The Ripple Effect

Access to nature can not only change the course of young people’s lives – it can have far-reaching effects on their peers too. Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) Youth and Sustainability Officer Anthea Hanson explains how the charity’s Youth Environment Forum is helping to tackle inequalities that make it hard for young people to access and enjoy the Yorkshire Dales and nearby areas of countryside:

‘Through working closely with the young people involved with the Youth Environment Forum, YDMT works hard to put their ideas into practice and help them pursue their dreams. The forum is more than just a project, though, it’s a supportive family that nurtures young people to meet their potentials while at the same time protecting the future of the place that they love so much.’

From Small Beginnings

Anthea caught up with Willow, one of the most long-standing and dedicated members of the Youth Environment Forum, to find out how YDMT supported a successful funding application to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Sustainability fund, to create, document and showcase a film about Generation Z* and its relationship to the natural landscapes, wildlife and people of the Yorkshire Dales.

Anthea: Can you remember how it all began?

Willow: I don’t remember much of the first session other than that it was an introduction to the Youth Environment Forum’s aims and plans for the year with regards to organising the next summit, and its goal of bringing kids out of the city and into rural areas to help them understand the environment around them. Together with a few others I was invited through the Barnardo’s Willow Young Carers project, which ended a few years ago now. Two of us are still involved with the Youth Forum today.

Anthea: What was your motivation for coming?

Willow: At first one of my main motivations was to escape home and the city. I grew up loving being outdoors and with nature, so this was a big opportunity for me to have an outlet where I could enjoy being around the Yorkshire Dales, whilst also spending time with likeminded people. Then, of course, there was the bonus of being able to learn and understand the importance of our environment and share this knowledge with family and friends.

Anthea: What encouraged you to keep coming?

Willow: Escape was a big thing I needed when I was younger, and the Youth Environment Forum provided that for me. I went to a couple of other things (I was involved with a children’s circus group in Leeds for a long time), but the forum gave me so much. I was very shy initially but
having the opportunity to run workshops during the summits, and being surrounded by people I could connect with, really helped with my confidence and I became more comfortable just being myself. It also taught me how crucial it is to be aware of environmental struggles and to take care of the nature around us. This is something high school, despite giving students some talks on the subject, never really took the
time to focus on in depth. This is another reason why the Youth Environment Forum is so valuable to those involved.

Anthea: How has the Youth Environment Forum influenced you?

Willow: Despite not going on to study anything environmental, I have been greatly influenced by my involvement with the Youth Environment Forum – mainly creatively, through my passion for photography and film studies. Now going into my third and final year of university, I’m thinking about my creative dissertation question ideas, with a couple of them relating to the environment. Questions such as: ‘What can the film industry do to help tackle climate change and its influence on it?’ or ‘How have films already raised awareness of climate change and what can they do to improve on their impact?’ Then I’m hoping to make a short film based on the topic I choose.

I’ve also been encouraged to raise awareness with friends around me (especially the ones I live with) and we all try to do our bit, even if it’s small. The palm oil talks during a few of the summits were among the biggest things that stuck with me, and today I really try to look for products (from peanut butter to shampoo and conditioner) that contain little to no palm oil. It does put a small dent in my student finances but it’s all for the greater good.

I’m a great believer that it’s better to do something than nothing. Many people could look at how our world is being destroyed every day and lose enthusiasm to do anything about it, believing that their influence won’t affect a thing. It’s pessimistic and I don’t like it, because even if you are determined to do just one small thing to help our planet (whether it’s recycling, buying more sustainable products, sharing environmental issues on social media or joining a peaceful protest), the chances are that those close to you may be influenced to do something similar.
Now you’ve caused a chain reaction, making your small something into a slightly bigger something. You can make an impact. I have great hope that our generation has the power to make the changes our planet desperately needs, and YDMT youth engagement projects like Green Futures and the Youth Environment Forum provide the inspiration to help make that happen.

The Youth Environment Forum has indeed been a journey for me. Not only have I learnt a lot about our environment and how precious it is, but I’ve gained a lot of social skills – especially in my teenage years. The confidence I developed through the forum has helped me when having to pitch ideas in front of groups and/or important people at college and university.

I’ve also grown up with a lot of the people who have been coming for years and seen how much they’ve grown and changed through being a part of it. I’ve met some of my favourite people through the Youth Environment Forum and it’s always such a familiar and happy environment to come back to when I’m not in Bangor for uni. It’s incredible seeing those who have joined now, knowing how much they’ll benefit from being a part of such an amazing project.

This feature first appeared in Friends of the Dales membership magazine, Yorkshire Dales Review. For further information visit: www.friendsofthedales.org.uk