Nature mentoring for young people

One of our main aims at Sacred Earth is to provide children and young people with the tools to develop into healthy, happy and well-rounded adults. We believe that our experiential approach is a key part of human development, and something that is missing from mainstream schooling.

Over the past decade we’ve developed a successful program, based around school camps and our flagship Earth Steward Apprenticeship – the only course of its kind in the country. We use stories, games, arts and crafts and a whole range of other practical activities to foster the development of more meaningful relationships with nature, ourselves and each other.

Creative, embodied exercise and play are vital ingredients for healthy childhood development and adult wellbeing. Our workshops and programmes provide opportunities to play in a fun and safe way, whilst also providing a range of focused activities that are designed to stimulate the senses and engender a deeper experience of being alive.

Our most popular programmes are listed below.

The Earth Steward Apprenticeship (ESA)

A rites-of-passage journey for young people aged between 13 and 16, designed to inspire awe, wonder and respect for nature through practical, sensory and playful outdoor activities. The programme enables participants to develop deeper connections with themselves, each other and the natural world. It helps them become more deeply engaged with their relationship to all things. We encourage them to feel the excitement of discovery, as they develop a sense of belonging through knowing their place on the earth.

The journey is an initiation through deep nature immersion, advanced connection practices and camp culture, nature-based skills and crafts. Students will learn, experience, understand and get to know themselves in relationship to self, others and the natural world.

Dates for 2025:

• March 15th/16th
  April 12th-16th
  May 10th-11th
  June 21st-22nd
  July 12th-13th
  August 15th-20th
  September 13th/14th
  October 25th-28th

• Age and cost

  

  Skinning a rabbit

  • Age group: 13-16 years.
  • Cost: £TBC
  • Concessions: Some concessions for low income/single parent available, please write and give circumstances, your application will be considered.

  Please request a copy of our ESA Financial Agreement for full information.

More information here and for booking, please email phil@sacredearthland.co.uk

ESA Junior

A special programme for pre-teens who already have a foundation in nature connection. We call this programme ESA Jr (Earth Steward Apprenticeship Junior). It runs concurrently with the main ESA journey and at times we integrate the groups for games and challenges. ESA Jr provides a stepping stone experience toward the full Earth Steward Apprenticeship.

More information and booking here.

Sacred Earth school camps

Over the past decade we’ve developed a dynamic programme of nature-based school camps, designed to support mainstream educators and enable their pupils to thrive in the modern world.

Our experiential learning programme builds resilience, leadership and team-working abilities and helps participants develop social and emotional intelligence. It also supports wellbeing and inner confidence, giving young people much needed rites-of-passage into adulthood.

We are expanding to schools across West Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Our camps usually run for a week and take 11-17 year olds, but we can tailor our programme to fit each establishment’s particular needs and locations.

Download our brochure for more information or book here.

The need for nature education

An increasing body of research clearly demonstrates the adverse effects of spending less time outdoors – especially for children and teens. The Children and Nature Network have created an extensive library of research about nature education.

More info..