Workshop Leaders were:

• Maria Adebowale - Director, Capacity Global
• Junie Joseph - Community Champions Officer, Mosaic Partnership, Council for National Parks

The aim of this session was to identify barriers to widening access to green spaces and natural heritage, and to look at ways how they might be overcome.

What are the barriers?

Together, delegates drew up the following list:

• Low income
• Lack of adequate transport provision
• Lack of information
• Relevant connection? Countryside pursuits not part of my cultural/family background
• Image of the countryside is seen traditionally as part and parcel of one kind of society
• Direct/ indirect reluctance from staff
• Lack of understanding
• Fear factor, can affect both service users & organisations
• Weather (clothing issues)
• Lack of suitable facilities
• Difference, ‘people will stare at me’ (issues around preparing groups prior to visit)

Generally, barriers will fall into one of two main categories:

• External and internal (mindset)

If we accept barriers happen, what strategies do we need to put into place to turn them into opportunities?

Delegates then divided into four groups and each group was asked to explore how a particular barrier might come about and what could be done to overcome it. These discussions covered the following issues: lack of suitable facilities; irrelevant connections; organisational mindset; and awareness of opportunities.

Although this session took place in the so-called ‘graveyard slot’, the room was soon buzzing with ideas. One delegate said, “it is great to be talking to each other and drawing on each other’s experiences”.

Overall conclusions

• Organisations need to be clear about why they want to develop new audiences
• The approach is likely to be more successful if a partnership is made with one community group at a time, so prioritise who receives the resources first
• It is very important to identify and understand who your audience is and find out what their needs are
• Put things in context, the barriers might not necessary be what you think they are and false assumptions can be made about people’s reactions, e.g. in rural areas people notice ‘newcomers’, colour can be secondary

Package what you have to offer in order to appeal to your target group. Yes, it is important to avoid being patronising about assumed needs, but the first essential step is to get your group out there! After this first experience, individuals can make informed choices.