Social action stations

John Muir Award England and Wales Manager Phil Stubbington talks about the need to take practical social action for nature

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the way that we think about the benefit of, and access to wild places - both close to home and further afield - as well as how to care for these environments for the future.

The John Muir Trust has been supporting taking action for nature for over 30 years: both through our volunteer conservation work parties (which in 2019 saw 135 volunteers donate 503 days of volunteer action); and through the conservation and campaigning activities involved in our environmental award - the John Muir Award.

In 2019 over 43,000 people got involved in practical conservation through the John Muir Award, contributing at least 363,280 hours of practical conservation and environmental social action, valued at £1.5 million, based on National Lottery Heritage Fund figures.

Back in 2016 the Trust joined the #iwill campaign to promote the value of social action to young people aged 10 to 24 and their communities across the UK. Over the past five years we are proud that the John Muir Award has helped ensure that thousands of young people can access social action opportunities to make a positive difference to others, or the environment, wherever they live and whatever their background.

In early June the #iwill campaign launches its latest initiative - the #PowerOfYouth challenge - asking organisations to invest in, listen to and work with young people.

By working in partnership with our fantastic network of Providers across the UK, our John Muir Award can help create opportunities for young people to take more responsibility for the world around them. 

As one of our Providers, a teacher at Timberley Academy in Birmingham, says: “It is more important than ever that children question what the adults are doing about the way we treat the earth. I think the John Muir Award is a great opportunity for children to talk about what is happening and what they can do to help.”

With almost 90 per cent of John Muir Award participants aged 24 and under, you can be sure that - thanks to the generous support of our members and supporters - the John Muir Trust will continue to support the next generation…. NOW.

Find out more about #iwill’s Power of Youth Challenge.

Photo by Martin MacLeod taken from his films about Young people and Nature