An evaluation of Ulster Wildlife's Grassroots Challenge Project

This talk presents findings from an evaluation of Ulster Wildlife’s Grassroots Challenge Project, together with young people’s views, opinions and concerns about environmental issues and actions, which will be used to inform future work. The Grassroots Challenge gives young people aged 11 – 24 the opportunity to gain essential skills, knowledge and training to take action for wildlife in their local area, whilst also improving their confidence, employability and well-being.
This talk presents evidence that the Grassroots Challenge Project benefits the young people involved across all the evaluation statements, which represent the aims of the project. The young people who took part rated their connectness to nature as higher at the end of the project activities, more of them said they would now take part in environmental/nature/wildlife actions. They rated their overall Leadership Competence as a little higher at the end of the project but they rated their perceptions of their ability to influence environmental policy decisions as much higher at the end of the project. They also recognised that making a difference for nature makes a difference for them.
The majority of young people said they want to make a difference for nature but cited a lack of opportunities and/or the promotion of existing ones as a major issue. Many of the young people also explained that there should be more opportunities, publicised using a greater variety of mediums. They were positive about the Grassroots Challenge Project and would like to do more of this, citing the need for better provision through school. They call on policy makers and stakeholders to make more of these opportunities available to more young people.