Our vision is that everyone should be confident to visit and enjoy our National Parks. This means that everyone can receive the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in the parks and has the knowledge to help protect them.
However, we know there are inequalities in accessing National Parks, including people from ethnically diverse communities.
We have received a development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to begin developing the Championing National Parks for Everyone project. The project aims to work with people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.
The project is led by the charity Peak District Mosaic, who will work with the North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Dales National Park and Peak District National Park. Derbyshire Dales Council for Voluntary Service are also a project partner, working to help build capacity and infrastructure.
Championing National Parks for Everyone is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, the project will support more people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities to have the skills and resources to build a lifelong relationship with their National Parks.
What we hope the project will achieve
A range of opportunities are currently being developed across and around the three National Parks.
In the North York Moors National Park, we are planning on particularly working with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who live in Teesside.
We hope the final project will:
- Support more people to connect with nature and enjoy the National Parks
- Deliver outdoor activity days and training events that develop skills, confidence and awareness of the benefits of National Parks
- Deliver training sessions and provide resources to create a network of Community Champions, who are empowered to lead their own visits that introduce others to the National Parks in the way they think best
- Provide new employment and training opportunities into the sector
- Provide a variety of volunteering opportunities meeting the needs and interests of these communities
Developing and getting feedback on our plans
The project has recently reach the end of its development phase and final plans have been submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for approval. If we are successful in our application, we hope the project will start in early 2024.
How you can be involved
If you are interested in learning about the project and helping us to shape it. then please get in contact Heather McNiff on outdoorlearning@northyorkmoors.org.uk