Get Involved in our Environment & Sustainability Programme
The weather seems to have finally perked up which means it’s the perfect opportunity to get involved in our Environment and Sustainability programme. This programme provides fun, flexible and fulfilling Community Challenges for teams to enjoy.
Our Community Challenges focus on connecting our volunteers with community partners across the city to help revitalise and maintain green spaces around York. Our challenges are a great way to get out of the office and get your hands dirty while also giving back to the community.
Our challenges don’t just benefit the community but also the volunteers. The Office of National Statistics found in 2021 that 1 in 5 adults in England experienced some form of depression in the first quarter of 2021- more than double the rate that had been observed before the pandemic. The research on the effects of the environment and partaking in outdoor nature based activities on improving mental health is vast. Volunteering outside helps counteract the effect of depression, stress, anger and anxiety. With a busy work and home life it can be difficult for most people to find time out for themselves to spend time in nature. Our community challenges offer half or full day opportunities for people to get away from the office and immerse themselves in the beautiful green spaces that York has to offer.
Similarly with the introduction of work from home we are seeing an increase in loneliness in all age groups. Although working from home has many positives, people are losing the social benefits of working in the office. Our community challenges provide a place for teams to socialise and build team skills in an environment that isn’t too formal. By having fun and contributing to a goal with purpose our challenges provide teams with a space to get to know each other as well as the community that they work in.
Our Community Challenges provide an opportunity to work as a team, improve mental health, reduce loneliness and give back to the community making it a perfect day away from the desk! in 2023 we had over 50 volunteering opportunities in our Environment and Sustainability programme. From working in primary schools improving their outdoor learning spaces to volunteering in nature reserves to develop ecosystems, there are a variety of challenges to get involved in, all of which impact our community in big ways.
To find out more about our current Environment & Sustainability opportunities and to get involved, contact Ebba via email at info@yorkcares.co.uk.
