Woodcraft Folk

description of organisation

Woodcraft Folk works across the UK providing co-operative and outdoor adventures to children and young people up to the age of 21 years. Woodcraft Folk manages 6 residential centres and facilitates 300 local youth groups all delivering a varied programme linked to our organisational aims and principles, including:

- Education for social change: Woodcraft Folk seeks to develop in our young members a critical awareness of the world. We will work to develop their knowledge, attitudes, values and skills necessary for them to act to bring about the changes that they feel are necessary to create a more equal and caring world.

- Co-operative and sharing approach to life: Woodcraft Folk believes that to further our aims it is vital to approach our educational work through the principles of co-operation. To achieve this we will provide a programme which ensures that our members practice co-operation through all the activities in which they participate.

- International understanding: Our motto is ‘Span the world with friendship’. We will therefore encourage and develop international understanding and friendship through our educational work and by our exchanges between children and young people of different lands. We will promote a greater understanding of the world amongst our members so that they are aware of the inequalities which exist in it.

- One world: Woodcraft Folk will encourage an understanding of the need to protect our environment and the use of the world’s resources.

- Inclusion: Woodcraft Folk welcomes all children, young people and adults, who wish to become members of the movement. As an educational movement, we believe that equal opportunities should extend to all aspects of activity and participation in the Woodcraft Folk. We will combat oppression or discrimination in our movement, whether on grounds of age, class, gender, race, sexual orientation or for reasons of disability. We will educate our members so that they may take these issues into the wider community.

- Rights of the Child: In our work with children and young people, we respect and defend their individual rights, and encourage them to participate responsibly and democratically, in all aspects of Woodcraft Folk activity.

- A world at peace: Because of our international outlook and concern that all shall enjoy the right to freedom from the immorality of war and want, Woodcraft Folk is dedicated to the cause of peace.

In 2018, Woodcraft Folk launched a new strategic plan committing to its values driven programme and seeking to increase and widen participation. As such our current activities include:

- Sustaining our local groups, by increasing attendance of young people through the provision of a quality programme based on the above aims and principles
- New group development, recruiting new volunteers to develop groups in communities new to Woodcraft Folk
- Outreach and engagement activities, such as children's activities at festivals, play outs and taster sessions, to offer more young people a chance to participate in Woodcraft Folk activities
- Targeted activity events at our residential centres, bringing together groups of young people to share experiences
- An international camp, planned for August 2020, seeking to engage over 3,000 young people
- Partnerships with other youth organisations across Europe, supporting exchanges, seminars and international youth projects
- Supporting youth led campaigns, initiated by young people on issues important to them.

Currently our young members are involved in a number of campaigns, including:

- Climate emergency, joining with school strikers and calling upon decision makers to introduce system change to stem climate change
- Stop the arms trade fair, promoting disarmament
- Refugees welcome, campaigning in partnership with Amnesty International but also hosting families event in local communities for individuals who have recently arrived in the UK

A typical Woodcraft Folk group would be targeted at a particular age group e.g. under 6 years (Woodchips), 6-9 years (Elfins), 10-12 years (Pioneers), 13-16 years (Venturers), 16-21 years (DFs). They would meet on a weekly basis for 90 minutes in a local community venue for games, co-operative craft, discussions and opportunities to engage in nature or community initiatives. The groups programme would be planned in partnership with the young people, giving opportunities for peer education and young people to self-facilitate. Groups regularly attend camps and residential centres around the UK supported by a team of adult volunteers. All groups are encouraged to take action on local issues important to their community e.g. biodiversity, litter picking, tree planting, campaigning for service improvements, fundraising for local causes.