Research Insights for Forestry England’s Joint Youth Strategy

In July 2022, ERS Ltd were commissioned by Forestry England (FE) to undertake a mixed methods insights study: Learning and Engagement: Unlocking the Potential of Forestry England’s National Tree Collections for Young People. The objective of the study was to:

Develop a deeper understanding of Forestry England’s potential to support young people, both within formal education and non-formal settings, through their journey to adulthood within the botanic / forestry context.

The project was overseen by a core group of three FE staff and involved working with a range of stakeholders involved in an expert council, comprising representatives from the youth, environmental and botanic garden sectors.

ERS used a mixed-methods approach throughout this work, conducting both consultations with a range of stakeholders and creating bespoke surveys for each stakeholder group. Consultations were carried out with young people through focus groups, both online and in-person in order to maximise engagement. Furthermore, ERS conducted 1:1 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from a range of youth service providers, university and colleges and community organisations working with underrepresented young people, as well as key contacts in the botanic and forestry sector.

The use of a range of methods allowed us to ensure both breadth and depth of data, enabling our research to:

1. Develop deeper / richer understanding of what young people, the formal and nonformal education sector and wider youth organisations expect / want from FE’s National Tree Collections

2. Articulate the unique position and offer of FE with regards to learning provision for young people

3. Initiate conversations with existing and new partners to help FE deliver future programmes

4. Identify the most effective delivery mechanisms both on / off-site

5. Identify barriers facing young people, especially those currently excluded, and make recommendations for removing those barriers

Our research tools allowed us to gain the best depth of insights by utilising a range of bespoke surveys, taking an individual approach rather than generic, one-size-fits-all approach. This ensured engagement across all groups and maximised the level of data collected. The follow-up consultations then acted to strengthen the validity and richness of the data.