Date – 24 May 2022
Time – 6:00 pm
There will be an online open meeting hosted by CIH on Tuesday 24th May at 6pm to launch the group, ask for ideas for future meetings and activities and invite members to put themselves forward to serve on the special interest group’s (SIG’s) organising committee. Once the committee members are confirmed they will work to put together a schedule of meetings and activities to support CIH members working within Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH).
Introduction to the new STH SIG
Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) has a long history internationally and has been used to support a very wide range of people and groups including military veterans, children with Special Education Needs, those with mental health challenges and communities in deprived areas. Despite the growing number of those working in the STH sector; training and professional recognition is still patchy and inconsistent across and within countries. After the CIH hosted a very well attended webinar discussion on STH in February 2021, some CIH members who work, support or would like to work in STH have been meeting informally online to share ideas and experiences. These meetings have attracted members from across the UK and have covered a range of topics.
The CIH Council and Management Board have now agreed to create a formal STH Special Interest Group which will sit within the CIH structure and receive support from the Secretariat and Development Officer. This is a positive move forward for members working in STH and gives us recognition within the CIH as well as the opportunity to build and strengthen our networking and training. In addition, we will have a route for the representation for STH practitioners to decision makers, industry bodies and the public and as well as an avenue to help promote careers in the sector.
The STH sector is expanding rapidly with the increasing use of horticulture in ‘Green/Social Prescribing’ and its prominence in a range of projects that promote mental and physical wellbeing. Providing an arena for professional networking for STH professionals, as well as discussion of best practice and current research and development, will enhance the application of STH and give much needed support to practitioners who often work in isolation. I very much look forward to being involved in the new STH SIG and hope that we can enhance our online meetings and events and establish some face-to-face events in the future.
To register your interest for this meeting, please select the registration button, below, and follow the application process on screen.
Helen Session CHort MCIHort
CIH Development Officer