social sculpture' (Sacks 2015); intra-activity that yielded clues to the relation of young people and nature (Wright, Goodenough, and Waite 2015).…”

“…Inspired by young people's collections of interesting finds from the former rubbish dump underlying FA's woodland, the methodology also sought to engage children through fantastical interventions, staging provocations aimed at initiating a playful conversation. These included an installation which furnished a tree house for a tea party (Wright, Goodenough, and Waite 2015). In addition, walking interviews with children as 'conversational drift' (Adcock 1992), encouraged child-led activity and conversations.…”

“…In addition, walking interviews with children as 'conversational drift' (Adcock 1992), encouraged child-led activity and conversations. These active, physical tours of played space interwove the material nature of the site within conversations and impressions (Wright, Goodenough, and Waite 2015). Plymouth University's ethics committee provided ethical approval for the study and children's consent to take part was sought and checked repeatedly, alongside parental consent for their involvement.…”