Young Bristol – Opening up new horizons
On the water, confidence can arrive quietly: in the first steady paddle stroke, in the moment a young person realises they can lead a group, or in the simple act of turning up again after a difficult week. For Young Bristol, one of the city’s leading youth charities, those moments are not incidental.
Founded in 1928 on the belief that every young person has the right to discover what they are capable of, Young Bristol delivers community-based youth services and innovative programmes to positively and sustainably impact young lives across some of Bristol’s most disadvantaged communities. Through youth clubs, mobile outreach and outdoor activities, the charity provides safe spaces where young people can build skills, resilience and relationships outside of school hours.
Its Outdoor Employment Programme is a free training pathway for young people aged 16 to 25 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), or who face significant barriers to work. For many participants, those barriers are complex: low confidence, a lack of work experience, poor mental health, social isolation, substance misuse histories, or a lack of positive role models. The programme offers a structured and practical route into the outdoor activities industry and meaningful employment, and a chance to imagine a different future.
Young Bristol applied for SMV support to help fund the programme’s experienced outdoor activity instructors, volunteer expenses and operational activity costs. More significantly, the funding also enabled participants to undertake Paddlesport Rescue Training and obtain Paddle UK qualifications, registration and membership.
For the young people involved, this represents a watershed moment for them: nationally recognised qualifications, hands-on work experience and the chance to build confidence in a safe, encouraging environment.
Outdoor learning requires young people to solve problems, communicate, take responsibility and trust themselves — all while doing something active, challenging and often unfamiliar. Young Bristol’s programme builds on this by combining accredited training with employability workshops and structured mentoring. By removing financial barriers, the programme helps ensure that disadvantaged young people can access training that would otherwise be out of reach.
The grant enabled 46 young people to join the Outdoor Employment Programme, thereby gaining transferable skills, improving their confidence and resilience, and working towards qualifications including British Canoeing and RYA Powerboat Level 2 awards.
For young people at risk of long-term unemployment or disengagement, these achievements are tangible proof that they can learn, lead and become role models in their own right. The impact of Young Bristol’s work lies in this kind of progression: a young person joins to gain a qualification, then discovers confidence. They try an activity, then take responsibility. They receive support, then begin supporting others.
Now more than ever, young people need high-quality programmes like this as they seek accessible pathways into the world of work. In the harbourside, on climbing walls, in canoes and at activity centres across Bristol, the charity is helping young people build their own futures.
Amelie’s Story
For Amelie, 18, the Outdoor Employment Programme was a turning point in her life. She first heard about it through a key worker at school and joined, hoping to gain outdoor qualifications. Since the pandemic, she had struggled significantly with her mental health; the programme offered structure, encouragement and a new direction.
Over the course of a year, Amelie worked hard to gain First Aid, Paddle Sport Rescue, Paddle Sport Instructor and Power Boat Level 2 qualifications. She took part in Young Bristol’s Canoe Test, joined Redpoint Bristol’s Instructor Training Scheme and experienced opportunities that stretched well beyond the classroom or training centre.
A key moment for Amelie was volunteering at Glastonbury Festival with the Volunteer Collective and Critical Waste team. In the mornings, she was part of a team contributing to the running of the festival; in the afternoons, she explored the site and watched some of her favourite artists perform. It was a vivid example of how the programme can open doors to new experiences, new responsibilities and new confidence.
“This was the perfect programme that came at the perfect time for me,” Amelie said, “and I’ve done so much since joining in September!”
Now, Amelie is volunteering with Young Bristol’s Outdoor Activities team during the summer holidays, helping to deliver Holiday Clubs for young people aged 8 to 16 across the city. She wanted to give back to the team that had supported her own learning and development — and, in doing so, she is strengthening her leadership skills and being a role model for younger participants.