The Nature of Scotland

Ecofusion was inspired by the
‘Working with Difference’ programme,
set up by the Forum for Environmental
Volunteering Activity and Backbone.
This involves a partnership of
environmental organisations and
minority ethnic community groups who
have been working together over the
past year to encourage greater diversity
in Scotland’s outdoors.
Black and minority ethnic
communities are often underrepresented
in environmental and
outdoor activities, and the Working with
Difference programme aims to address
the barriers by supporting partnerships
working between environmental and
black and minority ethnic organisations.
Monthly ‘getting to know you’
meetings and a ‘learning by doing’
approach led to visits to the outdoors
for 200 people from black and minority
ethnic communities and a number of
ongoing projects. For instance, a visit
to Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, hosted
by Forestry Commission Scotland, was
enjoyed by a group from the project for
minority ethnic carers of older people
and the Nepal Scotland Association.
“This trail reminded us all as if we were
walking in the Himalayas,” remarked
one of the group. “You don’t feel lonely
when nature is with you.”
Recently, seven community groups
received funding from the Paths for All
organisation to set up local health walk
programmes, and a number of groups
are planning the John Muir Award with
Historic Scotland’s ranger service.
Pammy Johal of Backbone was
delighted by the partnerships and
projects that quickly grew out of the
programme. “In setting up Working
with Difference, we discovered that
environmental organisations and black
and minority ethnic community groups
found it difficult to make connections.
A year later, the Ecofusion celebration
event brought together everything that
this programme set out to achieve!”
“Many people felt ownership of
the event because they were involved
in the planning process,” commented
Adil Ibrahim of the Community
Organisation for Race Equality, who
organised a football tournament at the
event. “Ecofusion was an excellent
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5
5
The climbing wall was
a big hit with the
children.
6
There were
opportunities to get up
close to wildlife.
The Nature of Scotland