Community Needs

A cross-section of community members, representing a range of particular groups, should be involved in the design, planning and care of green spaces, so that new facilities cater for their needs.

Providers and managers should pay attention to how green spaces can best be made available to people at risk of exclusion, including children and young people, minority ethnic groups, those with poor basic skills or with health and disability issues and those living in the most deprived communities or rural areas.

Providing for children and young people

Parks and green spaces offer a wealth of opportunities for improving the quality of life for children and young people. Good quality spaces can provide an environment for formal and informal play, exercise and learning. For children, this can help them to make new friends, improve their self-esteem and behaviour, keep them fit and healthy and encourage creative thinking and learning.

It can also help to achieve wider social objectives to tackle childhood obesity, reduce health inequalities for those in the poorest communities and encourage social interaction among children.

Providing for ethnic communities

To ensure that people from different ethnic groups want to use and are able to use green spaces, some basic principles should be considered:

A commitment to cultural equality and development of the right skills and resources to involve them effectively
Tackling issues of safety, conflict and anti-social behaviour by addressing local racism, running specific activities for women and providing staff or volunteers who reflect local ethnic diversity
Encourage culturally relevant events and provide targeted activities for different ethnic groups
Support diversity within decision making structures and create a climate for ethnic inclusion
Use appropriate terminology by finding out from different communities how they prefer to be addressed
Use translated materials where necessary

Planning for people with disabilities

Green space managers have a responsibility to ensure that services and facilities are inclusive and disabled people are able to use services. Applying the Local Government Equality Standard to the design and management of green spaces can help ensure that the spaces are accessible.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Since December 1996 it has been unlawful to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability
Since October 1999 service providers (businesses, local authorities etc.) have had to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way services are provided
Since October 2000, service providers have had to make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of their premises to overcome physical barriers to access

Particular attention should be paid to providing opportunities for children with disabilities. Until recently there has been little recognition of the entitlement of disabled children to the same opportunities for development through play as other children.