Dales Youth Volunteers Secure ‘Green’ Jobs 

Two youth volunteers from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have secured exciting new ‘green’ jobs.

Lydia Gill (27) from Hawes is joining Dartmoor National Park Authority as a Ranger Apprentice, while Alice Rich (22) from Ilkley is joining the Leeds City Council trees team.  

 Both have been volunteering through the Generation Green ‘Up Skill, Down Dale’ youth volunteering programme, which aims to provide skills to support a route to employment in the ‘green economy’ through inspiration, experiences, skills training, and career development.  

Nick Cotton, Member Champion for Recreation Management at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “We’re thrilled that Lydia and Alice have secured such great opportunities, which is testament to their hard work and focus, and I’d like to thank officers in the Trees & Woodlands and Ranger teams who mentored them both throughout their time with us.   

 “When we presented our volunteering strategy last month we said that young people should be the inspiration and catalyst for growing our green economy, and our approach will hopefully support their journey through education and volunteering into employment". 

 Alison Stevens, Head of Education & Youth at YHA (England & Wales), which is hosting the Generation Green project on behalf of the 15 partners, said: “I am delighted that Generation Green has been able to act as the steppingstone to Lydia and Alice’s new careers in the outdoors. At the end of the 16-month project, Generation Green will have provided over 100,000 opportunities throughout England to support young people, like Lydia and Alice, to gain access to routes to employment. This is part of a longer-term aim to diversify the workforce of the wider outdoor sector, so that we can build towards a more inclusive and representative future.”  

 The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority currently has 12 youth volunteers as part of the Generation Green ‘Up Skill, Down Dale’ youth volunteering programme, and recently announced ambitious new education, engagement and volunteering plans aimed at young people and under-represented groups.