We are thrilled to announce that thanks to National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded a £248,399 grant for our ‘Transforming Lives: Froglife Trainees’ project.
Our CEO Kathy Wormald, said: “this is a fantastic opportunity to encourage people from different backgrounds that are new to conservation into the sector. We know that there are many barriers to people from lower socio-economic and diverse ethnic backgrounds and we hope that the Transforming Lives project will help to break these down and breathe new life into the conservation world.”
The project will be working with up to fifteen aspiring conservationists (aged 16+) over three years. Each year the trainees will complete a comprehensive nature conservation training programme to equip them with the knowledge, skills and experience required to work as a Reserve Warden.
The nature conservation sector is the least diverse sector out of all of the charitable sectors, and the UK cannot save nature unless we have the buy-in of all communities living here. Froglife is working hard to ensure the sector reflects the UK’s diversity.
These trainees will reflect those under-represented in the sector and the project will provide an opening for individuals from all backgrounds, cultures and identities. The trainees will be supported by our Reserve Warden and Trainer on all elements of reserve management including surveying for wildlife and land management duties. The trainees will spend a day a week at each of the three reserves that Froglife manages for wildlife in Peterborough; Hampton Nature Reserve, Boardwalks and Thorpe Meadows and Eye Green.
Drew Bennellick, Head of Land and Nature Policy at The National Lottery Heritage Fund says: “We are delighted to support The Froglife Trust on this exciting nature conservation training programme. Engaging young people in nature is a vital step in combatting our declining natural heritage, and it’s thanks to National Lottery players that we are able to fund important trainee programmes like this.”
This project will make two major contributions, it will encourage people from diverse communities to become more involved with wildlife and improve habitats in Peterborough. The trainees will relay nature conservation messages from a UK perspective to their communities and they will evidence that the conservation sector want to be inclusive. The traineeship will equip these trainees to be able to obtain employment within the sector and encourage other organisations to run similar schemes, further widening the diversity within the sector through employment, volunteering and engagement.
For more information please visit: www.froglife.org/transforming-lives-froglife-trainees/