Adult learning courses - with Huw Morgan, Community Action Officer
Tell us about your job
The role of Community Action Officer looks at supporting community projects, principally in Brighton and West Sussex. I find out what support the groups need and look into ways of providing it, where possible. I run a volunteer Hit Squad group once a month on Saturday mornings, mostly in Brighton, but we sometimes go further afield, for example to help the Friends of Lancing Ring. Using this group of roving volunteers to help projects struggling with numbers to deliver practical conservation work is one way we can offer support to community groups.
What do you most enjoy about your work?
I like working with people and I like being outside doing practical work.
What's your favourite wildlife fact?
The collective noun for Weasels is a 'sneak'.
You organise a programme of adult education courses as well?
Yes. The Trust runs about 60 courses over the year, with a variety of tutors, covering a whole range of subjects, including: birds, moth trapping, downland butterflies, the dawn chorus, habitat assessment, owls, wildlife photography, field-craft, small mammals...
Some are on Zoom, some in the classroom, some are site visits (or a combination). Mostly they are one day, but some are over two (such as the Willow Weaving). Some are in the evening. And Mike Russell's Beginners Birdwatching takes place over six months. In terms of location - some take place at Woods Mill, some on other sites such as Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, the Burgh near Arundel, Heyshott Common, Bramber. We aim for at least half a dozen new courses each year - so far this year we've added amphibians, natural navigation, geology. And a bat event at Tilgate.
Read more about what happens on a small mammal course here
Courses don't all go up on the website at once - new ones go up every few months, so do keep checking. Link below. All courses are suitable for people of all levels of knowledge.
Click here to find out more about our Adult Learning programme