Class in the outdoor classroom: Being working class in the outdoors

Anita Kerwin-Nye

Recognised as a national expert in access, Anita initiated Outdoor Citizens, a community of practice turning up the dial on access to the outdoors. She has a lifetime commitment to getting young people outdoors and helped take forward ‘Learning Away’.

Anita set up the Access Unlimited Coalition - with the protected landscapes, YHA & other residential providers - as a practical approach to targeting more and different young people. This coalition delivered the Generation Green programme, connecting over 100,000 young people to nature and the National Parks and Landscapes and has now received funding for a second phase.

She advises government bodies and funders on how to unlock the multiple benefits of the outdoors, nature, culture and heritage, and wellbeing programmes for more and different people.

Most recently, she set up the network for Women’s Leadership In Protected Landscapes which both supports aspiring women leaders in the outdoor sector and looks to see what wider sector can learn from women’s leadership approaches. On a mission to raise the voice of wetlands and introduce more people to their superpowers, Anita joined WWT in summer 2024 to lead the Fundraising, Marketing and Communications Directorate and build a movement of people taking action for these undervalued habitats - including their youth programme “Generation Wild”.