Reading project aims to connect young people with nature

CONNECTING: A new project hopes to engage children with literature and the outdoors

A University of Hull lecturer is leading a new project which hopes to better engage young people in the city with reading and nature.

Rewilding Reading aims connect children with ‘wild’ literature and provide them with outdoor experiences such as bushcrafting, fire making and storytelling.

It is a partnership project, led by Dr Charlotte Dean, which also involves Hull Libraries, Child Dynamix, Youth in Nature and local historian Mike Covell.

Dr Dean, a lecturer and researcher in Education, said: “A lot of people don’t realise that Hull is actually one of the least wooded areas in the UK. There are a lot of green spaces in Hull, but very few of them are wooded.

“We did some research and found that the wooded areas in Hull are all close to some of the biggest housing estates in the city. So, we launched this project to tackle the disconnect that a lot of young people have with the outdoors.

“As well as teaching them some outdoor activities like fire building and bushcrafting, we are also keen to find new ways to get young people reading and connect them with literature.”

ENGAGING: The Rewilding Reading project aims to connect young people with reading and nature

Rewilding Reading is funded and supported by the Ferens Education Trust.

The project has featured a variety of creative research methods such as shared story making, digital film and audio analysis.

Resulting reports, films and resources will be shared across primary and secondary schools through the Hull Library service to promote and develop the connection between learning outdoors and reading for young people.

“We have been running some taster sessions for these events, and the feedback we have received from the young people has been fantastic, said Dr Dean, who is part of the University of Hull’s School of Education.

“The next stage is applying for funding to enable these projects to take place during summer holidays, weekends and after school. We have also been talking to farmers and land owners in the East Riding, who are happy to host future events and have young people camping overnight on their land.”