GreenStart is a pilot project initiated by the Countryside Agency designed to demonstrate the value of the natural environment, and in particular local greenspace and countryside, in meeting the aims and objectives of the Government’s Sure Start programme.

 

Greenstart Event; Winter Walk 24/11/04

Working closely with local Sure Start programmes and the regional Sure Start coordinating Unit in Government Office North East, GreenStart will focus on adding an environmental dimension to local Sure start initiatives in:

	West Durham (including part of the area covered by the Great North Forest)
	South East Northumberland and North Tyneside (including the area covered by the Greening for Growth regeneration initiative)

The GreenStart programme is a 3 year programme and was developed by the Countryside Agency, Groundwork West Durham and Greening for Growth with the input of Sure Start managers in the operating areas. Two project officers were appointed on June 10 2002. Caroline Jackson will cover South East Northumberland, based within the Greening for Growth project team, and Debbie lngoldsby will cover West Durham, based within the local Groundwork Trust. The host agencies provide day to day management and administrative support.

GreenStart in West Durham aims to work within communities in the county, which continue to suffer social, economic and environmental problems despite ongoing regeneration initiatives and extensive community development work. There are currently 4 Sure Start operations that fall within the Groundwork West Durham boundary, these include:

	Chester-Le-Street
	Wear Valley
	Wear Valley East
	Stanley

These are also targeted wards for Groundwork West Durham, therefore links well with the current programme structure within Groundwork. There are plans to establish Sure Start operations in the Teesdale Area and Consett, which will fall within the GreenStart programme in due course.

Bulb Planting at Pelton Fell Community Centre

Aims & Objectives

GreenStart will aim to assist in meeting most of the aims and objectives of Sure Start, although its primary focus will be on the role of the natural environment in promoting early learning, providing stimulating and enjoyable play, improving language skills and encouraging parent child interaction.

To work towards these 4 objectives GreenStart’s key objectives will be to:

	Develop high quality innovative play and learning spaces based on existing or new areas of urban and rural green space
	Develop a range of activity programmes linking parents to be, new parents and young children with their local green spaces and countryside
	Improve physical, mental and emotional health and well-being in parents and young children within the targeted communities
	Disseminate experience in the role of woodland and local countryside in encouraging sensory and discovery play in very young children
	Develop a good practice handbook for use by other Sure Start projects and future child development programmes

To achieve objective 3 (Improving children's ability to learn) Sure Start projects have tended to focus on traditional ‘building-based’ services like playgroups and mother/toddler groups, to provide a ‘high quality environment to encourage learning and stimulate imaginative play’. This is a clear example of how GreenStart can compliment this work by maximising outdoor opportunities in local green spaces, countryside or woodlands to offer alternative settings to encourage learning and stimulate imaginative play.

As the GreenStart programme is developed over the next 3 years and new partnerships are formed a number of longer term outcomes are also expected to be achieved as follows:

	The development of wider professional understanding and appreciation of the value of green spaces and local countryside in fostering early childhood development
	The enhancement of the role for community forestry in delivering social benefits to parents and young children in disadvantaged communities
	The Development of an appreciation within education and health agencies of the value of the natural environment in meeting their objectives
	The enhancement of Government support for the inclusion of an environmental dimension in future health, education and other social programmes
	The Improvement of basic information on the needs of parents and young children as an input to future Countryside Agency programmes