Magical Mammals: Maximising inclusivity and well-being in a mammal conservation project
The project is part of the Development stage of a National Lottery Heritage Fund project. It follows on from previous work carried out nationally and the result of legacy planning. Pine martens and red squirrel releases require engagement with the public, who may not understand the key differences and impact of non-native grey squirrels on the red squirrel populations. The client has plenty of expertise in red squirrels and pine martens and their conservation, but needs support with the well-being and inclusion aspect of the NLHF funded development stage of their project and the creation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
R4C worked with the Red Squirrels Trust Wales team to understand their needs and the diverse activities that could involve volunteers and improve wellbeing. Following a review of the regional wellbeing assessment and plans R4C identified and considered how to overcome the current barriers to engagement, and the key audiences affected by specific barriers.
Stakeholder mapping enabled engagement and consultation with potential stakeholders and key informants. This was followed by analysis evaluation of the potential health and wellbeing impact of various proposed activities. This provided RSTW with information on what key factors would provide the greatest level of involvement in their proposed activities, and how they could provide positive wellbeing benefits for the participants.
The final document provided a proposed approach for engaging new audiences and delivering wellbeing benefits with clear rationale to support the proposal.
R4C also supported the group in developing their monitoring and evaluation framework through remote training sessions (due to Covid-19). This was carried out over several sessions, allowing time for review and reflection.