Training Update
PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK
YOUTH RANGERS TASTER DAY
Saturday 15th March 2008
12pm-5pm
Losehill Hall Environment Centre
For Youth Leaders and Community Workers who work with young people, in association with Mosaic Partnership @ the Losehil Hall Environment Learning Centre, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S33 8WB
SATURDAY MARCH 15th at 12 - 5PM
Whether you have a passion for getting young people between 11-13 years old, more actively involved in environmental education, or if you want to stimulate their choices for employment by exposing them to new and exciting career paths or you just simply want them to discover more places to see and things to do, this taster day is for you.
To book you must live or work with young people from the following places Sheffield, Barnsley, Oldham, Manchester, Derbyshire Dales, Derby, Kirklees, Macclesfield, Staffordshire & High Peak, then email me to reserve your place! Its as simple as that!
Accommodation is available if the arrival or return journey will prove difficult. Transport and training will be subsides by the Mosaic Partnership & Peak District National Park Authority.
Come and experience the packages and events that the young people themselves will experience, get first hand knowledge of the activities and how best to integrate them into your existing training and team or character building packages, a valuable resource for committed youth development workers.
Please send your request to Junie@cnp.org.uk
Training Update
PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK
YOUTH RANGERS TASTER DAY
Saturday 15th March 2008
12pm-5pm
Losehill Hall Environment Centre
For Youth Leaders and Community Workers who work with young people, in association with Mosaic Partnership @ the Losehil Hall Environment Learning Centre, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S33 8WB
SATURDAY MARCH 15th at 12 - 5PM
Whether you have a passion for getting young people between 11-13 years old, more actively involved in environmental education, or if you want to stimulate their choices for employment by exposing them to new and exciting career paths or you just simply want them to discover more places to see and things to do, this taster day is for you.
To book you must live or work with young people from the following places Sheffield, Barnsley, Oldham, Manchester, Derbyshire Dales, Derby, Kirklees, Macclesfield, Staffordshire & High Peak, then email me to reserve your place! Its as simple as that!
Accommodation is available if the arrival or return journey will prove difficult. Transport and training will be subsides by the Mosaic Partnership & Peak District National Park Authority.
Come and experience the packages and events that the young people themselves will experience, get first hand knowledge of the activities and how best to integrate them into your existing training and team or character building packages, a valuable resource for committed youth development workers.
Please send your request to Junie@cnp.org.uk
News archive
Community Champions Annual Event 19th-21st October 2007
This year our Annual Event was held in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales at the spectacular former shooting lodge, Grinton YHA, in Richmond.
Champions from Newport, Middlesbrough, Sheffield. Leicester, Birmingham, Derby & Ashton-Under-Lyne, along with key staff members from the YHA and Peak District, North York Moors, Brecon Beacons, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authorities, all came together for this eagerly awaited annual gathering. This year's keynote speaker was the new Chair for the Peak District National Park Authority, Narendra Bajaria, who kept the delegates entertained and informed about his new challenging and rewarding role. Other Speakers Dr Nim Njunguna and representatives from the Mosaic Partnership management committee added their warm welcome and shared their expertise with the champions. There was also plenty of opportunity for the Champions to network, share ideas and consult with National Park staff and executives about their expectations and contribution to the national parks movement on mass.
But you would be right in thinking, that all these people (in excess of 50) were not here to talk and discuss alone. The weather was determined to give the Dales the backdrop that showed them off in full autumnal glory. In fact better weather & conditions could not have been ordered to such perfection, but that is exactly what we had, perfect weather and perfect conditions. The activities chosen again with amazing insight from Bill Wood and his intuitive team were pitched at the right pace and intensity with options for all & subsequently was enjoyed by all. From geocacheing to Horseriding, to a gentle stroll to the village, Reeth, to a walk through freeholders woods on to Aysgarth Falls all the activities were, yes you got it PERFECT!
I had better quit here while I am ahead, but reports from Champions who recorded their views and that of fellow attendees, will be out in our Event Special Newsletter due out in January 2008.
Community Champions Annual Event - 10th to 12th November 2006
The weekend was a mixture of presentations, guest speakers, questions & answer and workshops, all with the aim to help and inspire our Champions into another of activity and to celebrate their involvement during 2006.
Our speakers included CNP’s Chairman Kate Ashbrook, Judy Ling Wong from the Black Environment Network (BEN) and CNP’s Vice Chairman (Wales) Mary Taylor, who also officially welcomed and opened the weekend of events. This led on to a dynamic question and answer session.
