Enhancing the lives of young people through outdoor activity

“I haven’t done anything like this since primary school. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I needed it.”

The Outdoor Partnership work to improve physical & mental health, employability, social value and grass roots participation through outdoor activities.

They received a grant towards their Gwent Employability Programme which helps young people in Gwent to gain the required confidence, skills and experience to improve their chances of securing employment in the future.

The programme targeted young people who were ‘NEET’ (not in employment, education or training), with a particular focus on those who had been or were at risk of becoming convicted young offenders. The project received referrals from social services, Careers Wales, housing associations and other charities supporting young people in Gwent.

The Outdoor Partnership have shaped the project to ensure it provides those in most need with the opportunity to engage in an adventurous activity programme whilst attaining a work-related qualification. It has also helped to improve their physical and mental health whilst gaining an appreciation of the natural environment around them.

An organisation referring young people to the programme said:

“The Outdoor Partnership has not only given a new perspective on job opportunities in outdoor pursuits, but has enabled our young people to recognise that they are not unique in their struggles in life which has helped them build strength in their mental wellbeing and confidence. It has also helped them recognise newfound skills which in turn has given them a new sense of self!”