Beekeeping for Mental Health Prevention and Wellbeing: A Pro-Environmental Qualitative Study in an Underserved Adolescent Community

• Beekeeping offered preventive mental health benefits for adolescents. • Participants reported reduced stress, wellbeing gains, and social connection. • Youth engaged with meaning, overcoming anhedonia and low motivation. • Program deepened awareness of ecology and sustainability. • Nature-based, community programs show promise for underserved youth. Untreated mental health difficulties in adolescence increase the risk of poor outcomes in adulthood. Preventive interventions can improve wellbeing but remain underutilized, particularly among underserved youth who experience high stress and limited access to support. This study examined whether engaging in a pro-environmental activity, beekeeping, could promote mental health and preventive wellbeing benefits in adolescents. Sixteen adolescents (aged 14 to 18) from the youth-led charity Together As One, Slough, UK, which supports vulnerable young people from low-income and marginalized backgrounds, participated in a 12-session beekeeping program. Sessions combined hands-on hive management, educational workshops, and apiary visits. Program impact was explored through semi-structured interviews and a focus group, with data analysed thematically. Four themes were identified: (1) Motivations and challenges: curiosity, social encouragement, occasional fear and boredom; (2) Psychosocial benefits: reduced stress, enhanced emotional wellbeing, greater energy and structure, and stronger social connections; (3) Reconnecting with meaning: engaging in new activities, stepping outside comfort zones, and overcoming symptoms such as anhedonia; and (4) Environmental awareness: increased understanding of ecological systems and sustainability. Beekeeping shows promise as a community-based, pro-environmental activity that can foster stress reduction, emotional regulation, social connectedness, and a sense of purpose in adolescents. These findings suggest that youth-led, nature-based interventions may represent an innovative and underutilized approach to preventive mental health support in underserved populations.