Following on from the success of last year we invited Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones (aka The Black Farmer) to encourage and inspire our Champions to continue their involvement with the National Parks and the Mosaic Partnership, and with the countryside debate in general. The responses from the Champions was truly heart warming, as all present, including NPA staff and members made renewed commitments to look for opportunities to increase their involvement with engaging Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, acknowledging once again that it is their right to be exposed to the countryside and all it has to offer (excerpts will be transcribed for the Mosaic Partnership website in December 2006). Our new speaker, Director of BEN Judy Ling Wong, was also one of the partners in the former Mosaic Project (2001-2004); this was a wonderful opportunity for Judy to see the development of the Mosaic Partnership and to meet the Champions that have evolved as a result. Judy was an inspiring speaker, drawing on her years of experience in the field and her vast and extensive knowledge about the complexities of working with BME communities and the environment; her wisdom helped to challenge our group leaders/Community Champions into declarations of even more active participation in countryside matters.
Over the weekend we attended a local craft market and also visited the visitor centre in Libanus, where some of our Community Champions were able to see for the first time stunning views of Pen y fan & Corn Du and experience a short walk on Brecon Common.
The celebratory elements took the form of entertainment from Cardiff/Bristol based African band Achille while the Community Champions relaxed and reflected on the first day. During our Presentation morning the Mosaic Partnership team presented each Champion with their own pack, which included photos of their visits over the past year, certificates for their participation in training visits, planning visits and fundraising, plus certificates acknowledging their pathway within the Mosaic Partnership scheme. The Champions response to this was overwhelming and if we didn’t realise it before, we were left in no doubt of the importance of valuing volunteers and demonstrating the appreciation of their time, dedication and other unquantifiable resources given to enable the success of such a partnership project.
This event was a success because all who attended were challenged, encouraged and inspired. Next year, in keeping with our rotating through the Parks and offering different experiences for all who attend, we will hold the event in Bradford with trips out to the wider Yorkshire Dales as opposed to being based in the Park. We are looking forward to seeing the ideas and community initiated partnerships that have already started as a result of this year’s activities, and are starting to prepare for our Community Champions event 2007 with these celebrations in mind.
12.06 - BBC Radio 4, You & Yours
04.11.06 - The Telegraph
November 06 - Trail Magazine
25.07.06 - Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Foreign Correspondent. Article including coverage of Group Leader Visit to Brecon Beacons National Park
16.05.06 - BBC Radio Cleveland
09.05.06 - Guardian, Good Lives: Hawarun Hussain
03.04.06 - BBC Asian Network, Drivetime
18.02.06 - BBC NEWS web site (Derby): Community Champions Event
18.02.06 - BBC Radio 4, The Today Programme: Community Champions Event
Community Champions Annual Event - 16th to 18th February 2006
The Mosaic Partnership’s Community Champions recently gathered in the heart of the Peak District National Park to boost their community’s involvement with National Parks in England and Wales.
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Losehill Hall National Park Study Centre, Hope Valley |
The spectacular Losehill Hall Study Centre near Castleton provided the setting for the Champion’s first annual get-together. They came together to join in workshops and training activities while experiencing first-hand the beauty of the Peak District.
National Parks came into being over 50 years ago. At this time it was famously stated that “National Parks are not for any privileged or otherwise restricted section of the population, but for all who care to refresh their minds and spirits and to exercise their bodies in a peaceful setting of natural beauty” (from ‘National Parks in England & Wales,’ 1945).
“This sense of ownership of the whole community is currently missing,” said Junie Joseph, Community Champions Project Officer for the Mosaic Partnership. “The project therefore aims to equip the Community Champions with the skills and confidence they need to get themselves and their communities more involved in enjoying and ensuring the future care of National Parks.”
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Community Champions at Losehill Hall |
The following morning included a series of informative presentations about National Parks and the Mosaic Partnership. The Community Champions also enjoyed a long discussion about what they felt were the barriers to BME communities visiting and making the most of National Parks. This was followed by sharing ideas about what could be done to overcome these barriers. Better information seems to be the key and there was a strong consensus on the need for audio-visual information (DVDs, CDs etc) rather than just printed information.
In the afternoon, the Community Champions had a choice of outdoor activities led by the National Park rangers: a hike in the hills to Curbar Edge or a leisurely stroll around the village of Castleton.
