Adventure Playground (APG) Service Review

Please complete our survey to give your views on the Adventure Playground review. This survey will open on Friday 22 November and close on Wednesday 1 January.

Introduction and Background Information

The Adventure Playgrounds are an asset for Dacorum Borough Council and promote play, physical activity, and healthy behaviours and can increase community cohesion. There are four adventure playgrounds in the Hemel Hempstead these are in the following locations:

Hours of Operation

The playgrounds are used by children/young people (CYP), community groups and for private hire. During school holidays they are open from 9.30am to 5.30pm (Monday – Friday) and term time they are open from 3.30pm to 6.30pm for CYP between 8 and 16 to attend free of charge (Monday – Friday).

Social Value of the Service

The Playgrounds provide social value to our communities, families and children/Young People and they:

• Develop independence, imagination, language skills, problem solving, working with others, emotional resilience, sharing and building relationships
• Offer a safe place in which children can play without fear of bullying and exclusion
• Support safety by being a place where children can disclose issues affecting them with qualified staff to signpost to the correct organisations
• Contribute to emotional and physical wellbeing by tackling mental health, proving a safe space in which children can be active, which contributes to being healthy
• Contribute to economic stability by being free of charge to its users, to guide and help children make informed decisions about various aspects of their life and any challenges they may be facing
• Help children to contribute to society in a positive way by teaching them not to engage in criminal or negative behaviour, which is implemented by way of our behaviour management system
• Children can enjoy and achieve through the activities that are provided, teaching life skills, independence and building on confidence
• Improve physical and mental wellbeing through exercise

Scope of the Review & User Survey

1. To consult with users, non users, customers and residents to find out what they value most about the APG service and its additional facilities e.g. sports pitches and private hires
2. To undertake an engagement conversation, as well as direct observation with residents and users of the service, to seek their views on what a transformed AGP service could look like
3. Undertake learning and developmental assessments to better understand gaps in service delivery across the APG activity programme
4. Undertake desk research and analysis of opportunities, participation rate and impact on users, and where necessary and appropriate, offer options for consideration
5. Identify future delivery ideas and options for the APG service and its facilities

An online questionnaire has been created, aimed at children/young people, residents and users of the service, to find out what they value most and what additional activities and facilities they would like, this information will then help the Council to shape and inform the future development of the APG service.

If you live in Dacorum, or use the facilities, please fill out our survey, we’d love to hear your feedback, positive, constructive, or critical, this will help shape the future of the APG service.