We reflect on Generation Green, a 16-month funded project to connect young people to nature, create and save jobs, and build a workforce for a green recovery.
Through outdoor and online learning experiences, residentials, volunteering roles, training and new jobs, Generation Green has provided more than 100,000 opportunities to connect young people to nature — many for the first time — and to cultivate a sense of care for the natural environment.
Generation Green was the first project to be delivered by the Access Unlimited coalition. The coalition is led by YHA and includes The Outward Bound Trust, Scouts, Girlguiding, Field Studies Council and the 10 English National Parks. The project capitalises on the coalition partners’ combined reach of more than two million young people.
Alison Stevens, programme director, writes, “While we have reached the end of the 16-month project, the road for Generation Green does not end here. “When we started the project, the aim of the Access Unlimited coalition was to leave a legacy. Together, we have proved that our ultimate dream of reaching at least one million young people over the next five years is achievable with continued support from government and funders.
“In 16 months we have laid the foundations to enable all young people to access the outdoors. Through our myriad of projects, the Access Unlimited coalition has built a wealth of knowledge and experience which we now want to use to achieve our collective aim of giving every child a night under the stars in a national landscape.”
How Generation Green has helped young people discover the countryside
From September 2021, YHA hosted activities for children and young people to support connections to nature. They were generally split into two types.
- Caring for nature: practical and conservation work to help protect the natural world.
- Connecting to nature: immersive nature experiences such as art, mindfulness and walks.
Teachers from participating schools explained that their pupils generally don’t visit the countryside or coast, unless as part of trips organised by the school. One teacher said: “In terms of actual countryside… they have never been.”
“Our students come from an urban area… there is, relatively near to them, a big park… but undoubtedly, being from a relatively deprived urban area is going to mean they will have less contact with wildlife, nature, and the countryside. These are not the sort of kids whose parents are members of the National Trust who are going on day trips and holidays out to the countryside.”
Time and time again, school staff described how the children had been amazed by the countryside experience and particularly the size and scale of nature. The activities often included a walk local to the hostel and during these walks young people often experienced landscapes that were bigger and more awe-inspiring than ever before.
“A pupil in my class had never seen a waterfall before. So, when we were on the walk and he could see the waterfall, and he was asking if he could touch it, he took his gloves off and felt the water, and he was saying it felt amazing. It was really calming for him.”
Another of the main benefits of engaging with YHA’s Generation Green activity was that it helped learners to develop connections with others. Students made new friendships during the trips and developed their ability to work as part of a team.
One teacher said: “I think there’s a massive gap in social skills [due to the pandemic]. Here, they’re talking and playing cards with a group that they’d normally walk straight past.”
Free resources
Take a look at these free resources to help young people connect with nature.Read next: Dive into our interview with Jenny Tough.
