Choose Nature CIC are able to extend their Nurture through Nature project with a grant from the Commissioner’s Community Grant Scheme

Choose Nature works to increase the well-being of individuals, communities and the environment by inspiring life-long learning and care in their calm and enriching outdoor spaces.

With a £3,000 grant from the Commissioner’s Community Grant Scheme developed an existing collaboration with Badger Forest School & Outdoor Learning’s successful Nurture Programme provision – supporting children’s emotional wellbeing and thus overall development to reintegrate into education and community. 

Being trauma-informed, using PACE model and being in the outdoors in all weathers, children are assisted to understand their emotions, triggers and behaviours, so they can build trusted relationships and learn self-regulation/management techniques. These early interventions aim to prevent future anti-social behaviours through the therapeutic conversations and activities. 

75 young people benefitted from the provision and reported increased self-esteem and confidence, an increased sense of belonging and a reduction of stress and anxiety.

Alex*, 13yo, came to use because he was on repeated fixed term exclusions from secondary school as well as having police and social care involvements due to being in trouble in his local community. It was hoped that by accessing our Nurture Programme we would be able to reengage with education and benefit from support to steer away from anti-social behaviour by fostering a greater belief in himself and his potential. The leaders focused a lot on emotional support work around guiding Alex to be able to recognise and understand the impact of his behaviour on himself in terms of education, his relationship with his peers and the community (where he was gaining a poor reputation), and the impact on where he was living and being able to remain with his primary care giver. 

By Alex understanding more about himself, his actions, and the impacts this was having on himself and others, his awareness grew considerably, which in turn raised self-esteem and improved his communication skills, which assisted in personal growth. This was also noticed by his family and social worker, such as reduction in absconding and associated anti-social behaviours. 

*name changed to protect identity.

Thank you for taking the time to believe in us and our work, as much as we believe in the potential of the young people we support. Together, as a community, we can make a difference, and we hope this is an avenue that will be pursued further as a preventative approach, ensuring interventions at younger ages continue to be valued and understood so that the future continues to offer positive opportunities. – Choose Nature CIC

About the Fund

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Grants FundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions. is part of the Police and Crime Plan 2021-2025.

The aim of the fund is to support safe, resilient and connected communities with a key focus on crime prevention initiatives to make community spaces safer and education and/or activities for people with drug and alcohol issues.

Since 2022 over £220,000 has been awarded to groups across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

For more information about Choose Nature CIC visit www.choose-nature.co.uk

If you are a community group looking for funding, please view our available grants: Applying for a grant – Cornwall Community Foundation

If you are looking to support the Cornwall Community Foundation with a donation, click here: Online payment – Cornwall Community Foundation