We are delighted to be sponsoring the Young  Leaders course organised by the British Trust for Ornithology.

Update: The course is now closed for 2023. Read our report from the event

2023 Report

Date: 21st -24th August 2023
Venue: Cameron's Cottage, New Forest

This course will be open to young people aged between 18 - 24 (inclusive) who want to make a difference to the natural world.  This course focuses on skills that will help you advance as a leader and will include practical skills and theoretical skills as well as communication skills and working with other people.  

The course is aimed is held over 4 days at Cameron's Cottage in the New Forest. The participants undertake a wide range of activities aimed at improving their skills as leaders. They learn everything from making the most of social media to turning their passion for nature into a career.

Some of the activities took me a little by surprise but having done them I felt that I had definitely gained confidence. Having the opportunity to go birding in the area at the start and end of each day was also fantastic

Course Objectives

Negotiating and influencing; how to use a leadership position to affect positive change.
Guiding events; from bird walks to debates, how do you run and organise a safe and inclusive event?
Networking; put into practice some of the theory around networking in an interactive activity.
Building a community; how do you bring together a variety of stakeholders for the greater good?
Working in partnership; understanding the importance of working together in the sector.
Practical skills; such as running successful meetings, making presentations, and writing CVs

For an insight into this great opportunity, read a report by a previous year's winner Jonathan Farooqi 

Banner image above White-rumped Sandpiper by Jonathan Farooqi