For those aged 18+
Mental health challenges and climate concerns are two of the biggest issues facing the world today.
The Level 2 in Nature Connection & Wellbeing brings these two areas together in a way no other qualification has- helping learners explore how nature supports their wellbeing while giving them tools to take action for the planet.
Our Level 2 in Nature Connection & Wellbeing qualification is the first of its kind in the UK, offering a unique opportunity to gain a formal award while developing personal wellbeing, practical skills, and pro-environmental behaviours.
The date for the next course has not yet been announced but will take place in Summer 2026
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1. A nationally recognised qualification
A formal, GCSE-equivalent award regulated through Ofqual—providing real recognition for nature-based and wellbeing learning.
2. Support for your own mental health and wellbeing
Learn evidence-based tools like mindfulness, grounding, and reflective practice to manage stress and improve resilience.
3. A deeper personal connection to nature
Take part in meaningful outdoor activities and reflections that help you slow down, reconnect, and feel grounded.
4. A pathway into green careers
The green economy is the second-fastest growing sector after tech. This course introduces key sustainability topics and prepares you for work or further study in wellbeing, education, or environmental roles.
5. Confidence in environmental awareness and behaviour change
Understand how eco-anxiety affects us, explore practical conservation, and reflect on how your habits and values can support a more sustainable world.
Research shows that connecting with nature can reduce anxiety, improve mood, and increase motivation to protect the environment, yet until now, there’s never been a formal qualification in this area.
The Level 2 in Nature Connection & Wellbeing is the first of its kind in the UK, offering a unique opportunity to gain a GCSE-equivalent award while developing personal wellbeing, practical skills, and pro-environmental behaviours. It brings together mental health, sustainability, and outdoor learning in a way that’s meaningful, accessible, and nationally recognised.
This unit introduces the concept of nature connection and its role in physical and mental wellbeing. Students will explore the five pathways to nature connection through practical activities, learn about the neuroscience behind mindfulness and grounding, and review research on eco-anxiety.
Students will learn how nature connectedness is measured and what factors influence it. They will assess their own nature connection using established scales, reflect on their results, and set goals to deepen their relationship with nature. The unit also explores the real-world applications of measuring nature connectedness in areas such as mental health, education, and conservation.
This unit focuses on the challenges and benefits of engaging with nature in urban environments. Students will analyse urban nature initiatives, participate in nature-based activities, and reflect on how these experiences impact their wellbeing and sense of community.
Students will explore how nature connection influences pro-environmental actions and conservation efforts. They will measure their own conservation behaviours, engage in a hands-on environmental project, and examine the role of public action in driving environmental change. The unit also introduces green jobs and the importance of nature connection in sustainability-focused careers.
Join our email list for more information about the Level 2 Award in Nature Connection and Wellbeing
Total Cost: The Level 2 Award in Nature Connection and Wellbeing costs £395 (including VAT).
Flexible Payment Plan: You can choose a payment plan with 12 payments of £33 spread over a year, making it more accessible.
Over 16 weeks, you’ll take part in calming outdoor activities, learn how nature supports the brain and nervous system, and explore evidence-based tools like grounding, reflection, and mindfulness. There are no exams, just a flexible portfolio of work you complete through real-life experiences at your own pace.
Delivered via our self-paced learning platform which you can access in your own time, 3 live sessions with a mix of tutor support and access to experts in nature connection (which are recorded and no requirement to attend live) and complete a range of activities to build your portfolio.
All assignments are portfolio-based – there are no exams. Instead, learners complete a range of creative, reflective, and practical tasks that build up over the 16 weeks.
You might be asked to:
Take part in nature-based activities (such as mindfulness walks, sensory tasks, or community projects)
Capture evidence of your experiences using photos, journals, drawings, or written reflections
Complete short written tasks explaining what you’ve learned about wellbeing, the brain, or environmental behaviour
Reflect on your personal nature connection, including how it affects your wellbeing and values
Create a case study of an urban nature project or conservation campaign
Use simple tools to measure your own nature connectedness and track changes over time
Plan and take part in a conservation activity (this could be something small, like planting or litter picking)
Set goals to improve your own nature connection and pro-environmental behaviours
All tasks are designed to be accessible and flexible – you can complete them in your local area, at home, or during time in nature with family or support staff.
Any adult is able to enrol on the Level 2 Award in Nature Connection and Wellbeing.
The date for the next course has not yet been announced but will take place in Summer 2026
If you'd like to find out more about whether this qualification is for you, you can contact our team
Join our email list for more information about the Level 2 Award in Nature Connection and Wellbeing
The green economy is the second-fastest growing sector of the past decade, second only to technology. According to the UK Government, the shift to a low-carbon economy will create hundreds of thousands of new green jobs in the coming years- but there’s a serious skills gap. Employers are already struggling to find people with the environmental awareness, sustainability knowledge, and personal connection to nature needed to lead this change.
For adult learners, this qualification opens up a range of different pathways. You might use it to:
Enhance your existing work in Forest School, outdoor education, early years, or wellbeing settings
Deepen your own wellbeing and nature connection, especially if you’ve experienced stress, burnout, or want to reconnect with your values
Step into green careers, including entry-level roles in conservation, sustainability, nature-based tourism, green social prescribing, or community gardening
Build a foundation for Forest School work, including applying for Forest School Assistant roles or preparing to train as a Forest School Leader
Begin teaching nature connection to others, either by progressing to our Nature Connection Instructor Accreditation (subject to entry criteria) or by becoming an Open Awards approved tutor to deliver this qualification yourself.
Incorporate sustainability into a new or existing career, including work in youth services, eco-therapy, environmental campaigning, or outdoor learning coordination
Nature connection is a core skill for future careers. As more schools, community programmes, and employers look to embed environmental and wellbeing practices into their work, qualifications like this will become increasingly valued- not just for what they teach, but for what they represent: a deeper understanding of the relationship between people and planet.
If you are a Forest School Leader or Teacher and would like to deliver this qualification to young people, we offer full Nature Connection Qualification Instructor Training.
You can deliver both the Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Nature Connection and Wellbeing to learners aged 11-12 and above, as part of your outdoor sessions.
Our Instructor Training includes full delivery training, session plans, and ready-to-use resources - everything you need to get started with confidence.
You can gain Instructor status for an additional £150 (instead of the usual £395) when you enrol.