forest school traineeship
next round starting october 2025
we are delighted to be able to offer funded traineeships for people who want to become qualified forest school practitioners and undertake a transformative personal and professional journey that involves the deepening of their connection and nature based skills within a holistic learning environment, understanding how development takes place and how to facilitate this experience for others through coordinating and delivering forest school programmes.
this traineeship starts in september 2025 and finishes in 2026/27
applications will open in the new year - sign up to our newsletter below to keep updated.
about the traineeship
we recognise that the ‘forest school’ industry does not reflect or represent the population of the uk, and more specifically of east london. we also recognise that there are structural, institutional and economic barriers to reaching and gaining the education and training needed to work in this sector. we seek to renew the systems in place that prevent opportunities like this being open to all, by prioritising diversity and providing economic support in an industry where unpaid time, volunteering and self-funded education is the norm.
this opportunity is open to anyone who:
needs a stepping-stone in their career
might otherwise not be able to access the training
meets the eligibility criteria
read the stories of what led two of our previous trainees - karen & toni ~ to embark on their forest school journey
see what our 2022-23 cohort got up to on their initial training week here
details
each trainee will receive a training bundle equivalent in value of over £3000. this traineeship will comprise of the following:
forest school leader (level 3) training: course page
16 hrs. first aid paediatric outdoor qualification: training page here
natural musicians & story telling - chris holland here
work experience on one of our camps
mentorship from k.i.n
places offered on an application basis ~ sign up to our mailing list here to be the first to know when applications open
this training programme has been generously sponsored by a friend of kin
“the traineeship experience was one of awe and wonder. we learned so many useful practical outdoor skills such as lighting fires and cooking over them, whittling, putting up shelters, knots and other bushcraft. each day was timeless and extremely soul nourishing. the course facilitators were so lovely and accommodating. there was a very cheerfully playful energy amongst the group during the training. i also was given the chance to carry out work experience onsite at kin and was then offered some paid work. i’m soon to be a qualified forest school leader and intend to carry this space with me wherever i go. i am eternally grateful to be on this path and for all the support i have been granted.” celeste, previous trainee
why kin is offering training
we are are experiencing a high demand for the groups we currently offer so we decided to find a way for the work we currently do at k.i.n to reach beyond our forest walls so that more people, children and adults alike, are able to benefit from it. we realised that this would be through enabling other adults, whether through schools or independently, to offer their own provisions. we have been lucky enough to meet facilitators and organisations who are aligned with kin to offer these trainings in partnership with and make this vision possible.
