Grants and Outreach Officer
Age - 21
Nina
New to Nature was an opportunity to start a journey toward a career in conservation that Nina no longer thought was possible with her level of experience.
Through her position as Grants and Outreach Officer at Cotswolds National Landscape, Nina gained the knowledge and contacts to continue in the conservation sector and champion a more sustainable future.
Diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a teenager, Nina was unable to complete A-Levels or work full-time hours, but by building herself up gradually after school she was able to take a part-time shift in retail.
Nina sought a nature-based role and regularly looked for entry-level trainee jobs, but most were unsuitable, requiring further qualifications or full-time commitment. It soon became clear to Nina that she would struggle to find a way into conservation without higher education and she resigned herself to working in low-level corporate administration roles for the foreseeable future.
When Nina saw a job listing for New to Nature on an environment jobs website, she was blown away by Cotswolds National Landscape. Not only did they enact incredible and varied work in the natural environment and in local communities, but upon applying, they provided comfort by immediately accommodating Nina’s needs and flexibility.
“Nature-based jobs are vital to our future, but the inclusion of underrepresented groups within this sector is even more important. With schemes like this, we can have a well-rounded workforce of young people who are passionate about creating a better future.”
Nina’s work was primarily office-based and project-focused, but always enjoyably varied, and full of opportunities to learn about the organisation, the wider area, and environmental practices. As well as learning how grant processes work, Nina built her knowledge base with essential contextual information in preparation for future work.
Before New to Nature, Nina felt stuck in a life that she hadn’t pictured, due to her health condition. This experience made Nina realise she is capable of physically doing more than she thought, especially when she does work outdoors. Her mental wellbeing was also positively impacted; helped by the invaluable support and respect of her colleagues, especially her line manager, who was always on hand.
This placement was Nina’s first step into the conservation sector – she truly was new to nature! But it won’t be her last. Nina’s experience of working at Cotswolds National Landscape and participating in multiple projects has supplied her with the confidence to continue in the sector, with aspirations of linking to community engagement by educating the wider public on nature-based solutions.
Following her New to Nature placement, Nina has now progressed into a further role with Cotswolds National Landscape as Grants and Access Officer, where she will be working on a DEFRA funded scheme that allocates funds to remove barriers to nature in the Cotswolds.
Laura said:
“My specific placement as Grants and Outreach Officer was unlike any other entry-level opportunity I had seen before, so I was really keen to apply for this.
“Programmes like New to Nature are life-changing. If the programme hadn’t actively sought applications from those with disabilities and health conditions, I wouldn’t have felt confident enough to apply.”
