It started with a desire to do something different

When Jaz's teaching degree placed her with an outdoor education organisation, she didn't know what to expect - and that's exactly how she wanted it.

With time in a traditional classroom under her belt, she saw her placement as an opportunity to try something completely new. She was matched with Rewilding Youth, a nature-based education and youth work charity… and it wasn't long before she realised that she had found her calling.

Rewilding Youth is supported by our Climate Action Fund (CAF) which supports communities across the UK to act on climate change and involve more people in environmental action.

Into the wild

Jaz had never spent any time in outdoor education before her placement. In fact, she'd never even heard of Rewilding Youth.

Founded in 2021 in response to the isolation and disconnection young people experienced during COVID, the organisation uses flexible session plans and encourages individual exploration in outdoor spaces to help children learn, grow and heal.

It's fair to say that arriving on site to see hammocks strung between trees in place of desks and whiteboards was an eye-opening experience for Jaz.

Green therapy

Rewilding Youth's work ethic is rooted in the belief that nature is a world of possibility with the power to lift moods and recharge spirits. But not everyone has easy access to those benefits, particularly those in disadvantaged urban areas.

With depression, social isolation, loneliness and a lack of decision-making skills all side-effects of not spending enough time in nature, the charity tackles the problem with bushcraft activities like foraging, den-making and natural crafts.

Away from the traditional classroom, Jaz quickly saw the power of nature. Disengaged children became curious; the shy became confident, and children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) flourished with freedom of choice and space.

An unexpected adventure

It's not just young people who have benefited from Rewilding Youth. Thrilled by the discovery that education doesn't need to follow a linear structure, Jaz discovered a sense of purpose that changed the course of her career.

She now follows children's curiosity rather than a traditional lesson plan, embracing a new philosophy of facilitating rather than instructing. "I'm not here to tell them what to do, I'm here to guide them" Jaz explains. "I haven't looked back since."

Having signed up to train in Forest School Leadership, she was offered a role after she finished her degree. Now she helps run three weekly programmes for children aged 0-18 years old, and her "curriculum" features natural messy play, open-ended craft activities and downtime in the hammocks.

Rooted in community

Working across Hull and the East Riding, Rewilding Youth hasn't just turned overlooked parks into places of possibility - it's turned them into spaces of support. Their free, community-focused sessions have introduced parents to each other and created networks for home-educating families.

And, as with Jaz, there's support for progression into green careers. Through its Wild College programme, young people explore tree planting, woodwork and environmental leadership. Some have gone on to paid placements, helping to shape greener futures for their city - and for themselves.

Get started

We support environmental projects of all shapes and sizes. We offer grants from £300 up to £20,000 through our open Awards for All programme to grants over £500,000 through our Climate Action Fund.

Find out more about environment funding in your area and apply.