We have created this toolkit to help natural heritage organisations develop an inclusive and equitable approach to the recruitment of people at the beginning of their careers. There is a particular focus on young people aged 18-25 from ethnically diverse communities.  

It can help anyone looking to:  

• recruit and train a more diverse volunteer base 
• deliver work placements and skills training, particularly those aimed at entry-level and/or under-served talent 
• build and strengthen organisational resilience and governance   

Inequalities in access

Staff from minority ethnic backgrounds make up just 3.1% of the environment sector’s workforce.

The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on young people’s employment prospects has further widened the existing skills gaps and shortages in the UK.

We hope this toolkit will help:

• the natural heritage sector to address these interconnected issues
• young people from ethnically diverse backgrounds have opportunities in this sector

How we created the toolkit

The toolkit has been developed and informed by insights gathered via virtual interviews with a number of environmental projects, organisations and partners between July and December 2021.

We spoke to people actively working to improve access to the environment sector, specifically for young people and ethnically diverse communities.

Get started

Download the toolkit from this page to begin.