During our YAT programmes we focus on a concept called Mental Toughness as part of our outcomes measurement strategy. We look at 4 concepts; Confidence, Control, Commitment and Challenge, supporting young people to recognise their strengths and work on these 4 areas to build resilience. Through the week to come at camp, it was evident Max was stretching himself in all of these areas, and his determination and resilience showed up in some memorable and moving moments.

On the Forest Adventure Mission, Max proved to be a valued green-team member as he confidently coached others as they abseiled into the cave. During a creative session making paracord bracelets, having mastered the technique himself, Max thoughtfully and patiently assisted other young people in making theirs. On the overnight bushcraft expedition, Max stepped well beyond his comfort zone as he slept in a bivi bag beneath a tarp in the woods. With a shelter open to the elements and surrounded by the beasts and bugs that make their home on the forest floor, Max’s teammates kindly chose to sleep on either side of him to help him feel safe.

The week wasn’t without its challenges. A moment that really stood out took place as his group were being briefed for their canoeing session on the final full day of camp. As Max’s aim to “make the most of every experience” was within his reach, the fear of missing out created anxiety and worry. Unfortunately, his anxieties led to him missing the group launch their canoes. But with some skilled and empathetic support from one of our Programme Volunteers he was able to reflect positively on the experience and the circumstances that led to it. His response to the whole situation was incredible and the way in which he conducted himself was truly inspiring.

Later in the day, when Max was reunited with his team, they requested an opportunity to get back into the river so that they could include him in a final swim together before setting up camp. This was evidence of the respect they had for Max, but also the awareness they had of the challenges he had faced, and overcome, that day.

Later that day, Max emotionally reflected on the experience during the group’s review session at the end of the day, and in his Reflective Journal:

The best thing about camp has been…

“When I went swimming with my friends after I made a bad moment way more positive.”

Something I’ve learnt about myself is…

“I am now more positive about stuff and I can do a lot more than I realise.”

It was an inspiration to witness Max’s journey at Forest Camp; his resilience, self-awareness, compassion, determination, and positivity was a true representation of Mental Toughness, and we are confident these experiences and memories will help him in approaching challenging times well into his future life.

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“It’s very hard to put into words just how much being part of the Youth Adventure Trust means to me. I started volunteering because I wanted to make a difference to young people’s lives but I never expected just how much of a difference they would make to mine”

“For the past two years, I’ve been volunteering on the Resilience Programme in Somerset and we’re so lucky to be able to give our young people the opportunity to experience such a huge variety of activities – from coasteering and climbing to animal care, crafts and so much more.

Knowing that I can have a direct impact on a young person’s life simply by giving them the space to be themselves, try new things, grow in confidence and most importantly, feel supported and seen is honestly so special.

“But I also think sometimes they’ve changed me far more than I could ever help them. I’ve learnt so much from the young people I’ve met over the years and volunteering has become such an important part of my life. I genuinely look forward to our activity days every month. One of my favourite things is that I get to be completely silly with the young people too! Having fun, laughing and not taking ourselves too seriously is a huge part of who I am and I love being able to bring that side of myself to the programme and create those memories with them.”

“Volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust has genuinely changed my life. I’ve been volunteering with the charity for over five years now and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the change in the young people we work with and to be a small part of their journey.”

Don Farmer, our Resilience Programme Lead, shared: “Irene is such a valued part of the Programme and is now entering year 3 of the Resilience Programme and has been there for the start of the work in Somerset.”

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On hearing of our Wiltshire Three Peaks challenge, volunteer mentor Pam floated the idea to her mentee Rosie about participating in the event together. Rosie jumped at the opportunity to take part, and also really loved the idea of fundraising for YAT too. Rosie has enjoyed and taken so much from her participation in both our Adventure and Mentoring Programmes, so she felt really motivated by the idea of giving back to help other young people be able to take part. However, this 10k challenge was to be the furthest that Rosie had ever walked, so it wasn’t going to be easy…!

