Newsletter from Monday, July 20, 2020
Dear NCH2 Community,
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This newsletter highlights three upcoming events as well as news articles that may be of interest and recent research.
Upcoming Events: Virtual Coffee & Discussion Thursday, July 23rd 9:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. CDT Topic: Creative Programming in the Midst of the Pandemic; Virtual and Beyond Register here |
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Every organization has had to rethink their programs and how they can be delivered when there are stringent limits on face-to-face gatherings.
During this NCH2 Coffee and Discussion, three innovative programs will be introduced followed by breakout discussions.
Program 1: Mighty Acorns: Bringing Nature into the Classroom – Carolyn Wagner, Mighty Acorns Program Coordinator at the Conservation Foundation. Mighty Acorns puts into practice what students in grades 3-5 learn in the classroom to the outdoors; however, this year the students were not able to meet in the parks and preserves. Carolyn and her staff brought the outdoors inside through virtual educational programs. Carolyn will provide an overview of the program and how they made a virtual educational video for teachers.
Program 2: Farm Camp Shifts from Children to Family Focus – Amy Phillips, Youth Program Manager at the Conservation Foundation. Like most organizations this spring, children’s outdoor educational program had to be retooled in order to continue this summer. Even though we can’t hold our June summer camps as planned, getting kids outside and connected to nature is a core part of our mission, and something we strongly believe will help ground our young ones during this unsettling time. In an effort to provide families with a little Nature Rx, we’re offering Family Adventures. Amy will talk about how they provided timed programs for families to visit and do programs at the farm together.
Program 3: Stepping Away from the Screen or Beyond Virtual – Adam Kessel, Program Coordinator, Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The Forest Preserves of Cook County has successfully used typical virtual programs mostly through FaceBook Live and FaceBook posts to connect our guests with nature or nature activities during the pandemic. We’ve also tried or will be trying some different models that use low tech or no tech tools/resources to provide “programs” for a variety of audiences. Adam Kessel, Program Coordinator for our South Zone team will talk about several of these projects that include “I Have Nature Kits”; Beaubien Celebration@Home and our focus for our Youth Outdoor Ambassadors to complete Nature@Home projects or exploring nature spaces in their communities as part of their summer work.
C&D Hopeful Take-aways:
• What is needed (infrastructure, technology, logistics) to reinvent programs for current parameters?
• Can new program delivery models increase equitable access?
• What is an organization’s role/goal in getting people outside?
During this NCH2 Coffee and Discussion, three innovative programs will be introduced followed by breakout discussions.
Program 1: Mighty Acorns: Bringing Nature into the Classroom – Carolyn Wagner, Mighty Acorns Program Coordinator at the Conservation Foundation. Mighty Acorns puts into practice what students in grades 3-5 learn in the classroom to the outdoors; however, this year the students were not able to meet in the parks and preserves. Carolyn and her staff brought the outdoors inside through virtual educational programs. Carolyn will provide an overview of the program and how they made a virtual educational video for teachers.
Program 2: Farm Camp Shifts from Children to Family Focus – Amy Phillips, Youth Program Manager at the Conservation Foundation. Like most organizations this spring, children’s outdoor educational program had to be retooled in order to continue this summer. Even though we can’t hold our June summer camps as planned, getting kids outside and connected to nature is a core part of our mission, and something we strongly believe will help ground our young ones during this unsettling time. In an effort to provide families with a little Nature Rx, we’re offering Family Adventures. Amy will talk about how they provided timed programs for families to visit and do programs at the farm together.
Program 3: Stepping Away from the Screen or Beyond Virtual – Adam Kessel, Program Coordinator, Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The Forest Preserves of Cook County has successfully used typical virtual programs mostly through FaceBook Live and FaceBook posts to connect our guests with nature or nature activities during the pandemic. We’ve also tried or will be trying some different models that use low tech or no tech tools/resources to provide “programs” for a variety of audiences. Adam Kessel, Program Coordinator for our South Zone team will talk about several of these projects that include “I Have Nature Kits”; Beaubien Celebration@Home and our focus for our Youth Outdoor Ambassadors to complete Nature@Home projects or exploring nature spaces in their communities as part of their summer work.
C&D Hopeful Take-aways:
• What is needed (infrastructure, technology, logistics) to reinvent programs for current parameters?
• Can new program delivery models increase equitable access?
• What is an organization’s role/goal in getting people outside?
SHIFT Summit
Dates: October 14-16, 2020
Topic: HEALTHY BY NATURE: Equity, Access and The Mental Health Benefits of Time Outside
Register here. Registration opens Tuesday, July 21, 2020.
The 2020 SHIFT Summit will be broadcast virtually from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from October 14-16. Entitled “Healthy by Nature,” the Summit will focus on the mental health benefits of time outside, with a specific focus on health equity and access to nature. The 2020 SHIFT Summit has three main goals:
See frequently asked questions, summit agendas, and more here.
