First impressions for Fairbridge youths
Published 15 October 2010
Imagine you have just set foot in the Lake District for the first time. Having grown up in a deprived inner city area, the almost impossibly beautiful mountains and lakes you see before you seem to go on forever.
At least that’s how one group of youths from Tyne and Wear recently explained their visit to the Lakes.
The group of teenagers visited the area with Fairbridge, an organisation that works with young people aged 13-25 that other organisations find difficult to engage.
During their visit the group not only admired the landscape but also got their hands dirty by helping the Fix the Fells project to conserve it.
Rob Clarke from the National Trust volunteering centre at High Wray basecamp explained why Fairbridge came to be involved in Lake District conservation:
“Here at basecamp we work with a number of different volunteering groups, from working holidays to special needs groups.
“It’s so important that young people have the chance to learn how precious our landscape is and how much work goes in to conserving it. There’s a massive difference between the environment doing something for you, by providing exciting activities, and you doing something for the environment by getting your hands dirty!”
The group spent their visit clearing weeds and carrying out path repair and maintenance work at Ash Landing Nature Reserve.
Arran (pictured left) from the Fairbridge group explained:
“We’re renewing the paths, edging along, making it spick and span. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, feeling I’ve put my own little bit back into the community; not my own community, but I’ve loved it”.
Staff from Fairbridge believe that inside every disadvantaged young person, there is a confident, positive, individual trying to break out. Last year, Fairbridge helped 4,000 take their first step. Most were classed as having ‘multiple needs’, such as homelessness, substance misuse or a history of offending. Yet over the last 12 months, almost two-thirds went on to achieve something tangible. They returned to the classroom, started a college course, got a qualification or found a job.
Colin, Development Tutor at Fairbridge, revealed how working in the Lake District with the Fix the Fells project has helped support the organisation’s aims:
“We’re here working with the National Trust as part of a work based programme to hopefully help our young people understand what it is to have a job - the benefits; what’s tough about having a job; and get them thinking about where they want to move on to and what they want to do with their lives’.
The Fix the Fells team are hoping to develop their relationship with the UK-wide Fairbridge organisation and hopefully help more young people. A group from the West Midlands centre are hoping to visit basecamp in October.
