Learning how to safely work in nature. The accessible online academy ‘Learn your greens’ (Leer je groen) makes this possible for all kinds of green volunteers. Whether you work at a visitor center, bundle willow, monitor birds, or serve as a nature guide on tours. Together with the Dutch Association of Forest and Nature Terrain owners (WBNE), we launched a platform for a variety of nature organizations, offering their volunteers consistent information to get started.
‘Learn your greens’ academy is ready to go, but can be customized. All organizations are given the tools they need to develop their own modules, thanks to the platform and writing training. It empowers them to add as many subjects as they want, offering flexible ways to provide their volunteers with the knowledge they need to safely work in nature.
‘Learn your greens’ was developed for nature organizations Nature Monuments, State Forest Management, LandscapesNL and IVN, which are all under the umbrella of the VBNE. This collaboration helps volunteers learn to work in the same way across the country. An added advantage is that when volunteers move to a different organization, they won’t have to learn any new working methods. Additionally, the online academy offers a place for organizations to share their knowledge and keep working on platform development.
Most nature organizations have a continuous stream of volunteers joining and leaving the cause. While the number of employees who can train the volunteers is dwindling, the need for all volunteers to function at a responsible work level remains. ‘Learn your greens’ is an efficient and effortless way to manage this. As most volunteers tend to be outdoor kind of people, the academy is compatible with both laptops and tablets. Learn anytime, anywhere.
Different working methods allow for volunteers to learn how they can work safely in nature
Realistic situations, even when you’re indoors while learning
The practical advice will have the volunteers land on their feet
