Wilderness Foundation (UK)
The Wilderness Foundation (UK) is one of WILD’s sister organizations, founded by Dr. Ian Player and Sir Laurens van der Post in 1974.
An established and successful organization located in the United Kingdom, The Wilderness Foundation UK works to preserve the world’s last remaining wild places and highlight their impact on the health of the individual, society and the planet.
The programs of the Wilderness Foundation UK focus on connecting people with wild places. A few outstanding examples include :
The Sirius Scholarship for Environmental Leaders providing people with a wilderness-based development programme in Scotland. Participants, together with leaders from the Foundation and highly trained and experienced guides explore the impact that we have on the environment.
Wild Swans – committed to promoting the values of women’s leadership and addressing the gender gap in business, environmental and social leadership.
Wilderness Leadership Trails for schools, cadets and youth groups - Importance is placed on personal development, respect of diversity, togetherness, simplicity of experience and learning about the richness of an undisturbed natural environment.
TurnAround – Vulnerable young people, supported by mentors and wilderness therapists explore, and grow to understand, their personal responsibility for making positive changes in their lives.
Peace and Reconciliation - The Foundation engages in programmes that bring people from differing backgrounds together in wilderness. Here, in a natural, non-judgemental environment, principles of finding a sense of common humanity and an acceptance of diversity can come to the fore.
Every year, WFUK provides opportunities for individuals and groups to directly experience the irreplaceable quality of wilderness, both as a positive force for social and environmental sustainability and as a forum for personal growth and change. Participants benefit from nature’s significant contribution to the discovery of identity and perspective, as well as leadership training and development.
In addition to the trails and social projects, the Wilderness Foundation UK continues to research the positive impact of wilderness, working in partnership to create an international network for wilderness advocacy and protection.
Key Profiles
Jo Roberts – Chief Executive Officer
Jo Roberts has been Director of the Wilderness Foundation since 2004, but has been involved as Projects Director and Project Coordinator since 1998.
South African by birth, Jo has enjoyed a rich life of wild places in many parts of Africa as she grew up. She trained and worked as a Social Anthropologist during the time of Apartheid, working mainly with rural communities. Her main interest in life is the vital connection between humanity and nature, and the value that experiential learning and outdoor education brings to social and personal change.
Jo focuses her attention on linking wilderness trails to peace and reconciliation and the effects of wilderness on developing sound youth leadership built on environmental awareness and ethics, and the turn around potential for youth who are vulnerable or at risk. Using the extensive wilderness network and her close link to South Africa and programmes running there, she merges best practice from around the world into creative programmes that suit British climate and culture.