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Community Champions and staff |
Back at Losehill Hall, the Champions were introduced to the wide range of opportunities available to them through the Mosaic Partnership. This included discussions about training events, visits to National Parks and opportunities to be mentored by National Park’s staff.
Nurjahan Ali Arobi, Walking for Health Co-ordinator for Bradford City teaching Primary Care Trust said, “These sessions gave a good illustration of the choices available to Community Champions as well as giving us a chance to air our ideas.”
The guest speaker on the Friday evening was Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones. Based on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, Wilfred is better known as The Black Farmer© and now produces a top-of-the-range brand of sausages and sauces under this name. Community Champion Henry Cofie Squire of Derby Millennium Network described Wilfred as “very inspiring and a positive role model for the project.”
The evening concluded with a performance of traditional and contemporary Asian dance by a group of young people from the Asian Youth Inspiration in Leicester, followed by a set from DJ Mitesh.
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(left) Asian Youth Inspiration |
Rashmi has also been a Member of the Broads Authority (a National Park in the East of England) over the last three years. Rashmi explained the interesting and varied nature of her role and strongly encouraged other Community Champions to think about becoming Members of National Park Authorities. She recognised that the Mosaic Partnership offered a good model to achieve this through the opportunity to be mentored by Members of National Park Authorities.
The final event of the day saw the Community Champions take part in a fundraising workshop. The participants were introduced to techniques for writing a good application for charitable trust funds, as well as exploring ideas for fundraising events.
The Community Champions event finished with yet another excellent meal from the Losehill Hall staff and some of the Champions were a little sad that they had to go home! However, it seems that a good time was had by all.
Shabana Din, a Keighley–based Community Champion for National Parks said of the event, “Through all the sessions it was evident that Mosaic wanted to listen to what the Champions had to say and I'm confident that people’s suggestions will be taken on board. What really shone through was the passion that the Mosaic team had in their commitment to get BME communities into the National Parks.”
The Mosaic Partnership is still searching for more Community Champions. "We’re particularly interested to hear from anyone who lives within a couple of hours of either the Peak District, North York Moors, Brecon Beacons or Yorkshire Dales National Parks," said Junie Joseph. "Having a passion for National Parks and being an active member of a BME community is all that we ask for."
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29.07.2005 – Asian News: Group Leader Visit to the Peak District National Park, July 2005
08.06.2005 – Young People Now magazine
19.05.2005 – BBC NEWS web site: Project launch
04.05.2005 – Peak District National Park Authority – Press release at project launch
National Parks boost links with black and ethnic groups
The Peak District National Park Authority is strengthening its drive to encourage more people from black and ethnic communities to enjoy the countryside.
The Mosaic Partnership, in which the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Brecon Beacons National Parks are taking part, aims to get black and ethnic people more closely involved with the work of their nearest national park, either as volunteers, employees or as members.
These four areas were chosen to lead the way as they are closest to major multicultural urban populations - in the Peak District's case, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds and the Midlands.
In addition the Mosaic Partnership will train and develop "community champions" to act as ambassadors and information channels between their own communities and the national parks.
A Peak District training weekend for local champions will be held in July, giving them the background to encourage more people to learn about and visit the National Park, and a special launch event will be held in the Peak in October.
The £1m Mosaic Partnership, managed by the Council for National Parks, will run for three-and-a-half years and will build on the foundations of the previous Mosaic Project, which reached out to black and ethnic communities on a smaller scale.
The Peak District National Park Authority was an enthusiastic participant in the three-year Mosaic Project and now works closely with groups such as the Sheffield Black and Ethnic Environmental Network (SHEBEEN), the multi-ethnic ARDIC youth group, from Wolverhampton, and, nationally, the Black Environment Network.
The new partnership also aims to encourage other organisations within national parks to work more closely with black and ethnic communities.
Tony Hams, chair of the Peak District National Park Authority, said: "This is a further commitment by the Authority to encourage diversity in all aspects of our work. We want to involve a wide range of audiences in experiencing the National Park, and enhance their skills and knowledge about national park matters.
"We are really hoping that, by enabling more people from black and ethnic backgrounds to experience the delights of the National Park, they will perhaps want to learn more and make more visits".
The majority of the funding is provided by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £635,000, with the remainder of the cash coming from the four national parks involved, the Countryside Agency, Nationwide Building Society and Lloyds TSB Foundation.
Kathy Moore, Council for National Parks' chief executive, said: "This work is ambitious, but absolutely crucial to secure future support for the national parks and to ensure that more people benefit from what these fantastic landscapes have to offer."