The pair created a fundraising page and Rosie also took a paper sponsorship form into school to raise money from her friends and teachers there.

On Saturday 13th June, the duo set off early as they embarked on their hiking adventure. Rosie felt a little nervous initially about this totally new experience and the prospect of the demanding hills which lay ahead. However, once they got started they quickly found their rhythm, enjoying some lovely sunshine as they walked.

They enjoyed chatting to other participants as they went and even managed to get some generous sponsorship from those they spoke to, an added bonus! Whilst energy levels waned at times, the pair managed to keep going and, with true YAT resilience, made it to the finish line in great time. Our congratulations to Pam and Rosie, what a brilliant achievement!

At the finish line Rosie shared the following thoughts with our team: 

“The reason why I wanted to do the Wiltshire Three Peaks is because I like helping people out by raising money for anything. So for the raising money thing I’ve done today, this whole time, is for the Youth Adventure Trust, and to help raise money for the mentoring sessions to help young people to actually do stuff that they want to do”.

Pam’s reflections on the experience: 

“What a fab way to spend a mentoring session. Rosie pushed herself and we had lots of fun and ‘firsts’ on the way – including a magic daisy trick! I love seeing how determined Rosie is and her confidence is growing week by week. I can’t believe how much we raised, thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far”.

As of today, the pair have totally smashed their target of £250 with a fantastic £438 raised and counting. This money will go back into funding more life changing adventures for young people on our programmes. 

If you would like to find out more about becoming a mentoring volunteer, please contact Becky@youthadventuretrust.org.uk.

If you’ve been inspired to take on a challenge you can find out more about our events at https://www.youthadventuretrust.org.uk/support-us/how-to-support-us/take-on-a-challenge/ or support us at https://www.youthadventuretrust.org.uk/donate/.

The post Miles for good – one mentoring pair’s fundraising adventure! appeared first on Youth Adventure Trust.

Adventurous activities were packed in from the minute we arrived until just before we left; rock climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, raft building, coasteering, and plenty of team games and challenges saw us through an action packed few days.

Having heard all the team talk about the camps, I was looking forward to witnessing it all first hand. The whole experience gave me such an understanding of the importance of our work and the power of the outdoors to grow young people’s confidence and resilience. I watched in admiration as incredibly nervous young people ended up climbing and giving abseiling a go, pushing themselves with the support of their team mates and leaders. In coasteering I saw young people grow into leaders, encouraging those less confident than themselves, and demonstrating kindness and compassion for others.

As with all our camps, there is a dedicated session in the evening to reflect on the day; thinking about what went well, highlighting each other’s achievements, and considering any insights to take forward. It can be a challenge to think deeply late in the evening after such a busy day, but I was blown away with the level of maturity, reflection and insight shown by our young people.

It was such an amazing experience, and I can’t wait for my next YAT camp adventures, supporting those at the very start of their Adventure Programme journey at our Mountain Camps, and seeing even more growth in these young people from Coastal Camp at the next step of their YAT journey; Forest Camps in the summer. 

Finally I can’t talk about camps without mentioning our fantastic volunteers. The enthusiasm, empathy, and energy shown by these amazing people was incredible to witness. We are so lucky to have such brilliant volunteers who give up their time to come and help our young people, so thank you, you’ve really inspired me!

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“I consider myself incredibly lucky to have grown up in the countryside, it instilled in me a complete love of the outdoors and adventurous activities; climbing, hiking, running, cycling, I love it all. My career has been incredibly varied, I’ve worked abroad, in offices, at home, and in schools. With all its variety, I’ve always been highly motivated to give back and help people. I feel incredibly lucky to have found an organisation like YAT, that combines my passion for the outdoors and drive to help young people thrive.

During my time training to be a teacher I was struck by how many young people don’t have access to the outdoors. I have seen first hand the positive impact being outside and active can have, and truly believe that everyone should be able to access it, no matter your circumstances. Prior to starting at YAT I was able to volunteer on both the Resilience and Adventure Programmes and have seen the positive impact YAT is having on young people’s lives.

