Why don't ethnic minorities visit the countryside?
This was a question posed by the Countryside Agency. Specifically, they wished to understand:
- How different groups conceive of the countryside
- How this impacts on their use of the countryside
- What needs to be done to diversify use of the countryside
Escorted visits were arranged with Black and Asian families who had never been to the countryside. This involved interviewing the families at home, then taking them to the countryside, where observations and interviews were conducted to gather insights into their experience.
Combining escorted visits and individual interviews and focus groups, with users and non-users of the countryside, the research identified similarities and differences across the groups:
- Representation of the countryside
- Perceptions of the benefits of countryside use
- Barriers preventing use of the countryside
Strategic recommendations to diversify use of the countryside were made, based on the findings. The report was published, entitled "What about us?" and distributed to countryside practitioners.