Carbon Volunteers are crucial in achieving our ambitions to the sheer extent that we have for Carbon Landscape and Wider Nature Improvement area. The project has allowed volunteers, like Stuart, to upskill themselves, support our ongoing projects, and enable local action by giving local communities a voice for their landscape.
Stuart began volunteering for Carbon Landscape Project after working at BAE Systems. He had worked in the industry for 5 years after completing a degree in robotics, but felt a change was needed. He planned to transfer straight into conservation, but quickly realised he needed to gain skills and experience.
As a Volunteer Placement and a Landscape Champion, Stuart had access to more training opportunities and was able to gain national recognised certificates such as Outdoor First Aid, Brush Cutter, and Pesticide, alongside in-house training in GIS software, and Health and Safety training. He was also able to gain experience not just in practical skills, but in event management, community engagement, leading volunteer groups and working with the 14 partners on the project. After volunteering with the Carbon Landscape for 9 months, Stuart found employment on the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s contract team and then as a Carbon Landscape Trainee.
“I realised that the job market was saturated and my transferable engineering skills were only a small scope of the skills I would need to gain a ranger/countryside management position.”
