The Outdoor Partnership works with clubs, schools, individuals, and cross-sector partners to strengthen the conditions that enable people in North Wales to achieve their potential through outdoor activities, participation, volunteering, training, and education.
Ailish Roberts is our North Wales Outdoor Activities Development Officer. She covers Flintshire, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey.
You can stay up to date with what is happening in North Wales, by following The Outdoor Partnership North Wales social media accounts:
Facebook: Swyddog North Wales
Instagram: The Outdoor Partnership North Wales
Eventbrite: The Outdoor Partnership North Wales Events
Or get in touch with Ailish directly on 07742 875852 or ailish.roberts@outdoorpartnership.co.uk
Since 2005, The Outdoor Partnership has been bringing people and organisations together across North Wales to create more opportunities and lasting impact. Here’s a quick look at what we’ve achieved lately…
Eryri Ni delivers monthly nature-connection sessions across Eryri, typically two or three each month through strong local partnerships. This year’s programme has included Welsh storytelling with Leading in Nature, climbing activities at HONGIAN Festival, navigation training for Caru Eryri volunteers, community litter-picks with Penrhyn House and partners, and wellbeing sessions for Cwmni Bro.
Additional funding enabled us to support Wales Nature Week with Natur Eryri. Working alongside Leading in Nature and Pen y Bryn, we delivered a week of nature-based activities across Eryri, strengthening connections between people, communities and the landscape while expanding opportunities to take part.
Rooted in research on Welsh language and learner engagement, Eryri Ni helps people develop a deeper relationship with place, its history, ecology and culture. By building the skills, confidence and connections of local people and organisations, the project creates lasting capacity for nature connection and stewardship, ensuring benefits continue beyond the life of the project while supporting wellbeing, belonging and connection.
Our AMSER programme continues to create opportunities for young carers to connect with nature, build confidence and enjoy time away from their caring responsibilities. We deliver young carers’ sessions across all six counties of North Wales, with additional sessions for young adult carers supported through the Short Breaks programme.
We are proud to work closely with local young carers’ organisations, including NEWCIS, Action for Children and WCD Credu. These partnerships are central to the programme, helping us reach young carers who may otherwise have fewer opportunities to access nature and outdoor experiences, while ensuring that sessions are shaped around the needs and interests of the young people taking part.
By working alongside organisations already supporting young carers and building trusted relationships with communities across North Wales, AMSER continues to make outdoor experiences more accessible and inclusive — helping young carers develop confidence, wellbeing, friendships and a lasting connection with nature.
Through Moondance funding, we continue to work with Barnardo’s, GISDA, STAND NW and CYFLE Support to use outdoor wellbeing activities as a catalyst for building stronger connections between organisations, communities and participants. Activities include mine exploration, high ropes, climbing, kayaking, gorge walking and paddleboarding. Alongside delivery, we strengthen local partnerships, share expertise and build the confidence and capacity of organisations to use outdoor activities as part of their ongoing support.
Through this collaborative approach, we have helped local organisations see outdoor activity not as a one-off intervention, but as a valuable tool within their wider wellbeing and support services, influencing how opportunities are developed, delivered and sustained across North Wales.
The Women’s Adventure Club continues to provide regular opportunities for women to get outdoors, try new things and experience adventure in a supportive and welcoming environment. Working in partnership with Pen y Bryn, we deliver one or two sessions each month, offering a varied programme designed to encourage women to build confidence, improve wellbeing and develop new skills. Activities range from mountain walking, wild swimming and paddleboarding to climbing and cave exploration, with the programme also extending to bigger adventures such as a recent ski trip. This variety gives women the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, discover new interests and challenge themselves at their own pace.
More than simply an outdoor activity programme, the club creates a strong sense of community. By bringing women together to share experiences, learn from one another and support each other through new challenges, the club helps build confidence and lasting connections. Through regular access to nature and adventure, the Women’s Adventure Club is helping more women feel comfortable and confident in the outdoors — while supporting physical and mental wellbeing, friendship and a shared sense of adventure.
Please contact Ailish to be added to the Whatsapp Group!
Following the success of the programme, our partnership with SUPLASS continues to create opportunities for women to build confidence, develop new skills and enjoy time outdoors in a supportive and welcoming environment. During the summer, we deliver a four-week programme of women’s SUP adventure sessions, combining activity, exploration and social connection. The sessions provide a supportive space for women to try something new, challenge themselves at their own pace and experience the physical and wellbeing benefits of being active on the water.
The programme continues throughout the year, with sessions moving indoors during the winter to the pools at Gwella Leisure Centre. This provides a chance to maintain momentum, continue developing skills and, most importantly, keep coming together, having fun and enjoying being active. By offering a consistent programme across the seasons, our partnership with SUPLASS is helping women develop confidence and skills that extend beyond the sessions, while creating lasting connections through shared outdoor experiences.
Please contact Ailish to be added to the Whatsapp Group!
Each year, from Easter to Halloween, we run Forest School sessions for young children in beautiful locations across Eryri, in partnership with Parc Eryri and the National Trust.
