Force of Nature Campaign
Force of Nature was an exciting campaign that asked environmental organisations to think differently about how we diversify our workforce and boost the environment sector.
Over 80 environmental organisations from across the UK pledged to be a ‘Force of Nature’ in an initiative designed to ask the sector to create more accessible pathways for young people and will seek to inspire those from all backgrounds to view jobs in nature as a viable career path.
The campaign ran between November 2023 – February 2024, with the latter part focusing on encouraging young people into the green jobs sector and why their next career move should be a step in the green direction.
Why was the campaign designed?
Employers in the green sector must take a proactive approach to improving equality, diversity, and inclusion practices in their organisations, engaging in targeted recruitment in underrepresented communities and supporting people to acquire the required skills for careers in nature.
Doing so will not only benefit the sector, bringing unique and varied perspectives and ideas to the table, but it will transform the employment opportunities for thousands of people across the UK.
What’s more – it will help to create healthier, happier, and greener communities for us all.
Organisations that signed up included:
Aspire Community Works, Bankside Open Spaces Trust, Buckinghamshire Conservation Trust, Collingwood Primary School, Glendale, Felixstowe’s Community Nature Reserve, Ignite Unlocking Potential, The Oxfordshire Woodland Group, Woodcraft Folk, Bankside Open Spaces Trust, Ignite Unlocking Potential ltd, Parks for London, Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC, Soul Trail Wellbeing, Trees for Cities and The Mammal Society.
Building a legacy
Since the campaign has ended, a call to action publication has been released to call on the government and the environmental sectors to do more to create accessible pathways into nature-based jobs, to diversify the sector and deliver our ambitions for nature recovery.
The ‘Force of Nature – Reversing Nature’s Decline and Promoting Equity in the Green Transition’ publication sets out the need to ensure equity in the transition to a greener economy, through the creation of entry level green jobs that help tackle the climate and nature crises.
Resource Hub: Diversifying the Environmental Sector
Groundwork’s Resource Hub for employers shares learnings and practical tools from New to Nature to help environmental organisations to build more accessible recruitment practices and create inclusive working environments.
About New to Nature
The campaign was powered by the New to Nature programme – led by community charity, Groundwork and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
New to Nature offered new, full-time, temporary work placements in nature and landscape organisations across the UK, aiming to increase diversity and enrich the environmental sector.
Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the King’s Coronation, the programme ran until December 2024 and provided paid work placements for 98 people, targeting young people from diverse backgrounds to undertake a range of environmental roles.
New to Nature was delivered through a partnership of Groundwork, The King’s Trust, Disability Rights UK, Mission Diverse and the Youth Environmental Service.