Adventure activities have given me so much, so to find an organisation dedicated to building young people’s confidence and resilience through adventure, just as I experienced, is incredibly exciting – I can’t wait to get stuck in!”

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“My first memory of the Youth Adventure Trust (YAT) was walking into the meeting room at school in Year 7. When I was offered a place on the programme, I felt nervous but also full of excitement. I had never done anything like this before. Back then I was extremely shy and anxious. I hated stepping outside my comfort zone and struggled with communication and trying new things. I also found it difficult being put into unfamiliar situations without knowing how to cope. Speaking in front of crowds—or even to people around me—was something I really struggled with. The programme allowed me to be myself while also showing me that I could do anything as long as I believed in myself. It helped me dig deep into who I was and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone.

After completing the Resilience Programme, I was lucky enough to be offered a place on the Mentoring Programme. I was incredibly fortunate to be matched with my mentor, and we created so many special memories together. One particularly phenomenal day was our final trip, where we visited Bath. We explored the art museum, went for pizza, and then finished the day with ice cream and a visit to the bookshop of my dreams!

My mentor taught me how important it is to set goals for myself and actually believe that I can achieve them. She helped me break things down and showed me that even small steps matter. Because of her support, I’ve already achieved one of my goals — being able to play for a women’s football team — which is something I’m incredibly proud of. She always believed in me, even when I doubted myself, and that gave me the confidence to keep going. I’ll always be grateful for everything she’s taught me and for the impact she’s had on my life.

Being part of the YAT programmes, I slowly began to take small steps, such as talking to people more. Towards the end of my time on the programme, I even went for Head Girl. This involved standing up in front of the whole school and speaking—something I could never have done without the support of the Youth Adventure Trust.Being part of the Youth Adventure Trust has been an amazing experience, and I couldn’t recommend it enough to others if they are given the opportunity. The staff are absolutely lovely and make every day even more special. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would without hesitation! Thank you for everything!!“

Reflecting on Casey’s time with YAT, we were delighted to see just how much her confidence had grown, and how many opportunities she was now involved with, both at school, but also her local community. Casey’s mum articulated how she felt the YAT programmes had impacted her when we spoke at the end of the Mentoring Programme:

“Whenever she comes home from anything to do with YAT, a different child came home. It was like a weight, whatever, had gone on in her head before she’d gone, she came back more positive, more upbeat, saying ‘Mum I want to do it again!’ It’s been brilliant all round. She soaked it up like a sponge and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. 

When she was coming up from Year 6, she did struggle with her confidence, she did struggle with her self-esteem, her resilience wasn’t great – to then all the things that have been instilled in her, using techniques that she takes into school with her and uses and she takes it outside with her, she puts them in place – all those things are massive. 

All the things that the programmes have given her she’s taken on board and it’s just part of her everyday life now and it’s amazing. She knows when things become tough she takes herself away or she’ll talk with one of us. But she’s already answered all her worries in her head with a technique that she knows she’s going to do or she’ll come back with ‘this has annoyed me, but I’m doing this’ and she’s just telling you but this is the plan of action and I believe it’s what every step of the programme from Year 7 has given her, and she soaks it up like a sponge and puts it out there.”

We have every confidence that Casey will go on to great success, using all the tools and skills she has developed, alongside her positivity, enthusiasm and boundless zest for life. We wish her all the very best with her plans of becoming an English teacher, and look forward to hearing updates from her in the future.

Well done Casey, and thank you for sharing your YAT story. 

The post Casey’s story appeared first on Youth Adventure Trust.

Volunteering with young people has improved my management skills, my self confidence and I get a huge sense of achievement from seeing the impact on the young people.

Three-quarters of the respondents reported having volunteered with us for a year or more. This speaks volumes about the commitment of our volunteers but also of the longevity of our volunteering roles. It demonstrates that for many, volunteering is not just a short-term activity, but that it has become a sustained, rewarding and enjoyable part of their lives.