Our sessions give children the freedom to explore, learn and play outdoors, encouraging curiosity, creativity and a deeper connection with nature. Through hands-on activities and adventures in the natural environment, children can build confidence, develop new skills and have fun in the great outdoors.
The Gwreiddiau Môn project supports people experiencing a range of challenges, including homelessness, substance misuse and transitions from the justice system. Working with both younger and older participants, the project uses outdoor activities to improve wellbeing, build confidence and develop practical skills.
Through wellbeing walks, surfing, climbing and outdoor learning, participants have opportunities to progress towards recognised awards and qualifications, including Lowland Leader training, the Tonnau Award and NICAS climbing levels. These structured pathways help participants achieve personal goals, build resilience and develop positive connections with both the outdoors and their local communities.
Our Adventure Learning Framework – a pilot being rolled out across 7 schools in North Wales. The Outdoor Partnership has worked with Gethin Mon Thomas to develop a strategic guidance framework to roll out as part of the curriculum, encoueaging leanring using the outdoors. We currently have 7 schools including special schools, primary and secondary:
- Ysgol Bethel
- Ysgol Eifion Wyn
- Ysgol Friars
- Ysgol Gogarth
- Ysgol Manod
- Ysgol Hafod Lon
- Ysgol Llanddoged
Trainee Scheme
Our Trainee Scheme is focused on investing in local people, helping participants build the skills, experience and qualifications needed to develop careers in the outdoor sector. Through accredited training and nationally recognised qualifications, the scheme creates clear pathways into employment and progression within the industry. The programme covers a broad range of outdoor disciplines, including Mountain Leader, Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI), water sports qualifications, Mountain Bike Leadership and Mine Leader training. This range allows trainees to develop skills across different environments and identify pathways that match their interests and career ambitions.
The scheme continues to progress well, with monthly Mountain Leader development days taking place throughout the year in partnership with Smyrff from Hike and Bike Snowdonia. These regular development days give participants the opportunity to gain practical experience, develop technical skills and build confidence in the mountains, supporting their progression towards Mountain Leader Training and ultimately Mountain Leader Assessment.
This ongoing approach to development is an important part of the scheme. Rather than simply providing access to individual courses, we support trainees through a longer-term journey of learning, practice and progression — helping them build the confidence, competence and experience needed to work professionally in the outdoor industry.
Our partnership with Plas y Brenin is also going from strength to strength, with the second round of subsidised training courses currently underway. This is helping more aspiring outdoor leaders access high-quality, nationally recognised training that might otherwise be financially out of reach.
By investing in local people and creating accessible routes into outdoor leadership, the Trainee Scheme is helping to develop a stronger, more skilled local workforce while creating opportunities for participants to turn their passion for the outdoors into sustainable careers. Visit our Trainee Scheme page to find out more: Trainee Scheme – The Outdoor Partnership
Visit our Trainee Scheme page to find out more: Trainee Scheme – The Outdoor Partnership
Please fill out this form Trainee Scheme Form and contact Ailish to be added to the WhatsApp Group!
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Dref Werdd – Delivering activities that strengthen community connections and give young people positive experiences in the outdoors. The project helps young people discover and enjoy the opportunities available on their doorstep, while breaking down barriers such as cost, equipment, knowledge and confidence.
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Addysg Gwynedd – Working alongside Addysg Gwynedd to support students at risk of becoming NEET, using outdoor learning, including Forest School sessions, to help them reconnect, build confidence and re-engage with learning.
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HONGIAN Fest – We have supported HONGIAN Fest for the past two years, providing additional outdoor activities for the community, including climbing, wild swimming, yoga and paddleboarding. We hope to continue building on this partnership and creating more opportunities for local people to experience and enjoy the outdoors.
Club Support
We offer General Affiliation (Free) and Affiliation with Coach Education support (Advanced Membership) which is £150 a year to support clubs to achieve their goals. This can be advice and support for funding applications, training and obtaining volunteering, members, signposting, social media and so on. We also run first Aid courses for club volunteers.
Applications for this year’s club support programme are now open, visit the Club Affiliation page to find out how to apply: Club Affiliation – The Outdoor Partnership
We also have two additional Outdoor Activities Development Officers, funded through the local authorities in Gwynedd and Conwy.
These were the original posts established in 2005 when The Outdoor Partnership first began. The officers work closely with Ailish, our Regional Officer, to help turn our strategic aims and objectives into real, practical impact across North Wales.
Roger Pierce is the Conwy Outdoor Activities Development Officer, based within the Ffit Conwy local authority leisure team, and covers all of Conwy.
If you’d like to know more about what is happening within Conwy, you can contact Roger directly on 07701 004816 or roger.pierce@conwy.gov.uk
Tomos Lloyd is the Gwynedd Outdoor Activities Development Officer based within the Byw’n Iach local authority leisure team, and covers all of Gwynedd.
Explore what’s happening in Gwynedd using the link below.
