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The Schoolyard Greenprint
Time outside helps youths by encouraging risk-taking, increasing physical activity, developing resilience, improving social skills and enhancing creativity. In high school, students use school grounds almost daily, yet little is known about the effect of their design in shaping student behaviour and wellbeing.
The ‘Schoolyard Greenprint’ is a research study investigating how schoolyard spaces can better support teenagers as they navigate the intense emotional, social and physical changes that accompany adolescence. Led by the University of Canberra, this work will lead a national conversation around the value and role of schoolyard spaces within secondary school environments. The work relies on the insights and knowledge of schoolyard designers and planners, managers and users to identify the types of schoolyards we currently have, want and need. This knowledge and evidence will be synthesized into a resource to guide the development of school grounds that support the creation of positive outdoor experiences for high school students.
Research funding is provided through Frontiers developed by Hort Innovation with co-investment from Landscape Foundation Australia and contributions from the Australian Government.
For more information or to contact the study team please email: Gweneth.Leigh@canberra.edu.au

Research team
- Dr Gweneth Leigh – Chief Investigator and Research Fellow, HRI
- Professor Rachel Davey – Director, HRI
- Director Linda Corkery – Landscape Foundation Australia
- Dr Claire Manning - Senior Project Coordinator
- Hannah Richardson - Senior Project Coordinator

The Schoolyard Greenprint project is taking a co-design approach to this research. That’s why we have three forums for stakeholder involvement, including a Working Group, Reference Group and Youth Voices group.
Nominate an individual, school or organisation to be a part of our research.
The Working Group is co-designing with us how to conduct our research and includes:
- The Australian Youth Affairs Coalition
- Headspace
- Hort Innovation
- Learning Environments Australasia
- Landscape Foundation of Australia
- A school principal
- The University of Melbourne
The Working Group meets monthly.
The Reference Group provides feedback on emerging findings and includes:
- Access Consultants Association Australia
- Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
- Australian Association for Adolescent Health
- Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
- Australian Parents Council
- Australian Secondary Principals Association
- Bully Zero
- Cancer Council NSW
- Cancer Institute NSW
- Independent Schools Australia
- Montessori Australia
- Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network
- New Learning Environments
- The NSW Government
- Occupational Therapy Australia
- Place Lab
- Positive Partnerships
- QUT - School of Psychology & Counselling
- SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance
- Steiner Education Australia
- The Global Recess Alliance
- Touched by Olivia Foundation
- Women Sport Australia Inc
The Reference Group meets once a quarter for up to 2 hours.
The Youth Voices is a group of diverse young people from across Australia who act as co-researchers in our research and include:
- Finlay Robinson, ACT, youth coordinator, Independent school
- Chloe Richards, NSW, A Gamilaroi woman who grew up and lives on Wiradjuri Country Public school
- Hunter Jackson, Albury NSW, Public school
- Emily Garrett, Logan City QLD Independent school
- Nikoletta Apostolidis, Melbourne, VIC, Independent school
- Rhy Baumann, Adelaide SA, Public school

Contact us
University of Canberra Health Research Institute
11 Kirinari Street
Bruce ACT 2617
+61 (02) 6206 8312
uchri@canberra.edu.au