Pathways
Where nature guides
and leaders grow
Pathways is a brand new immersive programme developed at Kith Homestead.
Guiding young people of 10-15 years old to deepen their connection with nature and find a place of belonging. Pathways will help them as they grow into confident, mindful young leaders through hands-on experiences and Natural Pace Learning.
Pathways at Kith Homestead is a unique, hands-on program designed to nurture young minds, develop leadership, community, and a deep connection to nature. Through each step of the journey, participants engage with the land, explore their role within the environment, and build meaningful relationships with peers. Rooted in the principles of natural learning, guided by the Pillars of Kith, Pathways offers experiences that inspire confidence, curiosity, and resilience. Whether learning practical homestead skills, discovering personal strengths or flourishing with creativity, Pathways equips young people to grow as mindful capable leaders, ready to make an impact both here at Kith and beyond.
Pathways Stages
The five stages of Pathways, guide young people through a journey of growth, from curious beginners to empowered changemakers, offering the skills, experiences, and connections that support a lifelong relationship with the earth. Each stage becoming progressively more advanced through the young persons lived experiences.
Beginners | Stewardship | Guardians | Leader | Changemaker
Beginner Pathway
Introducing young people to the land and the foundational skills of eco-leadership. Here, participants explore sensory awareness, nature observation, and basic hands-on skills, encouraging curiosity and comfort in the natural world.
1 month duration - can be taken multiple times
Stewardship
The Stewardship Pathway is all about responsibility and care. Building on their foundational skills, participants deepen their relationship with the land by taking on small-scale stewardship projects, such as gardening, habitat creation, and simple land care practices.
2 month duration - can be taken after completing the Beginners Pathway
Guardians
In the Guardians Pathway, participants begin to lead. They build on their stewardship experience to take on larger projects and advanced skills, including seasonal land care, ecological tracking, and mentorship roles within the group.
3 month duration - can be taken after completing the Stewardship Pathway
Leaders
The Eco-Leader Pathway expands participants’ roles within the community. Here, young people take on independent projects that benefit the local environment or engage the wider community, helping them become advocates and ambassadors for nature.
4 month duration - can be taken after completing the Guardian Pathway
Changemakers
The Changemaker Fellowship is the most advanced stage, inviting participants to dive deeply into long-term projects and community impact. This stage offers opportunities to connect with environmental professionals, conduct local research, and lead initiatives that address pressing environmental challenges.
1 year duration - can be taken after completing the Leaders Pathway
Practical Information
Beginners Pathway starting January 2025
For young people aged 10-15 years old
All must have a keen interest in the outdoor world, open to new ideas and work within a small group as a team.
4 consecutive weeks, running on Saturdays from 12.30-3.30pm
11th, 18th, 25th January and 1st February.
£100 in total
Each young person will receive a Pathways journal and the option to purchase a Pathways T-Shirt.
Small group sizes
We will only take a small number for each Pathways cohort to allow every voice to be heard.
Out in all weathers… hopefully
We’ll be outside in all weathers during the time spent on the land at Kith Homestead. All participants need to ensure they have appropriate and enough clothing to suit the weather. A kit list will be sent out ahead of time with suggestions and recommendations.
Kith Homestead prioritises the safety and well-being of everyone on site. Due to the outdoor nature of the homestead, sessions may be cancelled in extreme weather conditions, such as severe storms, heavy rain, high winds over 39mph, or extreme heat. In such cases, you will be notified by 8:00 am on the day of the workshop, usually the day before. If a session is cancelled, we will find options to reschedule for a future date.
What to Expect
When you enrol your young person in the Beginners Pathway, they will be led through a range of outdoor activities focused on essential earth skills, nature observation, land stewardship, and teamwork. Each session emphasises hands-on experiences, with free time on the land and with each other to build connections.
Online Platform
For the first time ever at Kith Homestead, we will be using an exclusive Pathways online platform to deepen the experiences for the young people. Each week they will be able to see what’s on offer and what Wild Work (our version of work at home) suggestions there are for the week. We wanted there to be no hidden agenda so each young person is able to feel prepared and ready for each session ahead.
They also have the ability to retrospectively revisit the content of the session on the land to use what they’ve learnt beyond Kith; perhaps to lead a session in a school, a Scout group or family gathering. Part of the beauty of the Pathways offering is that the young people take their experiences out into the world and lead with confidence.
Enrol Your Young Person
If your young person is ready to enrol in the Beginners Pathway, starting January 11th 2025, fill in your details here. You’ll receive a booking form and payment information.
Once enrolled, you’ll be given access to the online platform and the link to buy your Pathways T-Shirt.
Now is the time to provide access to more Natural Pace Learning, more autonomy in outdoor education and more emphasis on how to work alongside our natural world. We need a huge step back from corralling our growing children into highly scripted activities, to focus instead on the relationships, supportive peer groups and inspiring locations. We absolutely know pre-teen and early teen years are a pivotal time, they’re not without their developmental hurdles as with any stage of childhood. These are the years are where young people begin stepping beyond their immediate family to find their own identities, ideas, beliefs and voice. During this time they need secure peer groups, those they feel safe to flex language with, test ideas and find common ground amongst, and most importantly, the space to do it.
And in the mele of all of this, where does the budding naturalist fit in?