Co-designed by young leaders at SOS UK, Renew creates restorative, inclusive opportunities for neurodivergent young people to engage with nature. The programme builds confidence, wellbeing and supportive peer relationships through workshops, discussions, and a residential retreat. Our young people identified the urgent need for this programme, and have shaped retreat designs, access measures, nature focus, and local community engagement.
The residential retreats include small-scale conservation, wellbeing and creative activities, rooting the project in the local environment and community building. The retreats connect with existing sustainability and community initiatives, having previously taken place at Sheepdrove regenerative farm in West Berkshire and The Beeches, a rural hub for community health, social justice, and ecological regeneration in the Peak District. The venues provide participants with the immersive learning opportunities through insight and practical experience on the ground.
Alongside this, retreats host youth-led green skill-shares, enabling the participants to co-learn from each others’ unique life-skills and experience. The project focusses on creating an accessible and supportive environment, with participants empowered to contribute and share according to their personal capacity and preferences.
After a successful pilot year (2025-26) we are currently exploring scaling via the development of a National Neurodivergent Environment Network – ensuring lasting engagement, career pathways, and a more inclusive environmental movement.
