Connecting People with Nature
We believe the most difficult, but most rewarding and highest impact area of our work is about re-connecting people with the outside world.
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The wait is over...
You are invited to the
Trash Mob Academy!
The Trash Mob Academy is our first education offering and we couldn't be prouder to be able to share it with you. The programme combines mountain biking skills with environmental action, stewardship and nature connection. Where better to get fired up about protecting wild spaces than your local trail? We reckon on two wheels is a good place to start!
We've designed and developed this education programme to increase pupils positive connection with nature in an effort to improve their self esteem, confidence and overall wellbeing, using mountain biking skills as a catalyst. If you work in a school or with a youth group this may just be the education programme you've been looking for...
Over the last 12 months we've been working with students and teachers from a Wakefield PRU as well as British Cycling coaches and educational psychologists to develop this programme to a standard that we feel could be of great benefit to your students. To be able to offer it to you is huge, and it's amazing you're here!
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Sign up to be the first to hear more about the roll out of the programme and to receive an exclusive sample
Our sample session is a 40 minute classroom session you can run with your pupils.
It will give you a basic overview of the activity sessions and resources you can expect when signing up to becoming part of the Trash Mob Academy.
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The 'why' is simple. We at Trash Free Trails are super passionate about connecting pupils with nature and improving their self esteem.
Our campaigns and projects have led us to meet and work with fantastic people who share our passion for getting pupils out to their local trail.
In 2020 Jo Shwe joined the A-Team. Jo is a teacher at a PRU in Wakefield. In her own words Jo is "the crazy one that took 5 students on the TrashMob Academy adventure that changed their lives... even if they don’t know it yet!"
The first pilot of the Trash Mob Academy was completed with Jo and her pupils in the autumn of 2020. We've been piloting and fine tuning the programme with the help of Jo and her pupils ever since.
Download the report below to find out our methodology behind the Trash Mob Academy and how those first pupils responded to the pilot content.
Why have we created the
Trash Mob Academy
and how are we
developing our offering?
Who is the Trash Mob Academy suitable for?
The Trash Mob Academy has been designed with KS3 pupils from alternative provision settings in mind. However, that will not stop it being a positively impactful resource in other settings. If you are a school, bike park or group that works with young people, then this is may well be just right for your students.
If you are interested in running this project with your class please use the email sign up above to register your interest and we will be in touch.
How much will it cost to run the Trash Mob Academy at my school?
We have three versions of the Trash Mob Academy to ensure that it is accessible to everyone.
Trash Mob Academy: Six week programme: £1000
The Trash Mob Academy six week programme includes six weeks of mountain bike coaching including equipment at your local bike trail and six weeks of accompanying nature connection and environmental awareness classroom resources.
Trash Mob Academy: One day programme: £400
A one day programme full of bike skills at your local trail and environmental stewardship classroom session resources.
Trash Mob Academy: Trackside: Free!
Trackside is our open source resource free for anyone to use anywhere.
Information for Educators
The Trash Mob Academy has been designed by experts in nature connection, drawing on well established and academically robust theories of learning as well as up to date nature connection research.
Here, you'll find detail on how these theories and practices helped us create the TrashMob Academy content, how they are used in the delivery of the sessions and how they might help you!
Any questions? Let us know at projects@trashfreetrails.org. We'd love to hear from you!
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