Bolsover District is located in the Northeast Derbyshire former coalfield area. Historically a rural corner of the county it under went dramatic change with the development of deep mining techniques at the turn of the last century. Large populations of workers required to operate the mines settled in ever expanding villages, which were dotted throughout the district. These communities were islands of industry against this rural backdrop. The closure of the mines over the last few decades has left these communities marooned in a rural area with little local employment or infrastructure to access the larger surrounding towns.

This study explores the feasibility of using the extensive natural and cultural landscape as an agent for change amongst disaffected young people: working in partnership with the local community and agencies to develop imaginative and creative answers to Bolsover’s new challenges.

The study has been based on focused consultation with the young people along with a wide ranging cross section of agencies and partnerships involved in different ways with young people, education, and cultural / natural heritage.

The main strength of this project has been engaging young people who were not achieving their potential via the education system and boosting their confidence and self-esteem.

The conclusions of the study envisage an enhancement of existing networks, maximising the time and financial resources of the proposed project.

The District of Bolsover has an historic legacy in the wealth and diversity of its environmental and cultural heritage resources, from caves to Castles, hunting forests, gorges and meadows. In an area of unique challenges, using this landscape is a unique answer to develop skills, confidence and communication for communities and organisations. 

Background:

Local Initiative Development Funding was provided to run a course of Ice Age survival and construction activities targeted at young people in the Bolsover area.

In particular, the target group for the project was young people aged between 8 - 17 who were not achieving their potential via the education system, and would benefit from out of school activities, adding value and creating opportunities and life skills.

Seven sessions were run, providing the following learning activities:

Session number	Date	Activity
	23rd June 2005	Consultation 1
	14th July 2005	Consultation 2
1	16th July 2005	Shelter building
2	16th July 2005	Fire making and Flint knapping
3	17th July 2005	Yurt building
4	17th July 2005	Fire making and willow dome weaving
5	2nd August 2005	Building a Limestone Cairn
6	2nd August 2005	Exploring the tunnels of Robin Hoods Cave
7	8th August 2005	Field Trip to Birchover and Stanton Lees

Project Aim:

To meet the needs of selected young people for better training / education.

Project Learning Objectives:

1)      Improved knowledge of heritage and the role of construction technology in it

2)      Understanding of the relationship between old and new technologies and opportunities for further progress

3)      Ability to work in teams and improved self confidence

4)      Increased interest in school, out of school activities and where appropriate further education

 Project Design

The sessions were designed to be practical based activities in the outdoors with the opportunity for experiential learning. Using the outdoors, as a learning environment can prove beneficial to those learners who find it difficult to build on their own natural skills and abilities within the confines of a classroom based education. Two examples would be children labelled "difficult" or "problem", many of which suffer from conditions such as ADHD. Children such as these learn best when physically doing rather than being told how to do something. It is suggested that educational activities such as these, carried out in the outdoors can give empowerment and self-esteem to those with learning styles not conducive to the formulaic structured learning found in classrooms.

The consultation sessions proved valuable in engaging the young people and discovering their interests and fears. Many stated that they wanted to make fire and shelters, the final discussion concluded that we would look at different ways of construction and technology from the past. This introduction stage also allowed the assessment of group dynamics, personalities and the possible learning styles that may be present.

The project was carried out with regard to the theories of outdoor education as stated by Hill (2004) "that the power of the local environment should not be underestimated as experiences outdoors can help young people to develop and form opinions and values regarding their area". The environment itself benefits by awakening curiosity and personal responsibility within the participants. It also has the potential to help develop confidence and stimulation of the senses whilst providing an alternate, enjoyable and positive learning experience.

Attendance:

The sessions were attended by young people from Creswell and Whaley Thorns.

The age range of the group was between 11 - 13 years.

The following numbers of young people attended each session:

Session number	Young people attending
Consultation 1	25
Consultation 2	25
1 - Shelter - Building	6
2 - Flint knapping	6
3 - Building Yurt	11
4 - Making Fire	11
5 - Limestone Cairns	10
6 - Robin Hoods	7
7 - Field Trip	9
Total number of young people involved	110

Evaluation method:

Initial evaluation was carried out early on at session 1, on the 16^th July. Young people were asked a series of fixed questions verbally in an informal group setting, with their responses recorded by staff.

Formative evaluation was carried out during session 2, on the 16^th July, and at the end of session 4, on the 17^th July. Young people were involved in focus group activities, where they responded verbally to questions in a group setting, and staff recorded their answers.

This method was repeated for each ensuing activity and the summative evaluation information was gathered via a written questionnaire given out at the end of the final session.

