Outdoor Citizens is a free membership community.
It's made up of small charities, not-for-profit groups and organisations that are working to support more people to access the outdoors – hosted and administered by YHA (England & Wales).
Outdoor Citizens members and YHA share a common aim: to make the outdoors accessible for everyone. If this sounds like you, then please come and join us. It’s 100% free.
Illustrations by Dr Penelope Mendonça for Outside Voices
© Penelope Mendonça 2021
Member benefits
YHA are supporting and resourcing the work of Outdoor Citizens members through a range of benefits.
Free meeting rooms
YHA offers flexible meeting room spaces for community events, classes, workshops and more
Discounted accommodation
Save 15% on YHA stays across England and Wales, including dorms, private rooms and glamping
Access to funding
Our dedicated grants coordinator will support you to access other funding pots managed by YHA
Networking and training
Community knowledge sharing, training and networking events designed for members
Share your feedback
Be the first to hear about paid opportunities to provide feedback to help us improve
Affiliate programme
YHA pays commission on sales generated through links on your website and social media
Become a guest blogger
Accommodation is provided for approved bloggers and influencers to share their YHA experience
Dedicated support
YHA will support your charity, group or organisation to plan outdoor events and activities
How to join
Membership of Outdoor Citizens is completely free.
Eligibility to join is based on shared aims to achieve equity, diversity and inclusion in the outdoors. If this sounds like you, please apply to join our community.
Funding
We're working with funders to connect Outdoor Citizens members with grants. These will be updated regularly.
If you are interested in applying for funding for your work, please email [email protected] with a brief description of your plans. Funding is only available to members – it’s free and easy to join.
Sport England
Applications open from September 2024.
Focus: Activity that increases participation of local community groups in outdoor activity, and/or supports the resilience and capacity of grassroots groups to continue their work.
Natural England
Applications open from September 2024.
Focus: Activities that build nature connection and or activities that support the recovery and care of nature.
Pilgrim Trust
Applications open from September 2024.
Focus: Activity that increases participation of local community groups in outdoor activity, and/or supports the resilience and capacity of grassroots groups to continue their work.
YHA (England & Wales)
Applications currently open.
Focus: Groups of young people or groups of families with challenging lives. See here for more details.
Join a growing community
Our community consists of small outdoor charities, not-for-profit groups and organisations. If you’d like to join the below members (and many more), complete our application form – you’ll be in great company.
Adventure Queens
Adventure Queens
Become United
Become United
Black Trail Runners
Black Trail Runners
Curious School of the Wild
Curious School of the Wild
Love Her Wild
Love Her Wild
Peak Queer Adventures
Peak Queer Adventures
Rewilding Youth
Rewilding Youth
Surfability
Surfability
The Outdoor Partnership
The Outdoor Partnership
United We Climb
United We Climb
Wanderlust Women
Wanderlust Women
Woodcraft Folk
Woodcraft Folk
Community support and networking
Members of Outdoor Citizens have access to online and face-to-face events. These events are in response to what members tell us they need. They are co-designed with members and typically free to attend. Past events include The Outdoor Connection 2022 and the Resilient Communities Series.
We’re committed to tackling some of the ‘big outdoor barriers’ like access to transport and kit. We're doing this by bringing together community groups, brands and big system partners to design practical solutions.
There is a wealth of expertise and skill in the Outdoor Citizens membership community. We recognise and value that and will always seek funding to pay experts for their time.
Once your membership has been agreed you will be sent a link to join the closed Facebook group. This is the place to connect with other members for learning, ideas and partnership opportunities.
Why is this community needed?
- The UK outdoors is not diverse in participation and workforce. Outdoor Citizens members are working hard to address this in their own communities.
- Starting a new group with limited resources can be challenging. Many groups are run by volunteers. Writing funding bids takes time and positioning your work to appeal to funders isn’t always easy. The outdoors is full of lingo, tradition, spaces and facilities that can be exclusive and inaccessible.
- YHA and their partners want to use their resource and influence so Outdoor Citizens can more easily access the things they need to continue their work. And to make sure that barriers are removed permanently by challenging systems and processes, and amplifying the work of grassroots groups.
- YHA wants to learn from Outdoor Citizens to make their own services more inclusive and continue to focus on their ‘all means all’ priority.
- Outdoor Citizens is a place for practitioners to access practical things, influence change and connect with others to help each other grow.
News and events
If you have a story or event that you would like us to consider sharing, please email [email protected].
Our first Getting into Hiking programme - a great success!
Earlier this year we launched our Getting into Hiking programme for 12 women new to/returning to hiking. The programme targeted women who felt unable to join existing community walks...
Outdoor Citizens: how we’re supporting their community
We believe everyone’s happier outside, which is why free events like YHA's Festival of Walking are so important. It’s a chance to bring walkers from all backgrounds, cultures, genders and locations...
Gratitude attitude
In the past few months we have been so grateful for donations from friends, organisations and companies, to support the work that we do to ensure that we can all have good outdoor lives. There are many barriers...
Meet the filmmaker on a mission to increase diversity
Frit Tam is a British-born Chinese transgender filmmaker on a mission to increase diversification in the outdoors. Here he discusses filmmaking, discovering inspirational stories and...
Supporting partners
We’re always on the lookout for partners and funders who are committed to making the outdoors more accessible. Does your organisation have something to add to the Outdoor Citizens membership offer? Please email our team directly.
Cotswold Outdoor
Natural England
Pilgrim Trust
Plas Y Brenin
Sport England Together Fund
Development partners
Our development partners have a central role in the creation and design of Outdoor Citizens and its continued delivery, ensuring that it can achieve its intended aims and objectives.
All the Elements