Community Psychology in Action
Trainee clinical psychologists on the Leicester course digging potatoes
as part of a community psychology project
Clinical Psychologists and ACP-UK members Dr Peter Beardsworth and Dr Suzanne Elliott with a cohort of trainee clinical psychologists after digging a potato plot on a community garden in Leicester. The community garden offers horticultural, social and building experiences for people who live on a local social housing estate which is known for high levels of social and material deprivation. The project offers residents access to nature, peace and quiet, beautiful rural landscape and a chance to learn new skills. It is also a place where people can connect with others and work together to make a difference in their community. This kind of experience of solidarity is thought to be crucial to emancipation from oppressive circumstances and is a key element of a Community Psychology approach to wellbeing. Suzanne and Peter teach on the Community Psychology strand of University of Leicester DClinPsy course and the trainees work with the local community for a ‘social action’ experiential day as part of this teaching.