Crawley secondary school students benefit from ground-breaking green project

The pupils had an adventure away from home at YHA Holmbury St Mary in the Surrey Hills where they enjoyed a ‘Connecting to Nature’ residential at the youth hostel. The experience was funded by the £2.5million project which prioritised young people living in areas of deprivation, black and minority ethnic groups, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

For many of the young people involved in Generation Green activities, it was the first time they had had the opportunity to connect with nature.

The project delivery partners, which include YHA (England & Wales), Girlguiding, Scouts, Field Studies Council, The Outward Bound Trust and the ten National Parks are now calling on the Government to fund more life-changing experiences in nature and the outdoors for children and young people.

As well as youth hostel stays, thousands of young people across England took up opportunities to connect with nature through a number of funded projects offered by the project delivery partners.

Access Unlimited Founder and Generation Green Sponsor, Anita Kerwin-Nye said: “Together we have made great strides in 16 months, but this should be the start and not the end. “Through the delivery of Generation Green, we have developed a tried and tested, and successful model to connect children and young people with nature.

“At a time of limited resources this is a model of where charity collaboration rather than competition increases impact. The reach, outputs and outcomes speak for themselves.”

Generation Green was inspired by the Government’s Landscapes Review in 2019, which highlighted the inequality of access to the outdoors and green spaces. The pandemic further compounded the lack of access with an estimated 1,137,820 children in England living through lockdown without a garden.

The full impact of the Generation Green project has been documented in a brand new celebration and impact report, which tells the story of the unique project through the voices of the people who have benefitted – children, young people and teachers, as well as local delivery organisations and groups.

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Copies of the Generation Green Celebration and Impact Report, which outlines the case for further funding, have been supplied to government ministers and Defra. To view the report, visit: www.yha.org.uk/generation-green