What is Green Ambassadors?

This 18 month project (September 2008 - February 2010) aims to improve the links between rural environments and local towns and villages in and around North Devon and Exmoor.

The project recruits young people through local youth clubs and community groups. It firstly encourages them to explore their local protected landscapes and natural environments through visits and activities. Working in partnership with protected landscape authorities, environmental education teams, rural skills trainers and youth service providers the young people then learn and develop skills, receive training and design and implement their own projects to the benefit of themselves and their communities.

The aim of the project is to improve and enhance the links between rural and urban environments and communities. Working with young people living adjacent to protected landscapes (i.e. National Parks and AONBs we aim to increase the appreciation of and respect for the wider natural environment.

Objectives

The project is working with young people who wouldn't normally have the opportunity to access Exmoor within small towns and urban centres within the following Somerset and Devon local authority areas: Sedgemoor (Somerset), Taunton Deane (Somerset), West Somerset and North Devon (see Where we work). The young people will range from 11 to 21 years of age. It will target whole communities of young people from these areas by working through various existing community or youth service groups or providers.

At any one time project officers will be working with 2 or 3 different groups on a rolling programme. Each group will be worked with for between 1 and 3 years depending on their size, resources and needs. Within each group although large numbers of young people might be involved in various aspects of each project, each time a core of 10-15 young people will be designated Green Ambassadors and will receive support and training to deliver a specific community based project which will aim to enhance the link between urban and rural/natural environments.

The project is working towards the following 5 outcomes

1. A positive impact on behaviour, and increase respect for their local environment
2. Improved access to and awareness of surrounding natural environments including National Parks and AONBs
3. Increased participation in Outdoor Activities and Rural Skills resulting in improved physical fitness and self-worth
4. Increased opportunity for involvement in and ownership of community-based environmental
   projects
5. Greater knowledge of and participation in the training and employment opportunities available in the surrounding rural areas

For more information about the project contact the Project Officer Trisha Bagshaw.

Supporters

The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Exmoor National Park Authority, the Wildlife Trusts, North Devon AONB's Sustainable Development Funds and Field Studies Council.