It has been an absolute privilege to work with the young people and to see their confidence and resilience grow. There is a real sense of shared community and support across the volunteers and staff. You really can make a difference.

With regards to wellbeing, a staggering 92% of the respondents agreed that volunteering has helped them to feel happier and 88% agreed that volunteering has improved their overall wellbeing. 75% of the respondents strongly agreed that volunteering gave them purpose, whilst 50% said volunteering had improved their health and fitness.

When it came to measuring the impact of volunteering on their interpersonal skills and mental toughness, we once again saw an overwhelmingly positive response across all areas. 98% of the volunteers surveyed said that volunteering gave them a sense a purpose, and the same number again said that volunteering helped them to gain new knowledge. 96% of the volunteers surveyed agreed that they had met like-minded people, 83% agreed that volunteering had improved their communication skills and 78% agreed volunteering improved their resilience and mental toughness. 79% agreed volunteering had increased their self confidence, 83% agreed volunteering had improved their communication skills and 79% agreed volunteering had improved leadership skills and teamworking skills.

And finally 100% of the volunteers surveyed stated that volunteering has had a positive or very positive impact on their lives and 100% of the volunteers said that they would recommend volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust to others.

Volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust has become one of the most meaningful things I do. It’s given me a deeper sense of empathy and helped me understand just how much some young people have to cope with.

Our survey has unequivocally shown that volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust improves mental and physical wellbeing, happiness, resilience and social connections, whilst supporting a cause that resonates. It offers personal, emotional, and social benefits, is engaging, interesting and rewarding and is something that can certainly be recommended to others.

If you’d like to learn more about volunteering or know someone that might be interested please email Jon Rich, Volunteering Lead, at jon@youthadventuretrust.org.uk

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Young people have had a great time doing a variety of activities and their positive attitude and openness to new experiences has really impressed us. This year’s sessions have included football matches in Swindon, learning to crochet, playing badminton, trying out archery, having their very first driving lesson, going horse riding, high ropes challenges, indoor skiing and even a trip to the Houses of Parliament! Plus many walks, board games, art sessions and cafe trips. The lower key sessions enable mentors and young people to build their relationships, spend time focusing on aims and planning their year together, and much needed one-to-one time talking and sharing concerns or worries with a kind, empathic, interested, and available adult. 

For some young people, mentoring sessions have been a great way of helping them explore future aspirations and career opportunities. This year, mentors have organised visits to college open days, the local fire station and arranged meet ups with RAF personnel to find out about life in the military. One mentoring pair even worked together to find and secure the young person’s work experience placement at a local charity shop, where she helped throughout the summer.

By October, it was time to say goodbye to the young people who were now at the end of their mentoring relationships and had reached the culmination of their three year long adventure with YAT. We wanted to acknowledge this special moment with Celebration Events for the two original Adventure Programme groups, and invited young people, mentors and YAT staff previous and current to come along for an evening of games, pizza making, reflection and fun!

Our mentors support young people in a myriad of ways, depending on their personal interests and motivations, individual needs or challenges. At the end of the year we find out from the young people what they think about the programme, how they feel mentoring has helped them. Here are some of the things they identified this year:

“I think it’s a really good programme because it helps a lot of people, especially young people that struggle with dealing with their emotions, socialising and just finding who they are in themselves. There’s nothing bad about it, it’s all good!” Amy,  15 years

“My mentor has helped me to control my emotions because normally if I get really mad I’d get all loose, whereas now if I get really mad I just think, it’s just not worth it.” James, 15 years

“If there was stuff I couldn’t talk about at home I could talk to my mentor about it. I’m more confident – I can now do stuff without thinking ‘I can’t do this anymore’ because we tried lots of different things. I learnt I could be a lot more active from the mentor programme” Milo, 15 years

As another inspiring year draws to a close on the YAT Mentoring Programme, and a new one begins for our next cohort, we want to say a huge thank you to all our volunteer mentors for all their enthusiasm and commitment to making such a difference, and to all our young people for being brave, positive, committed and a whole lot of fun! We look forward to seeing what new adventures our new group gets up to in 2026!

