As part of our nationwide Volunteers’ Week running from 1 to 7 June, today’s blog is about the experiences of two of our volunteers engaging with schools to bring children closer to nature.
Through the Aldi Schools Outreach Project, the RSPB has provided over 200,000 connections to nature experiences for children since it began in 2015, and over 330,000 connections to nature across all the projects as a result of this partnership. This would not have been possible without our amazing team of trained volunteers who lead the sessions in school grounds in cities across Great Britain.
Rowan Cannel volunteers with the project in Edinburgh, gaining valuable skills to enable her to hopefully land her dream job one day:
“Like many, I have always been passionate about nature and the environment. Since completing my degree I was looking to embark upon a career in conservation, and it was through this search that I found the RSPB Scotland Schools’ Outreach Volunteer post.
“We were in a school’s eco garden doing a bug hunt when a child asked, ‘Are you really a REAL scientist?’ to which I replied, ‘Well yes, I studied nature science at university for a long time’. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, ‘I’ve never met a real scientist before’. The rest of the group were quick to declare how they all wanted to be scientists when they were older and my heart began to swell.
“I will never tire of the excitement expressed by children when they realise how much nature is actually on their doorstep, and how easy it can be for them to help conserve it. Something as small as 90 minutes talking about and experiencing the nature around them can plant the seed of interest that grows a child into an ecologist.
“Volunteering on this project has genuinely been one of the best decisions I have made since leaving university. The feeling of satisfaction teaching gives is like no other, and I will continue to pursue teaching opportunities long after I leave the project.”
Kevin Beck started volunteering with the Aldi project in Glasgow in October 2017:
“I was immediately aware of the importance of the project and with support from Sandra Aird, the Project Officer, I quickly gained the necessary experience. As a kid I was lucky enough to grow up in a small town surrounded by beautiful countryside and iconic wildlife. This is where I spent most of my free time, it was the time when the foundations of my passion for nature and conservation were built. It is well documented that there is a decline in the time our children these days spend outdoors in natural places, and ultimately that special connection with the natural world is often lost at an early stage.
The Aldi project helps to bridge this gap. The attitude and commitment from the children during the sessions has been overwhelming. I firmly believe that building these bridges creates an understanding and an appreciation for nature and the wild spaces on their door steps.”
To see where we are currently working, visit our Schools Outreach page. If you’d like to volunteer, for all necessary training and resources, drop an email to outreach@rspb.org.uk