A new partnership between the National Children’s Bureau, Gwent Wildlife Trust and Wilder Connections is co-designing a training programme for early years practitioners and community playgroup leaders across Gwent, Wales.
Through funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, Growing Nature-Connected Communities will work directly with practitioners, parents, caregivers and young children to explore the specific needs, barriers and opportunities within early years and playgroup settings, particularly in communities experiencing deprivation and limited access to nature.
The project builds on NCB’s proven early years training programme Natural Thinkers and blends NCB’s expertise in early childhood development and practitioner training, alongside Gwent Wildlife Trust’s strong local relationships and experience in community engagement, and Wilder Connections’ integration of psychological theory with programme delivery.
Growing Nature-Connected Communities aims to support the development of nature-connected communities within which under-fives, their caregivers and the adults who support them can experience the developmental and wellbeing benefits of time spent in nature.
Insights gathered during the development phase will inform a practical, inclusive and evidence-informed training model that can be embedded sustainably within existing services and later delivered at scale across Gwent.
Find out more about Natural Thinkers and other NCB early years training