A fresh initiative aimed at connecting individuals with nature-based learning, volunteering and career opportunities in Wales has received substantial financial backing.
The Nature Service, also known as Y Gwasanaeth Natur, will create a comprehensive platform helping people navigate pathways into environmental work when it launches in spring 2027.
Funding exceeding £460,000 has been awarded through the National Lottery Community Fund’s Supporting Great Ideas programme.
The financial support will enable the creation of a national website and searchable directory cataloguing educational programmes, training schemes, volunteering positions and employment opportunities throughout Wales.
The initiative builds upon prior assistance from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and is currently being developed under the umbrella of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.
Organisers intend to spin the service off as an independent entity within eighteen months.
Initial research involving young people demonstrated considerable enthusiasm for careers centred on environmental restoration, though many participants reported uncertainty regarding how to enter such fields.
The service will consequently prioritise consolidating existing provisions into a single accessible resource.
A dedicated communications strategy will raise awareness of involvement opportunities while showcasing professional entry points into the sector.
Partnership with The Open University in Wales will investigate methods for ensuring all young people in the country can obtain meaningful practical experience with nature-related work.
The study will also assess how such involvement might be formally recognised to facilitate progression toward additional education, skills development or employment.
Daniel Lock, director of the Nature Service, indicated that large-scale environmental restoration depends equally upon human capacity and public participation alongside ecological expertise.
The platform would assist individuals from diverse backgrounds in contributing to Wales’ nature recovery objectives, climate adaptation efforts and sustainable employment creation.
Sue Pritchard, who serves as both chief executive of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission and co-chair of the Nature Service Development Board, noted that numerous organisations throughout Wales already provide learning, volunteering and career-building opportunities in this domain.
Consolidating these efforts into a unified national movement would amplify their collective effectiveness.
John Rose, director of the National Lottery Community Fund in Wales, expressed satisfaction that the project concentrates specifically on young people, stating that facilitating connections between youth and nature-based prospects aligns with the fund’s broader commitment to environmental and community benefit.
The contribution reflects the ongoing support provided by National Lottery participants.
Organisations capable of contributing relevant courses, placements, job vacancies or volunteering positions are being sought to participate in building the service’s directory and shape its development.