GAC (Grupo de Acção Comunitária) – green space initiative for people with mental health problems

One of the several initiatives developed with the aim of promoting the social inclusion of people with mental illness was the creation of professional courses, among them the gardening course. In the scope of this course, the beneficiaries had the opportunity to contact with the community and with nature – through the maintenance of the school gardens, the Parish Council and even the Botanical Garden – to develop technical and social skills, to feel capable of learning and performing new tasks (increased self-esteem), perceive themselves as active and integrating parts of society and were able to enter into the labor market more easily. In parallel, the green spaces of the community enjoyed adequate maintenance.

Although the professional gardening course has ended – currently beneficiaries who want to follow the path of professional training are referred to other training entities – GAP has shown openness to reestablish this initiative or to initiate similar ones.