We’re supporting youth workers and young volunteers in Bristol to complete introductory forest school training. This project, funded by Nationwide, builds on the success of our NERC Nature Connection project and Mission Net Zero Green Days Out.

Green skills for local youth leaders

Youth workers and young volunteers at Avon Youth Club and Hartcliffe Club for Young People will complete forest school training with local enterprise Natural Networks in 2027.

Leaders from these clubs are eager to take action to improve local nature and tackle social inequalities, but they often lack opportunities to gain qualifications, develop practical skills, and access pathways into green employment.

Through this training, youth workers and volunteers will gain the skills and confidence to deliver nature-based programmes tailored to the needs of their young people. After the training, young volunteers will have the opportunity to lead nature sessions under the supervision of youth club staff, so they can further develop their green skills and explore work experience opportunities for their futures.

Why this matters for climate action

When young people feel connected to nature, they’re more likely to care about it and take action to protect it. Yet young people living in deprived urban areas have much fewer opportunities to access green spaces compared to their more affluent peers. This disparity in access to nature is called the ‘nature gap’.

We’re working with youth providers in Bristol neighbourhoods experiencing high levels of deprivation, many of which are located close to some of the city’s most vibrant green spaces. With support from CSE, youth providers will build the skills and confidence to help close the nature gap for the young people they support, creating opportunities for them to connect with nature and take climate action in their own communities.

Youth leadership for the future

Youth work is a pillar of CSE’s Future Generations strategy: growing connections and opportunities for young people to be active participants and rising leaders in the energy transition.

Read more about our youth work in the West of England:

• Inspiring young people in Bristol to connect with nature
• Supporting youth-led climate projects through the Youth Climate Action Fund

Photo credit: Hartcliffe Club for Young People.