Results:

Feedback from each of the sessions was very positive, with the group seeming to have gained a great deal from the experience, and enjoying it a lot.

For the purpose of analysis Generic Learning Outcomes have been used as piloted by Leicester University and EMMLAC. These are classified as:

¨      Knowledge and Understanding

¨      Skills

¨      Attitudes and Values

¨      Enjoyment, Inspiration and Creativity

¨      Activity and Progression

Analysis on the feedback demonstrates the following lessons:

Motivation

The activities offered were very strong, and a big draw for the young people. In response to what they were looking forward to, and as to why they had returned for the second session, the actual activities involved, and the belief that the sessions would be enjoyable, were the two main reasons the young people had engaged with the project.

Many of the young people turned up early for the final two activities asking if they could help to set up and asking for responsibilities such as "can I be in charge of the helmets today?"

Attitudes to learning

Surprisingly, all the young people expected to learn something from the sessions, rather than just have fun. Again, an emphasis was placed by all the young people on learning skills such as fire making and shelter building from the activities offered. Many suggested that they would be practising their new skills in their own time:

"I"m going to make nettle string at home",

"I built a shelter in my garden last night".

This result indicates that the young people were open to learning in an active, alternative format, and suggests that they would be willing to learn through innovative activities such as these in the future.

In the final evaluation they all believed that learning can be fun and many felt proud at the things that they had learned during this project:

"I felt impressed and proud when we have done it".

They also showed that they were  willing to engage in similar projects in the future and made suggestions for future activities.

Deepening knowledge

When asked what they expected to learn during the sessions, the young people stated that they expected to learn skills related to survival and construction tasks. After the first two sessions, response to the question " what do you feel you have learnt today?" indicated that these expectations were met.

However, there is evidence of a deepening knowledge and awareness of what these activities actually involve after the group had participated in the sessions. For example, before the session, the group expected to learn to "make a den, make a fire, make tools". After the sessions, the group felt they had learnt:

"how to build different shelters",

"about equipment used to make a fire"

and

"how to use tools safely".

The flow of the project led comfortably from one subject to the next and they all believed that they could see the link between the activities and shows evidence of a deepening of knowledge. For instance, the group built a shelter and a yurt but felt that these would only be used in less developed countries or in combat situations. However, upon meeting the villagers at Stanton Lees and witnessing for themselves how they lived the young people were astounded.

"I can"t believe people live like this"

Linking to the yurt, tool making drystone walling many commented without prompting that people have always and still do use the materials that are found around them.

Inspiration and Creativity

The project was designed to inspire and provoke the young people and the nature of the sessions required them all to engage and be creative.

There was evidence that the group would use the things they had learnt during the sessions in their own time and in new ways. One young person said that they had

"built a shelter in my garden last night",

Another planned to

"make nettle string at home".

These comments suggest that the activities offered were inspiring and had sparked the imagination of the young people.

Confidence building

The evaluation responses offered strong evidence that the sessions had challenged the young people and that they felt pride and achievement in what they had done. When asked if they were worried about anything before the session, responses included "burning myself" and  "not being able to do things",

suggesting that the young people felt some trepidation at the challenges presented. However, at the end of session two, when the group were asked what had surprised them or made them feel proud during the sessions, responses clearly indicated that the young people were impressed at what they had been able to achieve. Responses included:

"being able to make a fire",

"I felt impressed and proud when we have done it",

"I"m proudest of making a fire, because I"ve never made one before and I did it on my own".

This pride and sense of achievement continued through the following sessions with the final evaluation. Many felt proud about the things that they had done and learned saying what had made them feel the most proud they responded with:

"learning how to do new things",

"that I could do the things that I did" and

"seeing the things we saw".

This strong sense of achievement suggests that these type of sessions could play a real role in boosting self confidence, facilitating the learning process and encouraging young people to aim high and achieve in education.

Attitudes to Creswell Crags

Conversations about Creswell Crags, and its relation to Creswell indicated that although the young people felt a sense of pride and interest in the site, and visited it in their own time, they had not been able to engage further in the site before now. For example, not many of the young people had been inside a cave or knew very much about the history of the site. Thus suggesting apathy toward the site and the history of the area.

These responses suggest that as well as contributing to educational attainment and transferable skills, a project such as this one could potentially increase pride in and knowledge of the Crags for local young people, by allowing them to engage with and explore the site in a way they feel comfortable.

When visiting the caves at Birchover the young people discussed between themselves the differences between the manmade caves and the caves at Creswell Crags. They also showed evidence of ownership and pride. Many came to the site early to help set up the activities and a number have become regular visitors asking if there is anything that they can help with or get involved with and referring to the site as

"Our Crags".