The post YAT Mentoring: Connection, Adventures and Beyond appeared first on Youth Adventure Trust.

Our inspiring participants from the Wiltshire and Somerset areas pushed themselves by taking on the Wiltshire 3 Peaks Challenge, the Somerset Cycle or the Summit Under Stars. They tested their endurance to help young people build their own resilience through outdoor adventure and one-to-one support.

Louise Balaam, our Director of Fundraising and Engagement says “We’re delighted that so many people have chosen to take on a Youth Adventure Challenge this year. It’s fantastic that the community has embraced the idea of pushing boundaries to raise much-needed funds for our charity.”

The funds raised will go directly towards helping us deliver our long-term outdoor adventure programmes. This vital funding enables us to transform the futures of local young people, equipping them with the essential skills, confidence, and resilience needed to face their own personal challenges.

“I’ve just had an amazing time. I’d recommend it to as many people as I can and I really want to thank the people that fund it for us – thank you.” – Young Person, Youth Adventure Programme.

If you’re feeling inspired by the dedication of this year’s participants and are ready to take on your own challenge, register your interest via the link below or contact Philippa@youthadventuretrust.org.uk to find out more.

The post Local Fundraisers Go the Distance: Wiltshire and Somerset Communities Raise £22,000 for our Young People appeared first on Youth Adventure Trust.

We know this time of year can be busy, so we’ve put together a few quick and easy fundraising ideas you can do in your community, with friends or at your workplace. Every penny you raise will go directly towards transforming the lives of vulnerable young people through our outdoor adventure programmes and one-to-one support.

Your Guide to Festive Fundraising

Here are a few simple ways to bring the Christmas spirit – and some vital funds – to the Youth Adventure Trust:

• The Christmas Jumper Day Challenge: Turn your office or school’s annual Christmas Jumper Day into a sponsored event! Ask everyone to donate £2 or £5 to wear their brightest, sparkliest and most ridiculous festive knitwear (tag us in to your socials as we’d love to see photos!).
• Festive Bake Sale & Hot Chocolate Stand: There’s nothing more warming than a homemade mince pie or a cup of rich hot chocolate (hot chocolates are a camp favourite with our young people!). Set up a stall in your school, in your work canteen or at a community event. Keep the goods simple and charge a small amount for a delicious treat.
• Wreath or Decoration Making Workshop: If you’re crafty, host a simple workshop. Charge an entry fee and teach friends or neighbours how to make a beautiful, simple Christmas wreath or paper decorations. It’s a great social event with a charitable twist!
• “De-Clutter and Donate” Sale: Use the pre-Christmas clear-out as an opportunity to raise funds! Ask friends and family to donate one high-quality, unused item. Hold a small pop-up sale in your home, community or work space – think stocking fillers, fancy biscuits or books.
• Shop and Support (For Free!): Shopping online this festive period? Raise free donations for Youth Adventure Trust when you shop 6,000+ stores online using Give as you Live Online!! Sign up easily at Give as you Live Online and select Youth Adventure Trust as your cause, and every time you shop through their portal, a percentage of your purchase is donated to us.

Your Christmas Challenge: Building Brighter Futures

Taking on a quick fundraiser is an incredibly rewarding way to give back this festive season. Not only will you have fun getting into the Christmas spirit, but you’ll be directly helping a young person gain the skills and confidence to thrive through a life-changing adventure.

We’re here to help you every step of the way, providing tips, support and resources to make your event a huge success.

Ready to sign up and make a difference this Christmas? We can’t wait to hear your ideas!

To register your event and get your fundraising pack, please contact Natalie on natalie.levin@youthadventuretrust.org.uk today!

The post Get Festive and Fundraise: Quick and Easy Christmas Ideas! appeared first on Youth Adventure Trust.