Young Leaders Course

If you’re aged 16–24, this residential course – based here Spurn Bird Observatory and run jointly with the BTO – will help you develop your leadership skills and better equip you to make a difference.

The course will run Wednesday 10th August to Saturday 13th August and is completely free of charge, with a limited number of travel bursaries available.

It will involve a wide range of interactive indoor and outdoor sessions covering a variety of skills from organisation to influencing, all designed to give you more confidence to play an active leadership role in the environmental sector.

Although there will be time for bird watching on the Humber estuary, please note this is not a birdwatching course and this will not be the main focus. 

Course objectives

• Build confidence in communicating, both digitally and face-to-face
• Develop organisational skills, essential for effective leadership
• Learn how to reach and persuade key influencers to support your cause
• Practise leading practical engagement activities
• There will also be a chance to think about ways you can improve your CV, and learn about the various employment opportunities at BTO, Spurn Bird Observatory and elsewhere in the sector.

To get a taste of last years course check out this blog wrote by last years attendees http://www.bto.org/community/blog/btos-young-leaders-course

There are eleven places available on the course. To apply for a spot go to the BTO website here and scroll to the bottom 

Applications close 11.59pm on 31 July 2021 and will be reviewed anonymously. We will endeavour to let successful applicants know they have secured a place on the course by August 2nd.

This course and its contents are made possible by the generous support of the Cameron Bespolka Trust.

The Cameron Bespolka Trust is a charity that has been set up in Cameron's memory to inspire young people to love and appreciate animals, in particular birds, nature, and our environment. By experiencing the outdoors first hand, teenagers can connect with nature and make a difference to our planet.

Parts of the logistics for the course are also funded by Opticron and the Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

Opticron has supported BTO Youth since it started, including by their generous support of the Equipment Donation Scheme. For the Young Leaders Course, they have given their support towards travel bursaries.

Part of the course is funded by the Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.