Wellbeing in Nature Practitioner Training OCN Level 3 Accredited (June 2021)

For several years Woodland Skills Centre has been running a level 3 Social Forestry Practitioner certificate. The origins of this course were in “Forest School for Adults” and it was heavily based on delivery in woodlands.

As Social Prescribing has become more widely accepted with commissioning bodies looking for suitably qualified practitioners and suitable locations, it was clear that there was a need for a fresh look at the whole issue of training with a need for:

• a nationally recognised qualification giving confidence to commissioning bodies and ensuring that practitioners are competent

• a training pathway up to at least level 4

• a recognition of the wide range of settings and service users now being involved

•  assessment of actual session delivery

In conjunction with Coed Lleol, we have created a new qualification, now established through Agored Cymru, the training qualification body in Wales.

The course is relevant to people working throughout the UK.

The course consists of 3 mandatory elements:

• Principles of Wellbeing in Nature

• Facilitating Wellbeing in Nature (including a practical assessment)

• Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources

• Social Prescribing can refer people to a wide range of different programmes.

The qualification gives a certificate worth of 13 credits and there are further optional units which would result in the award of an extended certificate.

This course will run again in September.

Each course is limited to 12 students.

This year we have taken into account that there may be restrictions affecting what we can do. We have therefore split the residential into 2 groups of 6 students to allow for social distancing. We will monitor changing advice and respond to any future Covid-related restrictions that might require changes in relation to the residential elements of the course.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information – enquiries@woodlandskillscentre.co.uk