Wild Ones – Nature group for older girls

What happens when you simply give teenage girls a space to belong?

This little film captures ‘Wild Ones’ far better than I ever could.

Wild Ones is our weekly woodland group for older girls in Rowntree Park. The same small group meets together over a half-term, giving everyone time to get to know each other, build confidence and develop a sense of belonging, not just with one another, but with the park and nature itself.

There isn’t a rigid programme – the girls shape the sessions around their interests. Sometimes that means campfires and cooking, den building, whittling or nature crafts. Sometimes it’s simply talking, exploring or spending time together outdoors.

Wild Ones began a few years back as part of the Make Space York project in conjuction with the Friends of Rowntree Park. The feedback has been amazing

Keeping the sessions free or very low cost is really important to us, so we continue to seek grant funding to make them accessible to as many girls as possible. The sessions from September 2026-July 2027 are able to happening thanks to funding from the LNER Customer and Community Fund and a generous donation from a supporter of the project.

I’ll let the girls explain better than I can…