Youth Scheme Inspires Thousands to Take Climate and Nature Action Across South East
The YouCAN initiative, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, has engaged thousands of young people in environmental projects across the New Forest, Southampton, and Bournemouth.
By Natalie Osborne
••3 min read
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Generic image of rolling green hills and woodland with a distant city skyline.
Thousands of young people have been empowered to lead climate and nature action across the New Forest, Southampton, and Bournemouth through the three-year Youth for Climate and Nature (YouCAN) scheme.
The £1.4 million initiative, launched in October 2023 and led by the New Forest National Park Authority, aimed to foster understanding and action on climate change within communities. An estimated 28,000 participants were involved in climate, nature, and community-based activities, with 10,000 participants aged between 11 and 25. The scheme covered the 300 square mile area encompassing the New Forest, Southampton, and Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole.
YouCAN also focused on developing green skills and employment opportunities, creating roles for 46 young people under 30 through full-time work, paid internships, and an outdoor learning programme. This initiative provided a platform for young individuals from diverse backgrounds to explore urban, rural, coastal, and freshwater environments.
Key achievements from the scheme's 43 projects and over 700 activities include a youth-led play, Bringing the Outside In, which explored air pollution and climate anxiety, involving over 150 young people and watched by more than 2,000 attendees. A New Forest Youth Board was established, comprising 21 members who contributed over 1,200 voluntary hours to influence local policy and decision-making.
A comprehensive report on climate risks and opportunities for the New Forest National Park was produced, projecting a potential summer temperature increase of 3.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century and highlighting the need for adaptation to extreme weather events and changing rainfall patterns.
The scheme also supported events such as Urban Wild, Southampton's first city-wide nature festival, and New Forest Thrive in Ringwood, which celebrated community and nature. Over 100 junior and young adult rangers and volunteers participated in practical conservation tasks, developing green skills and building confidence.
The YouCAN initiative was funded by a £1.2 million grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, supplemented by £264,000 in match funding from partners. An additional £117,000 has been secured for legacy activities and to maintain established partnerships.
The scheme was a collaborative effort coordinated by the New Forest National Park Authority in partnership with organisations including the Countryside Education Trust, Freshwater Habitats Trust, The Parks Foundation, Southampton National Park City project, Theatre for Life, and Alabaré.
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"The New Forest National Park is such an incredibly special and species-rich place, surrounded on all sides by urban communities. It was really important for YouCAN to show, and for these communities to recognise, that no matter where you live, if you are inspired by nature, you can do something to protect it."
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"YouCAN has provided an invaluable opportunity to experiment with new ways of working with young people and helping them to grow green skills. Our funded internships have been a phenomenal success, providing a launchpad into green careers for 27 young people."
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"The YouCAN scheme gave us a real opportunity to develop as an organisation and to try new things."
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"Being part of YouCAN has been an extraordinary opportunity to empower young people to explore the climate crisis through creativity, storytelling and performance."
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"This project gave our charity a unique opportunity to engage with more than 60 young people, enabling them to gain green skills, make connections with peers and local organisations, and build confidence in themselves to make future steps into a career in nature conservation."
