Wildlife charity aims to make conservation more diverse

Froglife is giving under-represented groups a 'first step on the ladder' through a paid trainee programme.

The charity, which is based in Peterborough, hopes that its Transforming Lives project will bring in people who had not considered conservation as a career. There are five places available, with trainees paid to work for three days a week on nature reserves near the River Nene.

Trainees are paid to work on reserves three days per week, where they will learn a broad range of conservation skills (Froglife).

Surveying and monitoring, using equipment, report-writing and public engagement will be among the skills taught through the scheme.

Darren Starkey, Froglife's Operations Manager, said: "The overall aim of the scheme is to provide the trainees with the first step on the ladder towards a career in nature conservation.

"We are keen to encourage applications from minority groups that are currently under-represented, applicants from areas of high social deprivation or those with other challenges that might normally act as a barrier to a career in the sector."

Froglife said that previous trainees had gone on to take up permanent positions in nature conservation.

Clare Middleton, reserve warden and trainer at Froglife, said: "I've seen [trainees] blossom. They grow in confidence and work as a team in a way that they might never have done before. They make friends as well as colleagues.

"It helps to increase diversity in the sector as it's a really good opportunity to get experience as well as getting paid, because often people can't afford to take unpaid work."