Land-based skills
For young people, unearthing a new skill can be a moment of revelation, as they begin to see the possibilities of a future working on the land.
Land-based skills include animal care, horticulture, landscaping, conservation, river and estate management, and rural skills. They are the first step on a pathway that can reimagine a young person’s future. We work with a growing number of partners to deliver these, both on our land and beyond.
Why are land-based skills important?
We don’t all learn the same way and we don’t all follow the same path. Land-based skills unearth the opportunities that outdoor careers can offer, as well as supporting young people’s confidence, resilience and wellbeing.
We are particularly keen to help young people who are more suited to learning outside a traditional classroom. Training is overseen by our Outdoor Learning Leaders and we work in partnership with experts and organisations across the land and rural skills sectors. We are in a unique position to host young people on our estates and learning sites, and we believe that focusing on local rural communities is our chance to deliver even more impact.
Learning from the land
Our land-based skills training and support reflects the land, rural opportunities and community heritage across the UK – so programmes available in the upland fells of Cumbria are different to those at our Fairford workshops and gardens, and estate land. We also know that young people need different support along the journey.
Overall we aim to offer one of two things:
- A first step towards a long-term career goal
- A helping hand in the skills and experience needed for a chosen path
Here’s what we offer:
On our land. Hands-on learning and training
Working outdoors opens up opportunities tomorrow, and it can help young people flourish today. Our workshop in Fairford offers skills-based training that improves employability through experience and accreditations, as well as offering a safe space to grow self belief and social confidence.
We work with young people from local schools, colleges, organisations and communities and we cultivate programmes that wherever possible address urgent or unmet needs. Most importantly, we want to make working outdoors feel like an inviting and accessible future and help young people realise more with the outdoors.
Beyond our boundaries. Outdoor Futures
Sometimes nothing beats getting your boots dirty, and hands-on apprenticeships and traineeships are a great way to learn new skills. Our Outdoor Futures grant stream focuses on offering this to underserved young people aged 16-30 years, especially those facing challenging circumstances or who are under-represented in land-based careers
Never thought in a million years I’d be able to do something like that… I love dirty hands now!
Student on a blacksmithing course at our Skills Workshop in Fairford