Over 9000 children and youth experience outdoor adventures with nature trip grants
RELEX Foundation, TAH Foundation, Urlus Foundation and the Foundation Brita Maria Renlund's minne joined forces to launch a joint grant program enabling nature excursions for groups in early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education.
RELEX Foundation, TAH Foundation, the Foundation Brita Maria Renlund's minne, and Urlus Foundation joined forces to launch a joint grant program enabling nature excursions for groups in early childhood education, primary education, and secondary education.
During outdoor trips, children and youth have the opportunity to enrich and deepen their relationship with nature. However, limited school budgets often hinder organising such excursions, for example, due to a lack of funds for transportation. Recognising this, the foundations organised a joint grant call to support more children and youth in taking trips to nature. The Guides and Scouts of Finland managed the practical implementation of the grant call.
The grant application period was open for two weeks in March 2024. During this time, an impressive 837 applications were received, of which 161 excursions were selected for funding in various parts of Finland. With the grants distributed, over 9000 children and youth can go to nature with their groups. A total of 129,000 € was allocated in grants.
The groups themselves decide on the content and practical implementation of the excursions. Excursions to various natural sites, such as forests, archipelagos, fjells, national parks, and nature centres, are planned for this year. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the spring migration of birds, geological features, and forest ecosystems among other things. Each supported excursion also includes an age-appropriate assessment of its environmental impacts.
"Time spent in nature has been scientifically proven to improve our well-being in many ways. Trips to nature also offer a unique opportunity to learn, collaborate, and marvel at its diversity. We are pleased that so many children and youth will have the opportunity to experience nature with their groups," says Henna Hakkarainen, Executive Director of the TAH Foundation that initiated the collaboration.
The foundations express their gratitude for the applications and the great interest in the nature excursion grants.