Dates: October 14-16, 2020
Topic: HEALTHY BY NATURE: Equity, Access and The Mental Health Benefits of Time Outside
Register here. Registration opens Tuesday, July 21, 2020.
The 2020 SHIFT Summit will be broadcast virtually from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from October 14-16. Entitled “Healthy by Nature,” the Summit will focus on the mental health benefits of time outside, with a specific focus on health equity and access to nature. The 2020 SHIFT Summit has three main goals:
- Facilitate networking and transdisciplinary collaboration
- Showcase best practices, i.e., work that is impactful, innovative and replicable
- Develop substantive outcomes that help advance nature as a social determinant of health
- Official Selections for The SHIFT Awards, which feature representatives of the work determined to be the most innovative, impactful and replicable in the space by our researchers
- The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) which prepares early career leaders to address issues related to public health, conservation, advocacy, structures of oppression and community engagement
See frequently asked questions, summit agendas, and more here.
Agents of Change Science Communication Fellowship Program
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Application due date: Friday, August 28, 2020
Website: https://www.agentsofchangeineh.com/ Background: Do you find science is lacking diverse voices and want to help create change? We invite you (or your trainees) to be part of the Agents of Change science communication program, a joint initiative between GW Milken School of Public Health (Founder and Director: Dr. Ami Zota) and Environmental Health News. Agents of Change is an ongoing series featuring the stories, analyses and perspectives of next generation environmental health and justice leaders who come from historically under-represented backgrounds in science and academia. These essays depart from other types of scientific writing in that fellows have a chance to blend their lived experiences and research expertise. We developed this platform to provide a space for early career scientists to explore intersections between research, health, diversity, and justice. In our first year of the program, fellows wrote about various topics including: Black food sovereignty, indigenous cultural fire practices, housing security and urban displacement, workers’ rights, energy production and public health, and prioritizing inclusion in environmental health research. |
Illustration from the Agents of Change Website (https://www.agentsofchangeineh.com/)
What you do:
This is a chance to have real impact. The fellowship offers an opportunity to reach people both within and outside an applicant’s field. Some of our prior blogs have reached nearly one million views, with readers ranging from senior scientists to social activists to farmers in rural America. By participating in the program, fellows will improve their writing skills and get experience communicating with new forms of media (e.g., blogs, social media, podcasts). Through our monthly trainings, fellows get the opportunity to: discuss new ideas in a safe space, provide and receive feedback from peers, and learn about new research and community perspectives in environmental health and justice. How to apply: Eligible applicants are early career scientists or early career practitioners from under-represented populations pursuing work related to environmental public health, environmental justice, or ecosystem/climate health or justice. Relevant disciplines may include (but not limited to): environmental health, epidemiology, urban planning, earth sciences, or sociology. Applications are due on August 28, 2020. More information on fellowship requirements, eligibility, and the application process is available at www.agentsofchangeinEH.com. If you have questions about the program, you can also email Dr. Ami Zota at azota@gwu.edu. |
In the News
A photo from the Washington Post Magazine's Article "Designing to Survive." The photo is of one of the Bosco Verticale buildings, a pair of “vertical forests,” in Milan. (Courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architetti).
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This news article was published in the Washington Post Magazine and aims to understand how nature can play a large role in the indoor spaces humans occupy. The authors of this article, "Designing to Survive" explore how a better understanding of what humans need to use buildings, move through space, and live will shape post-pandemic architecture.
Not surprising to the readers of the NCH2 Newsletter, the incorporation of nature is big. Here's the link to the article. |
Paper of the Month:
South, E. C., M. C. Kondo and N. Razani (2020). "Nature as a Community Health Tool: The Case for Healthcare Providers and Systems." Am J Prev Med.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32654863/ OR https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342808300_Nature_as_a_Community_Health_Tool_The_Case_for_Healthcare_Providers_and_Systems (download the pdf to view)
Overview: Written by two physicians and a social scientist, this easily read paper summarizes the evidence for why health care professionals should be counseling their patents to spend time in nature.
Check out our Recent Research Page for more peer-reviewed articles of interest!
Happy Reading!
South, E. C., M. C. Kondo and N. Razani (2020). "Nature as a Community Health Tool: The Case for Healthcare Providers and Systems." Am J Prev Med.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32654863/ OR https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342808300_Nature_as_a_Community_Health_Tool_The_Case_for_Healthcare_Providers_and_Systems (download the pdf to view)
Overview: Written by two physicians and a social scientist, this easily read paper summarizes the evidence for why health care professionals should be counseling their patents to spend time in nature.
Check out our Recent Research Page for more peer-reviewed articles of interest!
Happy Reading!