Learning and skills trainee
Age - 24
Ben
Breaking into the environmental sector wasn’t easy for Ben after finishing university, but his New to Nature placement with the Heart of England Forest helped give him the practical experience he needed to work towards his goal of teaching and engaging people who lack access to nature.
Despite having a degree and experience working as an ectotherm zookeeper, Ben realised found that gaining the level of experience that’s asked for in the sector would require volunteering, something that wasn’t financially possible for him.
Things change when Ben discovered the Learning and Skills Intern role through the New to Nature programme. The position aligned perfectly with his interest in teaching.
During his placement, Ben delivered sessions to schools and young children linked to the national curriculum, which helped him improve his communication skills and gain valuable experience teaching.
“The New to Nature programme makes the nature sector accessible to all and has also given me the chance to network with like-minded people my age, something I’ve always struggled to do in this sector.”
Throughout the placement, Ben found a particular passion for delivering sessions to children who aren’t often able to access nature and learn outdoors. In the future, Ben hopes to improve people’s access to nature and create opportunities for people to explore and learn more about nature. These ambitions now feel more possible for Ben because of the invaluable experience and knowledge he’s gained through his New to Nature placement.
New to Nature is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the King’s Coronation, delivered through a partnership of Groundwork, The King’s Trust, Disability Rights UK, Mission Diverse and the Youth Environmental Service.
