Connecting chi
A raft of inspiring initiatives are launching to help connect young people in Sussex with nature and empower them to get involved in climate action.
The South Downs National Park Trust is announcing several schemes, including grants for schools across Sussex, funding for naturebased activities and a fun ecoart competition.
It comes as the trust, the official independent charity for the national park, is stepping up activities in 2022 to ensure more young people than ever before can enjoy the South Downs and connect with the amazing landscape, biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Julie Fawcett, chair of the South Downs National Park Trust, said: “Nature needs us now and that’s why all these initiatives are so important in the face of climate change.
“Young people are the future stewards of the South Downs, and indeed our planet, and so it’s vital that we help them learn about biodiversity and how we can protect it.
“Fortunately, young people are more nature-focused than perhaps ever before and there’s a real appetite to get involved with climate action.
“There are also many children and young people from towns and cities who may never have had the opportunity to visit a national park and we’re committed to ensuring that everyone gets the chance to connect with the natural world.”
The initiatives include making mini-grants of £150 are available for schools across Sussex to carry out an activity during the forthcoming summer term that helps tackle climate change or helps biodiversity flourish.
It could be creating new habitat for wildlife or encouraging responsible water usage, for example. Applications are open to schools in the national park and within 10km of the boundary .
Youth Action Fund grants of up to £1,000 have now been made available.
Organisations wanting to carry out projects that will empower and support young people between the ages of 12 and 25 to engage with the national park are invited to apply.
Beneficiaries last year included helping young refugees connect with the South Downs and 50 young people with complex learning
needs taking part in nature activities and there is funding to support approximately five additional project.
This fund is managed by the Trust on behalf of the national park authority and Clarion Housing and the deadline for applications is April 28.
A fun ‘clean-up and create’ competition has been launched and is open to all five to 16-yearolds living in Sussex.