Our vision is the foundation for what we’re building

The problem

Despite overwhelming calls for more action on the ground, the UK still lacks the funding, skills, and capacity needed to deliver on its ambitious green agenda.

For young people, our collective failure to act now leaves them facing an environmental catastrophe that will dominate the rest of their lives.

They want to be part of the solution, but opportunities are scarce, and they remain sceptical of their ability to affect real change at any scale.

The next generation need hands on work opportunities where they can build the knowledge, practical skills, and confidence to become effective green leaders.

  • We know that young people need…

    • Inclusive & accessible routes into meaningful environmental work

    • Hands-on training to equip them with a diverse set of skills and knowledge across the environmental system

    • Projects where they can have an immediate and tangible impact working in natural spaces

    • Greater agency over their immediate and longer-term futures

  • However there are constraints that are preventing young people realising these needs, including…

    • Funding is still constrained, focused on immediate environmental impacts instead of long-term succession

    • Stretched organisations are unable to properly recruit, educate and support young people from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds

    • Siloed activity across the sector is at risk of working against, not within, the whole system

Our vision 

We want every young person to have the opportunity to spend a year working in the environmental sector.

YES exists to enable accessible new opportunities for young people in the environmental sector, helping them develop the skills, connections, and confidence they need to fight the climate emergency, together.

 
 

This will mean:

  • Hands on paid employment in a range of green organisations

  • Equipping the next generation of committed young environmentalists

  • Healing, and being healed by, our natural world

  • Developing community-led projects to help address the climate crisis

 

How this would work in practice:

The Youth Environmental Service would empower a range of different nature-focused environmental organisations to create paid, one-year work opportunities for young people.

This would be done by creating a framework around which employers could confidently create successful work placements for young people with limited real-world experience.

For the participants, they would be able to combine practical hands-on work experience across different roles at their host organisation with technical outdoor training and personal development.

And they will be able to connect and learn from one another, through work experience swaps and group projects focused on creating new community-led initiatives.

 

Photo credit: Laura Roper

What YES would offer:

  • Awareness building

    Helping build a wider understanding of the potential of working in environmental roles, engaging and inspiring young people to take on new opportunities to build a greener career.

  • Accessible recruitment

    Making sure that the opportunities created are available to everybody, especially those from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds, with targeted promotion and an application process centred on personality match over experience.

  • Nature-based work

    Working in environmental organisations, from local community groups to national conservation federations, participants will be able to do hands-on, nature-based work that builds skills while positively contributing to the environmental and biodiversity crisis.

  • In-role mentoring

    Dedicated coaching and support in role to ensure participants are able to maximise their year’s experience and to help organisations learn how to support and empower young people to thrive in their roles.

  • Personal development

    A tailored personal learning programme, covering both technical skills and broader development, helping develop the next generation of capable, compassionate, creative, and confident citizens.

  • Network building

    Connecting participants across roles, through cohort-wide events and regional group meet-ups, that allow them to learn from one another and work together to tackle the wider systemic issues that we desperately need to address.

  • Project leadership

    Opportunities to design, develop and deliver regionally-focused environmental interventions that harness the power of the community to help address nature-based challenges in their local area.

  • Careers guidance

    Personal support to help identify and plan towards a long-term fulfilling career, across green roles and beyond, including connections to potential opportunities and guidance on further education pathways.