My Education & Wellbeing apprenticeship at Kent Wildlife Trust

I’m Bella Sabin-Dawson, Education and Wellbeing Apprentice at Kent Wildlife Trust. For those of you that are interested in apprenticeships, I’m here to tell you all about my role here at KWT and what I get up to on a day-to-day basis.

Towards the end of my degree in Environmental Social Science at the University of Kent in Canterbury, I was looking for future opportunities when I came across the Education and Wellbeing Apprentice role at Kent Wildlife Trust. I grew up in Kent and I am incredibly passionate about protecting our local wildlife for the benefit of nature and people. The idea of working for the county’s leading conservation organisation to support conservation practice through educating the next generation seemed like an opportunity too good to be true, and I still can’t quite believe I’m here!  

I began the 15-month apprenticeship in April 2023 which will take me up to July 2024, a great length of time to get stuck in and really feel like a part of the team. When I first started my role, I spent most of my time shadowing our amazing education tutors as they delivered pond-dipping, plants, rocks, rivers, and minibeasts sessions to visiting primary schools at our sites. It was fantastic to watch the children engage with nature and see their fascination as they discovered their first newt or centipede. As I became more confident, I began delivering sessions myself at our Maidstone and Sevenoaks sites and knowing that my day’s work might have sparked a love of nature in a young person makes every day feel so special.  

During the summer, I helped run Wilder Holiday Club where we lead fun outdoor activities for children aged 5-11 years, including den-building, minibeast hunting, forest school activities, outdoor crafts, and pond dipping. While the long days are hard work, it was rewarding to see the children trying new things, pushing themselves out of their comfort zone and strengthening their confidence being in the outdoors.  

As we moved into the autumn and winter months my work shifted more towards wellbeing, and I began shadowing facilitators delivering our Wilder Wellbeing sessions, 6-week programmes for adults that are designed to help us experience the wellbeing benefits that nature has to offer. I enjoyed meeting lots of new people, learning more about nature connection, and getting to visit a variety of sites including Sandwich and Pegwell Bay and West Blean and Thornden Woods. I have recently begun delivering Wilder Wellbeing programmes myself at Romney Marsh and Tyland Barn. These sessions are centred around the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ and we try to meet each of these every week: to connect, learn, be active, notice, and give. Delivering these programmes is one of my favourite parts of the role as I feel I can visibly see the positive impact that spending time in nature is having on the groups that I facilitate.  

When I’m not out and about delivering, I have time to complete my online apprenticeship work, provided by Locomotivation, which I work through each month at my own pace. This helps me gain a better understanding of the skills I need as an outdoor activity instructor including behaviour management, health and safety, and preparing, delivering, and completing sessions to the best of my ability. I also have monthly meetings with my Locomotivation Training Specialist and meet regularly with my Line Manager at Kent Wildlife Trust. I feel very well supported and if I have any questions I know I can ask them without hesitation.  

Another advantage to undertaking this apprenticeship is the training opportunities. Since the start of my apprenticeship, I have been able to do a first aid qualification, mental health first aid training, sighted guide training, safeguarding and EDI training, livestock training, and I have attended KWT Study Days about migration, geology, wildflowers, and lichen. On top of this, I was given the chance to feature on Rainham Eco Hub’s Tread Lightly Podcast, talking to their hosts about eco-anxiety, the fears that come alongside learning about the climate and biodiversity crises, but also the wellbeing benefits that nature can provide.  

I have also been given the opportunity to work on the Wilder Schools programme as part of the Darent Valley Landscape Recovery Project, a long-term project working in partnership with landowners, farmers, charities, organisations, and schools to create and restore habitats along the River Darent. My role involves delivering assemblies and workshops to local primary schools to help them boost biodiversity and environmental measures in their school, as well as supporting them on their Wilder Kent Awards journey. If you are a school, business, town, or community group in Kent, make sure to check out the Wilder Kent Awards!  

Kent Wildlife Trust is a fantastic place to work. Not only is every team kind, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do, there is also a wide variety of employee benefits. We receive a paid ‘wellbeing hour’ each week to use for whatever we’d like and regular fun, free staff team building/wellbeing activities are scheduled into the calendar. There are also networks you can join that are open to all Wildlife Trusts and I have recently joined the Next Gen Nature network that allows you to meet other young Wildlife Trust staff members. 

I am only two thirds of the way through this apprenticeship, and already it has given me so many invaluable experiences and opportunities. I am incredibly grateful for the support that the team at Kent Wildlife Trust has given me so far on this journey and I would highly recommend the apprenticeship to those looking for opportunities in conservation education.

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