Youth Rangers (14-17 year olds)

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Youth Rangers is a free volunteering opportunity for people aged 14-17 interested in gaining hands-on skills and experience in environmental work. The programme provides outdoor learning activities and challenges that will help prepare participants, both professionally and personally, for future studies and careers within the environmental sector.

Sessions usually take place on the third Saturday each month. These meetings take place outdoors in green spaces all over Milton Keynes, covering a variety of interesting and engaging topics which include practical conservation work, biodiversity surveying, community tasks and assisting in our outdoor learning and ranger tasks. This is a great opportunity for anyone wishing to meet new people, build confidence, contribute to your community, keep active and gain valuable environmental skills with a landscape charity.

Activities carried out by Youth Rangers include:

Building dead hedges using natural materials harvested from the parks
Pond clearance
Removing invasive plant species
Conducting reptile, insect and grassland surveys
Wildflower seed collection
Tree planting

How to Join

If you would like to sign your child up for Youth Rangers, please fill out the registration form below. You will then be added to our member list and will receive an email each month with information about the upcoming session. This email will contain a members-only link for you to book on to the session for that month.

For more information, you can look at our frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page, or for specific queries please contact the team on outdoorlearning@theparkstrust.com or 01908 233600.

Please make yourself familiar with our behaviour policy before registering.

Parental consent form to child taking part in Youth Ranger activities

Child Details

Child First Name *

Child Last Name

Child Date of Birth

Emergency Contact Details

Emergency contact 1 name

Emergency contact 1 relation to child

Emergency contact 1 telephone number *

Emergency contact 2 name

Emergency contact 2 relation to child

Emergency contact 2 telephone number *

Medical Information

Medical information, allergies and dietary requirements

Please advise of any medical conditions, allergies, dietary requirements or behavioural conditions, including medication required that may affect your child during the activity. Please be aware that any medication a child requires cannot be administered by The Parks Trust Staff and is the responsibility of the child/and or parent.

Medical Consent *

All medical data provided will be stored securely and will be deleted at the end of the year. Please tick the box to give your consent for The Parks Trust to process your child’s medical information for the purpose and duration stated above and to confirm that you will update us of any relevant changes to your child's medical needs.

Activity Details

I give permission for my child to make their own way home following the activity *

Yes

Do you give permission for us to take photos of your child? *

Yes

We would be grateful if could you give permission for us to take photos of your child at our Youth Ranger sessions. By doing so, you give us full permission to use the images taken by the photographer for up to 5 years for marketing purposes, including, but not limited to, use on our website, social media and advertising.

I confirm my child is between 14-17 years of age and will no longer attend Youth Rangers once they reach 18. *

Contact Details

Parent/ Guardian First Name

Parent/ Guardian Last Name

Parent/guardian Email Address *

As part of our Safeguarding Policy, we require a parent/guardian contact email address for all correspondence related to the activities.

Child's Email Address

If you would like your child to receive a copy of the session invitation email we send out each month, please include their email address here. You will still be sent a copy of all correspondence.

Marketing

How did you hear about us?

What school does your child attend?

Youth Ranger Donations

The Parks Trust is a self-financing charity and donations can help to cover the resources used to run these sessions. Youth Rangers is free to join but If you can provide a small donation to enable us to keep running the group effectively, then this is always appreciated.

Donate now

Frequently asked Questions...

Where does Youth Rangers take place?

Youth Rangers takes place in different parks all over Milton Keynes. We often complete conservation tasks in Nature Reserves, Woodlands, Wetland and grassland areas.
Does it cost to join Youth Rangers?

Youth Rangers is completely free to join! If you wish to provide a donation to The Parks Trust Youth Ranger group to help us keep running effectively you can do so by clicking on the 'Donate Now' link found on this page.
Do I need specific skills to be able to join Youth Rangers?

No not at all, all you need is an enthusiasm to learn and we will teach you the environmental skills that you will need to carry out the tasks.
Do I need to attend every session?

Our sessions run every month, usually on the third Saturday. Once you have registered as a Youth Ranger you can come to as many volunteering sessions as you wish. We ask that you book on to each individual session so that we know how many people to expect and can ensure we have enough equipment.
After registering as a Youth Ranger can I just turn up?

Once you have filled in the registration form, you will be put onto our mailing list. Each month you will be sent an email with details about the upcoming session and how to book on.
If I'm not aged between 14-17 years, can I still join?

Due to the type of activities carried out in Youth Ranger sessions, this group is for those aged 14-17.

If you are 18 or over, please look at our adult volunteering opportunities.

If you are 11-14 check out Youth Explorers.
What do I need to wear to these sessions?

Youth Rangers takes place outside in all weather conditions. Please make sure you wear appropriate clothing that protects you from the weather. Ideally you should wear clothing that covers your arms and legs to shield you from insect bites and stings and scratches from working amongst undergrowth. Sturdy shoes are also advised, as often the ground is uneven, muddy and usually not paved. Wear something that you don't mind getting dirty!
How many people are on a Youth Ranger session?

Youth Rangers is run by staff and volunteers from The Parks Trust. On a typical task we have up to 15 youth rangers.
What happens if my child is late to a session?

Sometimes we may agree to meet at a particular location such as a car park and then have a short walk to the actual site where we will be carrying out our activity. If you are running late, please call the Outdoor Learning Team on the mobile number provided in the session information email, so that we know to wait for you. If a participant is booked on to a session but has not arrived 5 minutes after the session start time, we will call the emergency contact number you have provided to check if they are attending. If we cannot get an answer and you have not arrived 10 minutes after start time, we will begin the session. If you arrive late and there are no Parks Trust staff at the agreed meeting point, please do not leave your child unattended.

Did you know we run 5 week outdoor learning evening courses for 11-14 year olds from April-October involving bushcraft, wildlife and the John Muir Award?

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Did you know that young people, with an accompanying adult are welcome to volunteer at our community litter picks?

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