Funding Brings A Breath Of Fresh Air For Local Pupils

Outdoor learning and connecting with nature offers significant benefits for young people. It helps them build friendships, develop social skills, and interact with others in different environments. This can truly boost their confidence, self-esteem, and belief in what they can achieve.

Castlebrae Community Campus recently secured an award from the Cameron Toll Community Fund to support a 12-week outdoor learning experience in Craigmillar Forest for pupils from the school, which is located just over a mile from the Centre.

Lorna Coan from Castlebrae Community Campus said: “We know that engaging with nature can reduce stress, boost confidence, and, importantly, provide a fantastic platform for developing communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities among our students. This generous support is funding a significant part of our 12-week programme, and it will have a really positive impact on our pupils who participate.”

Claire Jefcoate, Centre Manager at Cameron Toll, added: “We had the opportunity to visit one of the outdoor sessions in Craigmillar Forest with some of the pupils from the school. It was clear very quickly how much they were enjoying learning new skills and spending time together. It was also evident how much benefit they were gaining, and we were delighted to be able to support the programme.”