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Pathways to Nature

Senses – Emotions – Beauty – Meaning - Compassion

A Training Course for Youth Workers to learn new

approaches to using nature in their work

with young people

Sunday, April 2nd – Saturday, April 8th, 2023

(including Travel days)

Woodstown, County Waterford, Ireland

Woodstown Residential and Activity Centre

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Information Pack for

Participants

Background and Theme of the Project

Have you ever wondered why young people just seem happier and in better form after they’ve

spent the day outside in nature?

Fresh air, glorious sunshine, reviving rain, wild wind, and sparkling snow – they all just seem

to add to our positive feelings. It’s almost as if we were actually meant to live closer to nature,

rather than surrounded by concrete, glass, LED lighting and tarmac!

Many youth workers want to use nature as a background for youth work, simply because it

adds enormously to the outcomes that we’re looking to create with young people.

Sometimes though, it can be a challenge for young people to motivate themselves to get out

in the open air, even though they know that it’s good for them. This Course brings together

Youth Workers, and people who work with young people, to explore new pathwaysto connect

young people with nature. We’ll learn from each other, from different Trainers, and we’ll learn

from nature itself – all with a view to supporting and encouraging young people to connect

with nature on their own terms.

16 participants will live with and learn from each other during a week at Woodstown

Residential and Activity Centre on the south east coast of Ireland.

It will be a very interactive week, with participants taking a full active role in all activities.

Participants will be outdoors, and learning through doing for most of the week. We’ll be

exploring the countryside, meeting the locals, and taking part in the unique cultural life of

this lovely corner of our little island!

We’ll be using the 4 distinct environments of County Waterford on the south east coast of

Ireland as a backdrop to the week:

• Seashore

• Mountains

• Forests

• Grassland

Each participant will be asked to prepare a short, interactive Presentation, from their own

countries, highlighting the best ideas and examples involving youth work, young people and

nature.

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The week will be constructed around 5 Pathways to Nature Connection:

Sunday Participants arrive at

Woodstown

• Getting to know each other

Monday –

Senses

Exploring and

experiencing nature

through all the

senses

• Exploring our environment through

all of our senses at the beach and

along the seashore, with Spanish

actress, Elena Serrano, using the

methodology of Labyrinth Theatre

Tuesday –

Emotions

Noticing and

welcoming the

feelings that nature

inspires

• Elena will be with us for a second

day focusing on emotions and

feelings, as we seek the wilderness,

and untangle our own emotions

• Enjoying the hospitality at a local

traditional Irish music ‘session’

Wednesday- Beauty

Seeking and

appreciating the

beauty of the natural

world

• Exploring the beauty of the forests

and grasslands of Waterford with

Tom Kent, who’s a Forestry lecturer

at Waterford University

• Exploring the Comeragh mountains

with mountain leader,

Declan O Driscoll

Thursday –

Meaning

Celebrating and

sharing nature’s

events and stories

• Sharing our experiences from

various European countries –

learning what works from our

partners and friends

• Storytelling workshop with a local

director and actor, James Rockett

Friday –

Compassion

Helping and caring

for nature

• Planting trees in remote mountain

areas

• Clearing the seashore in a wild

section of the cliffs and coastline

• Celebration and evaluation of our

learning

Saturday Participants depart

the venue

• Final breakfast together