(AGENPARL) – lun 04 novembre 2024 News Release
Bainbridge, 4 November 2024
Hundreds more children spending time in nature
thanks to Generation Green
Thanks to the newly launched Generation Green 2 project, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has received £48,250 to help 550 young people aged 7-18 to visit the National Park and aims to work with those living in some of the most under-served communities in the UK and schools with a pupil premium of 30% or more.
These visits help young people to connect with nature through residential stays, evenings under the stars, farm visits and day visits exploring the special qualities of the National Park at sites such as Malham, Grinton and Grassington.
Over 300 have already taken part in these activities, with many coming from schools and community groups in urban areas outside of the National Park including Colne, Leeds, Bradford and Darlington.
Last month 60 Year 4 pupils from Hillcrest Academy in Leeds visited Gam Farm in Grassington, where they had a talk from a local farmer on wool production, and got up close and personal with pigs, goats and donkeys.
And so far, eighty 7–18-year-olds from a wide range of different community groups have enjoyed residential trips to sites like Grinton and Grassington where the National Park Authority’s Learning & Engagement team created an environment in which the groups have been able to socialise, relax and unwind and appreciate time spent in nature.
Derek Twine, Chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “In the first phase of Generation Green we were able to support visits for 1,126 young people and establish the ‘Up Skill, Down Dale’ youth volunteering scheme which, now in its fourth year, has since helped nine young people secure jobs in the green sector.
“The fund now gives even more young people – who wouldn’t otherwise visit the National Park – the opportunity to spend time here and connect with nature, to explore what they find and learn how to conserve it; it also gives an opportunity for them to feel the joy and wellbeing benefits of simply spending time in this special place. All these experiences are deepened by the overnight stay this funding enables us to offer, building skills and confidence in a new generation to encourage them to return to and care for the National Park in the future”.
Multimedia assets
Video 1 – A video is also available to download and embed online and/or for use on social media, here.
Notes for Editors
About Generation Green 2
Generation Green 2 is a £4.5million pioneering and ambitious project which will connect even more than 25,000 young people living in England’s most socially disadvantaged areas to nature, is in full swing.
Funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as part of its ongoing support of access to nature, Generation Green 2 is being delivered by the strong Access Unlimited (AU) coalition, which is led by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA).
Following a second round of funding, AU members – YHA, The Outward Bound Trust, Field Studies Council, Girlguiding, Scouts, nine National Park Authorities and eight National Landscapes – are now delivering more than 41,500 day and overnight nature connection experiences.
The activities being delivered aim to directly address research that shows 18% of children living in the most deprived areas never spend time in any kind of natural space.
Generation Green 2 aims to help address major inequalities in access to nature by cultivating a wider interest in green spaces among the next generation, fostering lifelong wellbeing benefits among participants and opening protected places to even more young people.
Young people will get to build lifelong connections to nature through activities like multi-day residentials, farm visits, day trips and nights under the stars, all based in National Parks, National Landscapes and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Delivery of Generation Green 2 began in spring this year and has so far enabled more than 6,000 young people to take part in experiences across England.
An independent evaluation of the first Generation Green project carried out by the University of Derby showed that the facilitated day and residential trips led to an immediate significant impact in young people’s connection with nature and sense of inclusion in nature. The University of Derby are conducting similar research into the impact of Generation Green 2.
About the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority: 
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of 15 National Parks in the UK. It is administered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which has two main purposes: “to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage” and “to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Park”. In carrying out these purposes, the Authority has a duty “to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities”. The National Park Authority comprises 25 members, made up of county and district councillors and members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment to represent parishes or in recognition of their specialist skills or knowledge. 
All our work is guided by the vision for the future of the National Park set out in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan: “Through their passion for this special place, local people and businesses will keep the Yorkshire Dales National Park a thriving area. Its unique cultural landscape will be treasured for its stunning scenery, exceptional heritage and wonderful wildlife, and every year millions of people will be inspired to be a part of it.”