Credit: Nick Turner
Our Bright Future
In December 2021, the Our Bright Future (OBF) project came to an end after 6 successful years working with over 3,500 young people aged 11-24. Amongst the many achievements of this project, we were able to support young people in achieving over 1,200 AQA certificate in areas varying from basic woodworking skills to wildlife friendly gardening.
Our Bright Future, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, allowed Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, in partnership with Avon Wildlife Trust, to work towards the following aims:
- Young people value and benefit from an awareness of local wildlife and a connection to nature
- Young people develop skills and experience for employment in a greener economy
- Green spaces are improved for people and wildlife
- Young people act as catalysts for change for the environment and communities
The OBF sessions gave young people a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to their local community and school. The participants also had the opportunity to earn AQA certificates through activities they take part in at the Wildlife Workshops and in school sessions.
Credit: Milly Spencer
Community Gardens
The community element of the project focused on youth centres in Gloucester, Tewkesbury and Cheltenham where we worked hard to engage with young people referred to the project by youth services such as Prospects and National Star.
Over the course of the project, OBF worked at 17 community sites, most recently Whaddon Youth Centre in Cheltenham and the Vibe in Gloucester.
These community gardens allowed young people to develop skills and confidence to support them in gaining employment whilst improving community green spaces.
Schools
The schools element of OBF gave young people the opportunity to benefit from learning outdoors, gaining valuable practical skills and confidence for employment as well as engaging with natural craft activities such as hapa zome.
15 schools engaged with the project in total including pupils from Alderman Knight School, Barnwood Park School, Belmont School, Bettridge School, St Georges Centre and Gloucestershire College.
Participants built raised planters, bird boxes and bee homes, created log piles and dead hedges, and improved their identification skills all whilst gaining AQA certificates. The project has focused on recycling and upcycling materials, and worked with local businesses who provided us with scrap materials, to reduce the amount of new of materials used and to stop materials going to waste!
Every activity contributed to the improvement of our urban habitats and supporting a wide range of local species.
Earth Stars
Working with young people in schools and at the community gardens helped us identify a need for young people to undertake volunteering in local green spaces and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust developed the hugely successful Earth Stars.
Based at a variety of nature reserves across Gloucestershire, Earth Stars gave 11-14 year old’s and 15-18 year old’s the chance to improve their wildlife ID skills, undertaken wildlife surveying and to take part in basic habitat management and conservation activities.
Earth Stars also gave many the opportunity to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award volunteering section.
An enormous thank you to all the participants and partner organisations Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has worked with over the last 6 years for making Our Bright Future such as huge success!
