Young people make a huge difference in helping us to conserve the special qualities of the National Park.
What is youth social action?
Youth social action refers to younger people making a positive difference to others or the environment.
There are lots of opportunities for young people to get involved with youth social action in the North York Moors National Park. Some of these activities will suit individuals looking to take practical action themselves, whereas others are designed for group participation.
Recent research carried out with our Young Rangers established that through taking part in Social Action they had increased their environmental awareness and responsibility whilst improving their self-confidence and independence. It also brought benefits to their physical and mental wellbeing as well as improving their employability prospects, thus preparing them for the world of work.
Micro-volunteering
Micro-volunteering is a completely flexible form of volunteering which allows you to do good deeds by spending small amounts of time contributing to bigger projects or social action. There's no long-term commitment and people taking part in micro-volunteering require no training. Taking part in micro-volunteering projects can allow you to contribute to your local community, or to have a positive impact on a place you are visiting on a holiday or day trip.
For more information, and a list of micro-volunteering projects you could get involved with, please visit our Micro-volunteering page.
Young Rangers
Young Rangers is aimed at young people aged 11-17 years and allows participants to spend time outdoors and learn new skills while completing practical conservation tasks around the National Park.
The sessions take place once a month on a weekend in various locations around the National Park. They start at 10am and finish by 3pm and may include sessions such as bushcraft, vegetation control, footpath drainage, navigation skills and habitat or wildlife surveys.
For more information, please visit our Young Rangers page.
Green action days
A green action day sees a group of 6-12 young people take part in a practical conservation task in the North York Moors National Park. Example activities include;
- Tree planting
- Scrub clearance
- Habitat improvements
- Repairs to rights of way
- Litter picking
For more information or to book a green action day for your group, please visit the green action days page.
Youth voice
The North York Moors National Park Youth Voice is a collective of young people aged 16-30 working to vocalise the aspirations and concerns of a generation towards the future of our protected spaces and rural communities. Members will come from within the National Park and beyond, including Whitby, Scarborough, Redcar & Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Darlington, York, Thirsk, Northallerton, Stokesley, Pickering, Kirkbymoorside and Malton.
Participants will meet on a monthly basis, to share ideas, create meaningful campaigns, and develop initiatives.
Volunteering with our partners
Volunteering in the North York Moors doesn't have to mean volunteering with the National Park Authority. There are lots of organisation and community groups working in and around the North York Moors which would also be hugely grateful for your help and support. For more information, please visit the Volunteering area of our website, where you can find a list of our partner organisations.