Wild Guardians | Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust

Empowering children and young adults to care for nature on their doorstep.

Wild Guardians is a new outdoor wellbeing and environmental programme designed for children and young adults aged 9-25 years.
Over 12 months, participants will explore local wildlife reserves, take part in hands-on conservation activities, and work towards the nationally recognised John Muir Award at the Wild Guardians level, facilitated by MWT and awarded by the John Muir Trust.

Wild Guardians is funded by the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) Social Value Forum Fund, on behalf of the Powys Regional Partnership Board and the Welsh Government.

What is the Wild Guardians Award?

The Wild Guardians Award is the introductory level of the John Muir Award, designed to encourage people of all ages to explore and care for wild places.

Participants complete the award by engaging with four key challenges:

Discover wild places and learn about their natural features
Explore nature and reflect on their experiences outdoors
Conserve the environment through practical action
Share their experiences with others

By completing around 25 hours of outdoor learning and conservation activity, participants gain a nationally recognised certificate celebrating their commitment to nature

Who we work with?

The programme will work with schools, colleges, youth services, community organisations, local referral partners and interested young adults, parents and careers to reach young people across Montgomeryshire. Particularly those who may face barriers to accessing nature. By providing transport from schools, youth centres, and community hubs, the project makes it easier for young people and young adults to connect with nature from places where they already feel comfortable.

Through regular outdoor sessions in local wild places, Wild Guardians helps young people develop confidence, environmental awareness, friendships, and a deeper connection with the natural world.

What will participants do?

Each 2.5 – 3-hour session delivered over the course of 8-10 weeks will support participants in completing the four elements of the award:

Discover

Learn about local wildlife, habitats, and the importance of protecting nature while exploring beautiful and varied landscapes.

Explore

Experience the outdoors through guided walks, nature observation, and reflective activities that help build a personal connection with wild places.

Conserve

Take practical action to help wildlife and habitats. Activities may include habitat restoration, planting, wildlife surveys, or caring for nature reserves.

Share

Celebrate and communicate experiences through creative activities, storytelling, blogs, case studies social media outputs or a community event that highlight what participants have learned.

Where will sessions take place

Sessions will take place across a range of Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves, and partner green spaces such as:

We will also use local green spaces so participants can discover nature even closer to home. These nature-rich environments provide opportunities to explore, learn, and build lasting connections with the landscapes and wildlife of Montgomeryshire.

Project outcomes

Since we want everyone to be able to access nature – especially those facing barriers to outdoor experiences – through this project we aim to provide:

Travel for wellbeing

Transport will be provided from schools, youth centres, and community pick-up points, helping young people easily access nature reserves from familiar places.

Working with schools and youth services, we use simple referral pathways to ensure the programme is accessible and well-coordinated across partner organisations.

Sessions will take place across Welshpool, Newtown, Llanfyllin and Montgomery, making nature accessible for families across the region.

Supporting wellbeing for young people and families

Wild Guardians helps improve wellbeing by giving children and young people regular time outdoors in safe, supportive spaces.

Through after-school sessions and school holiday activities, the programme:

Supports children’s mental and physical wellbeing
Builds confidence, resilience, and friendships
Provides positive outdoor experiences for those who may not normally access nature
Helps ease childcare pressures by offering structured activities during key times

All sessions are delivered by full trained environmental educators. Their expertise ensures sessions are safe, inclusive, engaging, and age-appropriate, helping participants build confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.

Empowering young voices for nature

A youth-led Eco Café will be developed, giving participants who complete the award a space where they can continue their journey.

This space allows young people to:

Stay connected with peers
Share ideas and experiences
Advocate for nature and wellbeing
Help shape future activities and environmental initiatives
Gain access to a monthly newsletter

By empowering young voices, the programme encourages young people to become champions for nature in their communities.

Want to get involved?

If you are a school, youth group, parent, or community organisation interested in getting involved, please contact Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to learn more about upcoming sessions and referral options.

To ensure transport and a supportive group experience, places are limited to 7 participants per group.

If you’d like to take part in a Wild Guardians programme near you, please register your interest early as spaces are expected to fill quickly.

Contact People and Wildlife Engagement Officer, Frances Louise, via email: Frances@montwt.co.uk