Charity leaders' walk delivers new relationships, projects and shared learning
As part of its commitment to reach five million young people by 2025 and connect them to opportunities in nature, YHA (England & Wales) brought together 20 charity leaders in the outdoors recently.
Sarah Vibert CEO of NCVO and Lizzie Glithero-West Chief Executive of The Heritage Alliance, were amongst leaders that joined YHA Chief Executive James Blake at YHA South Downs in Sussex for a four-mile walk.
The Leaders' Walk was one of a number of in person and online meetings YHA has orchestrated with charities, groups and organisations since the launch of its 10-year strategy in 2020.
Within the strategy, YHA acknowledged that it was only through collaboration across the charitable sector that would enable it to achieve its vision of ending ‘the inequity that means some children have never been to a beach, visited a museum or rolled down a hill.'
As part of its commitment to promoting collaboration across the charity and not-for-profit sectors, YHAisnow looking to work with charity sector networks to see how it can run walks for charity leaders to connect.
Most recently, YHA collaborated with five not-for-profit outdoor education providers (Access Unlimited) to deliver the ground-breaking Generation Green project that reached more than 115,000 young people in just 16 months.
James Blake, Chief Executive of YHA (England & Wales) who led the walk said: "Normally resilient leadership teams are facing a real risk of burnout as they look to a future full of never-ending challenges. As costs rise, sharing services, spreading costs and benefiting from economies of scale becomes much more compelling, and this walk allowed us to talk informally and make meaningful connections with each other.
"Being in the outdoors together took us all away from the daily stress of leading organisations to working out how we will all generate income and widen our impact, which has never been as pressing as in our current economic climate.
The Leaders' Walk hasled to a range of new relationships, projects and shared learning that was as valuable as any board room meeting but with the added benefit of modelling the value of the outdoors to our own staff."
Lizzie Glithero-West commented:"As organisations advocating for the value of place and connectivity, there's nothing like being regularly out in the field (literally) to experience this ourselves. Throughout the pandemic, we've been scattered around homeworking environments, plugged into zoom with the chance for informal conversation limited. It was a real joy to be part of YHA's Festival of Walking which provided a chance to network with a set of inspiring leaders in the outdoors. It was such a relaxed and effective way to make new connections as we all moved around swapping walking partners throughout the route. What a great idea - and I returned refreshed with a new address book of interesting people to connect to our work and aspirations to model the initiative elsewhere."
Sarah Vibert agreed saying: "During the walk I met leaders across the voluntary and public sector, and conversations, while walking side-by-side, are often richer than those face-to-face or online. There was also the added bonus of modelling working practices that are good for physical and mental health. I'd love to see more networking follow this format."
If you are a leader of a charity and not-for-profit organisation and would like to get involved and make connections, find out about forthcoming dates and locations for YHA's Leaders' Walks in 2023 by emailingwalking@yha.org.uk
"It is only through a collective effort that, together, we can effect long-term change and reach more people who need support the most," added James Blake.
Ends.
About YHA (England & Wales)
YHA (England & Wales) is a leading youth charity with a 92-year history of making travel and adventure accessible to all, especially young people. Operating more than150 locationsthroughout England and Wales, YHA offers a unique range of affordable accommodation including youth hostels, camping and cabins in rural, coastal and city locations.
Through its social enterprise model, revenue from YHA's hostel accommodation is directed towards its social purpose.
Established in 1930, YHA's charitable objective remains as relevant in 2022 as it was in 1930 - ‘To help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, and appreciation of the cultural values of towns and cities, particularly by providing youth hostels or other simple accommodation for them in their travels, and thus to promote their health, recreation and education.'
YHA's charitable purpose is at the forefront of its 10-year strategy-Adventure. For the first time and a lifetime. Our 10-year strategy for connecting people and places.Access for All is at the heart of the strategy which will see YHA reaching more people and growing its impact, with a particular focus on those who could benefit the most. It will also establish YHA as a leading national charity and social enterprise. The strategycan be viewed and downloaded atyha.org.uk/about-yha/yha-strategy-2020
ThroughYHA'splaces, programmes and activities,itcreatesopportunities for everybody to connect to nature, the outdoors, culture and heritage. Welcoming solo travellers, families, groups and schools toitsamazing properties in exceptional locations,YHAdeliversmemorable, meaningful experiences that have a measurable impact.YHA's impact is documented annually in an Impact Review. The2019/20 Impact Reviewcan be downloaded herehttps://www.yha.org.uk/about-yha/impact
YHA is leading the 15-strong Access Unlimited coalition which includes the 10 National Parks, Girlguiding, Scouts, Field Studies Council, and The Outward Bound Trust. Together, the not-for-profit organisations took collective action and delivered the innovative 16-month Defra-fundedGeneration Greenproject. The project connected more than 115,000young people to nature, created and saved jobs, and built an aspirant workforce for a green recovery. Download the Generation Green Impact and Celebration Report here[https://www.yha.org.uk/generationgreen]
The COVID-19 pandemic hit YHA hard. The charity lost over 80% of income in 2020/21. YHA documented its response to Covid in a 64-page publication -COVID Stories. Told from the perspective of YHA's senior leadership team, hostel managers, volunteers and partners, COVID Stories covers the period March 2020 to February 2021 and documents the charity's survival and the role YHA played role through its partnerships to support society in the crisis as well as helping rebuild it post pandemic. Download a copy herehttps://livemore.yha.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/covid-stories.pdf
Many of YHA's sites are in stunning heritage properties: including a medieval castle (YHA St Briavels Castle); an Elizabethan manor house (YHA Wilderhope Manor); a Victorian mock gothic mansion (YHA Castleton Losehill Hall) and a medieval friary (YHA Beverley Friary).
YHA prides itself on providing affordable, contemporary accommodation and a life-enriching, social experience which differs from a hotel stay.
Since 2010 more than £40million has been invested in YHA's existing network of accommodation as well as the acquisition of new hostels. YHA's most recent hostel acquisition includes YHA Chester Trafford Hall which opened in July 2021.
Through access to travel, heritage, culture, outdoors and nature, YHA aims to improve outcomes related to health, wellbeing and life chances for young people and families, particularly those with challenging lives.
YHA is a leading provider of residential school trips, withmore than 80Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC)accredited sites — more than any other provider. Committed to quality outdoor education, YHA champions the national #BrilliantResidentials campaign.
Before the pandemic in 2019 - 2020
- 1,049,522people stayed with YHA and408,027guests were aged under 26.
- Over150,000young people accessed an affordable residential learning experience through their school or group.
- 4,875 young people and families with challenging livesreceived free or supported breaks.
- 1,040 young people volunteeredwith YHA.
To see the difference that YHA makes to the lives of young people and their families, visit YHA'sYouTubechannel.
Further information about YHA can be found atyha.org.uk
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