‘I’ve suffered from anxiety and being in such a supportive environment where I am making a positive change has really helped me grow and learn.’
– Jade an apprentice from the Green Futures project

Evaluation of the Programme
We have engaged Economic Research Services (ERS) and Collingwood Environmental Planning (CEP) to undertake an evaluation of the programme. The evaluation aims to identify, analyse and assess the collective impact of the 31 projects; the added value of the programme; whether it has achieved its long term ambitions and finally, to gather evidence of impacts, good practice and lessons learned. As part of the evaluation contract a set of reports and papers are being produced:
Six learning papers due to be published in Spring 2022
- Engaging young people in the environment
- Mental health and wellbeing outcomes for young people
- Skills and employability outcomes for young people
- Our Bright Future programme model
- Youth-led celebration of Our Bright Future’s impacts for environment and communities
- Young people in governance roles
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Final core report due to be published in Spring 2022.
Evaluation Mid-Term Report
The purpose of the mid-term evaluation stage was to report on what had been achieved since the beginning of the programme and identify key lessons so far to drive improved performance. This report was intended to promote learning and to support the future delivery of the programme, as well as allowing the programme to share findings with others. It is hoped that the collective evidence base can inform similar programmes in the future and provide better evidence on how young people can improve their local environment, which can be used to inform wider policy and practice.
Key findings:
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The programme had directly engaged 85,788 young people – far exceeding the programme’s original target of 60,000 young people participating in Our Bright Future activities!
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Young people have gained a range of knowledge and new skills both specific to environmental topics, and more general soft and transferable skills.
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Projects have improved participants’ self-confidence, wellbeing and mental health.
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The programme is supporting a wide range of terrestrial and marine habitats, through a variety of conservation tasks. The number of spaces improved has far exceeded the programme’s original target.
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The programme and projects are making positive steps towards influencing policy and practice. Key achievements at the mid-term stage included:
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A parliamentary event, co designed by young people, attended by 50 MPs
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The collaborative creation of young people’s ‘Policy Asks’:
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More time spent learning in and about the natural environment
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Support to get environmental jobs
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Create space for young people to be heard and play an active role in society
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Reports for download
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Mid Term Report Executive Summary
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Baseline Report
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Mid Term Evaluation Final Report (full report)
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Mid Term Report Annex 1 Outcomes Flower Summary
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Mid Term Report Annex 2 Case Study Conclusions
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Mid Term Report Appendices
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Research Report: Support for Young People to Work in the Environmental Sector
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Environmental Leadership: A research study executive summary
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Environmental Leadership: A research study report
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Key impacts for Participants: employability, social action & wellbeing executive summary
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Key impacts for participants: employability, social action & wellbeing report
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Young people’s skills development in Our Bright Future projects executive summary
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Young people’s skills development in Our Bright Future projects report
Good Practice Guides
Project evaluation reports
As well as the programme evaluation, each of the 31 projects are undertaking evaluations of their work and providing final evaluation reports. Click here for a list of reports that are available for download.