Since the project finished there has been significant interest from many of the young people in Creswell Crags. Many have visited the Museum of their own volition asking for things do and when will we be running similar activities:

"When are we coming to Crags again. I could get loads of people down here my friends want to join in"

"I want to work here"

"Can I help you with anything?"

"There is nothing to do in the village, have you got anything planned for us?"

Discussion from Young people about getting involved long term with the site has sparked an interest regarding a possible teenage voluntary service at the Crags.

Attitudes to progression

Response from the group indicated that they would like to take part in similar activities in the future, suggesting that long term these types of activities would be successful in retaining learners. The increase in participants between the 16^th and 17^th July, from 6 to 11 young people, is also a positive sign. The group at sessions 3 and 4 comprised all the young people who had attended sessions 1 and 2, and new members, many of whom had heard positive things from their friends.

When asked why they had decided to come on 17^th July, responses suggested that word had spread that the activities were enjoyable

"it sounded fun, my brother told me"

and motivation to carry on with similar activities they had started in sessions 1 and 2

"I wanted to finish my stone knife"

When asked for ideas about future activities, the group had lots of suggestions, most of which were related to the themes of survival, exploration and prehistory, again confirming the strength and appeal of the activities offered in sessions 1 and 2.

The final evaluation suggests a desire to engage in further activities of this nature, with shelter building and survival skills being a keen favourite. Two within the group expressed an interest in meeting someone from the forces to talk about how such skills could be used during combat.

Generic Learning Outcomes

To summarise, the following outcomes seem to be suggested most strongly from the evaluation data.

Knowledge and Understanding	Young people gained a deeper understanding of past technologies e.g. how a shelter supports itself, what tools are needed to create fire Young people gained a deeper awareness and understanding of Ice Age visitors to the area, and how they might have lived. Young people gained an understanding of the materials used for building structures and the dependency of the environment you are in.
Skills	Construction and survival skills Working as a team Communication - inter/intra personal Kinaesthetic
Attitudes and Values	Strongly increased self confidence and pride Increased feelings of ownership and interest in Creswell Crags Positive attitude to learning - it can be fun! Young people showed interest and respect of different lifestyles.
Enjoyment, Inspiration and Creativity	Activities were inspiring and sparked the imagination of the young people Young people felt inspired to find out more and repeat activities at home Young people had fun
Activity and progressions	Young people participated fully in a range of unfamiliar activities The group worked as a team to solve problems and deal with decision making All members of the group had a strong desire to get involved in similar out of school provision in the future

Conclusion

This project has successfully achieved the set objectives showing evidence of an improved knowledge and the role of construction within it and understanding the relationship between old and new technologies and opportunities for further progress. The main strength of this project has been engaging young people who were not achieving their potential via the education system and boosting their confidence and self-esteem.

The group developed with each activity and both their willingness and ability to work together in teams along with their communication skills when talking to each other and to adults improved significantly.

Every member of the group expressed interest in engaging in similar projects in the future and their responses suggest an increased interest in learning and out of schools activities.

Each session ended with a review of the activity and an evaluation. This was approached through a relaxed discussion style helping to foster the development of opinions and attitudes and help them to articulate their thoughts on the subject effectively to others. By ending the session in this manner, the important points were reinforced and the participants left feeling inspired, comfortable and proud of their achievements.

The structure and content of the sessions made our objectives clear and struck a balance between enjoyment and learning. The members of the group stayed enthusiastic throughout suggested that the activities captured the interest of the students. The experience proved highly valuable to those who were able to participate.

Recommendations:

This pilot has the potential to be developed in a number of different ways. Survival skills and shelter building could be extended into a longer and more in depth project, which would be popular with the young people. This would add value to the previous activities and provide opportunities for young people to engage with a wider audience thus developing community services.

The one drawback to this project is that it is short term so just as the group is becoming established the project has ended. The group should not be allowed to diminish altogether and regular contact between the young people and Creswell Crags should be encouraged. Longevity is key to such a project and sustainability is difficult, hence long-term funding required for training outputs

A project such as this could also be linked to a number of recognised National Awards. For instance, the John Muir Award, which recognises awareness and appreciation of environment. This project seeks to develop further links with local training providers.

A project such as this could also serve to facilitate a link with other partners in the local area such as Groundwork, Junction Arts and Youth Train This could prove beneficial to the young people by could introducing them to new training ideas widening the opportunities available to them. Such a diverse range of partners engaging a multi-general project initiative and providing opportunities for work experience.