Julie Procter
Julie Procter is Chief Officer of greenspace scotland. Established in 2003 to promote a step change in the development and management of quality greenspaces in our towns and cities, greenspace scotland is an independent charitable company, receiving funding from the Scottish Government.
From a greenspace perspective, a mentally flourishing Scotland is one where people live and work in quality, sustainable places, which promote mental health and wellbeing, and where individuals and groups can play an active role in the protection and management of their neighbourhoods.
In this context, greenspace is a vital component in working towards a mentally flourishing Scotland:
- Greenspace is a key factor in influencing our quality of life: having quality greenspace on your doorstep supports positive mental health and wellbeing across whole communities; having poor greenspace can lead to mental health problems
- Greenspace can provide opportunities for people to come together, breaking down barriers, increasing local pride, building confidence and developing understanding across generations, cultural groups and communities of interest
- Greenspace can play a valuable part in improving the mental wellbeing of people with diagnosed mental illness, and there is an increasing role for it as a formal tool in treating mental ill health and supporting patients
We are inspired by the innovative work of our partners, members and other organisations who are leading the way in demonstrating the importance of greenspace in delivering a mentally flourishing Scotland, and by the many proactive local communities who are taking control of their local environments, making decisions and creating more cohesive and supportive community and social frameworks as a result.
We recently undertook a national consultation in relation to the role of greenspace in the National Programme. This identified a number of priorities for future action. The three most important of these are:
- Ensuring that the role of quality greenspace in supporting a mentally flourishing Scotland is fully recognised and is, therefore, seen as relevant by mainstream health professionals
- Encouraging greater partnership working, both strategically and locally, to embed and develop greenspace within mental health planning and service delivery (and health and wellbeing priorities within strategic greenspace agendas)
- Influencing the planning system to ensure that mental health and wellbeing are considered in the planning of new communities and the regeneration of existing communities
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