The Green Activities Programme offers young people the chance to become involved in practical outdoor activities associated with benefiting Somerset’s protected natural areas and green spaces.

Young volunteers can learn new skills and gain nationally recognised qualifications. Download and read our information leaflet to find out what our programme is able to offer in terms of skills and qualifications.

The Green Activities Programme team works in collaboration with a range of environmental organisations such as the National Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trusts, Exmoor National Park, Forestry Commission as well as many others, to allow young people to come into more contact with their local protected natural areas. To encourage involvement, SRYP has offered a number of Green Taster Days.

A report on the recent project can be found at this link.

Gaining skills, confidence and employability for rural living…

Groups of young people from Chard, Langport, West Somerset, Mark and Highbridge have been working towards a nationally recognised, certificated course – a Level 1 Award in Practical Environmental and Conservation Skills.

Funded by LARC Levels and Moors, 7 young people from Mark have now completed this course of activities which included improving access by restoring footpaths at Ivythorn woods, clearing invasive trees to encourage the growth of wildflower habitat at Ebbor Gorge and developing team work skills through bushcraft activities.

Groups from West Somerset and the Blackdowns have also been working towards gaining the same award, thanks to LARC funding Western Somerset and Making It Local.

In the Blackdowns, a group of 7 young people from Holyrood sixth form have been working towards achieving their Duke of Edinburgh Award by volunteering their time to renovate Victorian pathways at Otterhead Estate, undertaking hedgelaying at Magdalen farm and coppicing at Young Wood to help create new habitats.

In West Somerset the Green Activities Programme has developed several new partnerships, including working with the Jobcentre in Minehead to provide opportunities for unemployed young people to enhance their experience and qualifications and teaming up with West Somerset Community College to provide volunteer opportunities that support the student’s vocational learning.

As a result of this programme, delivered by Somerset Rural Youth Project’s Green Activities Programme (GAP), the young people have gained new skills, confidence and employability and now have a certificate in recognition of their achievements.

“As well as the obvious benefits of gaining new skills and a nationally recognised award, the young people get a lot from simply working together and being outside” said Project Worker Barney Simmons.

For our Conserve the Levels project funded by the Somerset Levels and Moors – Local Action for Rural Communities (LARC), we have been working with Natural England, RSPB and the Somerset Wildlife Trust. From this funding, the project aims to provide opportunities for young people to get involved in activities which benefit the local environment around the Avalon marshes, such as restoring habitats at Shapwick Heath NNR and Ham Wall NNR, whilst gaining qualifications and skills to help improve employability. We have a leaflet available which you can download and print out.

We have also received funding to provide the same opportunities in The Blackdown Hills and in Western Somerset.

The Blackdown’s Environmental Teams project is funded by Making it Local, a locally managed grants scheme in the Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONB areas, incorporating funding from the EU, Defra, South West RDA and Leader. We have a leaflet which you can download and print out with more information about Making it Local.

Click the link below for more information on the LARC schemes

 http://www.somersetleader.org.uk

Green Activities Programme project team