Inclusion and the John Muir Award

The John Muir Award is a nationally recognised environmental award scheme, focused on the conservation, protection and restoration of wild places. Ensuring it is accessible and inclusive for everyone has been at the heart of the Award since its launch in 1997.

The Award has a set of criteria that must be met, but the flexible approach to delivery enables people to achieve the Award in ways that are challenging and relevant to them.

Diverse group celebrates in a park

Who is the John Muir Award suitable for?

The John Muir Award is open to any participants who can understand and meet the criteria. It is used by diverse organisations to improve outcomes for people.

The John Muir Award works best with participants working at the upper primary learning level and above. Participants need to be able to have an active role in the planning and decision making of their Award and understand the Award criteria and related concepts.

Most people who participate in the John Muir Award do so through providers such as schools, community groups and outdoor learning centres. For individuals who cannot access the Award through a provider, we encourage them to embark on a self-guided John Muir Award. We also encourage families to participate, welcoming the involvement of children of all ages and abilities as part of a family group. This involves collective participation to meet Award criteria, rather than requiring them to be fully met by individuals.

Inclusion

The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in society. It prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics including age, disability, gender, race and religion.

A key aim of the John Muir Award is to ensure that circumstances are not a barrier to experiencing wild places, ensuring they are accessible to everyone through the award. The following table lists some of the barriers to accessing wild places that are experienced by Award participants:

Structural Barrier	Definition
Disability	A disability is defined as any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the individual to do certain activities and interact with the world around them. Example cognitive, physical, social/emotion, learning or sensory, poor mental health.
Long-term health conditions	A long-term health condition is defined as a condition which cannot currently be cured, but can be managed by medication, therapies and/or support.
Caring responsibilities	A young or unpaid carer
Financial barriers	Any monetary or cost-related obstacle that prevents an individual from accessing or engaging with wild places.
Language barriers	The lack of a common language that prevents two or more people from speaking to or understanding each other through verbal communication.
Systemic barrier	Systemic barriers are policies, practices or procedures that result in some people receiving unequal access or being excluded.

Inclusion organisations

Across the UK, hundreds of organisations supporting people who experience structural barriers in everyday life use the John Muir Award to protect, restore and conserve wild places. We would like to better understand the barriers that Award providers are working to address.

The Award is used across a wide range of sectors which promote inclusion. It can be a tool to help organisations access and work with hard-to-reach audiences across diverse settings from inner-city wildlife gardens to isolated communities.

Building employability skills

Organisations that work to build employability skills in young people and adults find that using the John Muir Award helps give real world experiences for developing transferable skills. They also value the nationally recognised certificate and its role in helping move people towards positive destinations.

Building family relationships

Family groups often participate, finding that this creates opportunities for positive, active, shared experiences in healthy environments that can be free to access.

Improving health and wellbeing

Promoting wellbeing, healthier lifestyles and supporting good mental health: being active outdoors, connecting with people and place, learning new skills and giving something back all contribute.

Delivering the curriculum

The John Muir Award framework can offer new and different ways to succeed. Schools, alternative provision settings and education support services have seen young people re-engage with learning and the curriculum through a more active and outdoor approach, helping to reduce attainment gaps and broaden options for learners.

Recovery in the outdoors

Making a positive contribution to the environment (promoted and given context through the Conserve Challenge) is a key part of the success of outdoor-based addiction recovery work and other therapeutic interventions. The opportunity for reflection through time in wild places, and associated sharing, is reported as an important benefit.

Inclusion groups use the John Muir Award in various ways to achieve their goals. For example:

Youth work organisations engage disadvantaged young people in outdoor adventures, fostering a connection with nature and developing essential life skills.
Mental health support groups use the Award to promote wellbeing and recovery by encouraging participants to engage with wild places.
Addiction recovery programmes integrate the Award to provide a positive focus and build resilience through their activities.
At-risk families benefit from the Award by spending quality time together in nature, strengthening family bonds and creating positive experiences.
Educational institutions enhance learning by incorporating the Award into their curriculum, promoting environmental awareness and stewardship.

These diverse applications demonstrate the Award’s flexibility and impact, making it a valuable addition to any programme aiming to connect people with wild places and support their personal growth and wellbeing.