Youth Orchard Group Initiative

Introduction

The first 8 fruit trees in Carrbridge Orchard were planted by the pupils of Carrbridge Primary School in June 2023.

Stewardship of the Orchard was always intended to include our Young People and thanks to the inspiring work by Mrs O'Reilly and the involvement in the Research Project on socioecological care conducted by Edinburgh University, the relationship between the pupils and place has become much stronger than was ever imagined.

An idea from Mrs O'Reilly became an opportunity to apply for funding from Cairngorm Trust YLAG programme and so the Youth Orchard Group Initiative (YOGI) was conceived.
(This acronym came from a question asked by a pupil about the Legend of Yogi's car - so it seemed fitting, as the oven found when we cleared the site might also have been his !)

This project is focussed on those who planted the initial trees and are now in S2, those who were part of the research study of the orchard and are now in S1 as well as the current cohort in P6/7.

Planting a fruit tree sprinkled with Fairy Dust

The Heritage Variety Trees are spaced 4 m apart and are on MM106 Rootstock with the intention that fruit can be picked from the ground.

All trees were give an sprinkle of mycorrhizal fungi (Fairy Dust) to give them a good start in the wood wide web.

Family Sessions

We have a number of family sessions from apple pressing to wassailing. throgh this project we hope to do more including willow weaving and grafting fruit trees for your own garden or neighbourhood\

What's Involved?

Regular Sessions are Free, We have some family sessions planned and a donation would be appreciated. These will be reinvested in the YOGI project.
they are once per month intended to be on 2nd Saturday of each month
they will be outdoors unless weather is terrible then indoor sessions at the village hall are an option for the project
The session lead will be Mrs O'Reilly supported by one or more Orchard Volunteers. ( see safety below)
Content will be co-created with the pupils and involve looking after the orchard and the ecosystems for encouraging biodiversity.
They will track their progress, any learning, reflections and age appropriate skills badges which may link to other volunteering activities they undertake.
They will have the option of digital or paper based log books for their volunteering. The digital ones will be accessed via their school Google accounts. Click Here to see what it looks like. Their responses will be stored securely and may be used in the YOGI Blog.

What do they need?

warm personal clothing is recommended,, a limited number of Outer shell jackets are available if required.
PPE will be provided - Gloves, safety glasses if required, Hi Viz vests and a limited stock of wellies if needed (otherwise suitable footwear is required)
Youth sized tools to care for the orchard and wildflower meadows will be provided.
The Health and Safety Checklist Can be found here

Are they Safe?

They will gain an understanding of Health and Safety and Risk Management
All adults working with the YOGI's will have been Disclosure Checked and undertaken Child Protection Training in line with our Child Protection Policy

Do I need to Give Consent ?

Yes, only children whose Parent of Guardian has given consent may come along.
The consent form is easy to complete and the information given will only be available to Mrs O'Reilly and Margarete Paschke as the Orchard designated person.
The consent form is here.

The Sections below are dropdowns to let you know the underpinning skills and experiences that are the basis for the sessions and the funding for the project. We hope you will support these through discussion and visiting the orchard with your young person.

Skills

Sustainability & Biodiversity

Hands-on habitat management (weeding, mulching, planting seed mix and bulbs)
Monitoring pollinator activity and soil health
tool use, plant identification, orchard & meadow maintenance

Intergenerational & Community

Mentoring by local growers and orchard elders
Family drop-in days where youth lead mini-tours

Art, Creativity & Culture

Co-design “What’s in the Box?” sensory kits and seasonal story cards
Create nature-inspired art and orchard signage including Gaelic Language

Nature Connection & Wellbeing

Reflection prompts in logbooks (mindful listening, nature journaling)
Safe, inclusive outdoor activity fostering confidence and mental health
Eco investigations and seasonal observations and recording

Inclusion

Sensory-friendly options (quiet corners, tactile materials)
Tasks tiered by mobility and energy levels

Develop Metaskills

• Leadership: rotating “team captain” roles for each group task
• Communication: pair-and-share observations in volunteer logs
• Problem-Solving: troubleshoot irrigation issues or invasive weeds
• Resilience & Adaptability: plan around weather, pivot tasks as needed
• Systems Thinking: map orchard ecosystems, link soil, plant, insect interactions
• Collaboration: co-create session plans using Sociocratic circles

Learn about Sociocracy and practice inclusive decision-making

This is school based the principles are what we will use to make decisions and maybe we can make a better video from the project

Legacy

Ongoing Youth Leadership:
Graduates become peer facilitators, sustaining sessions.
Governance Legacy:

Sociocracy circles continue shaping orchard management.
Skill Accreditation:

Badges and logbooks feed into school portfolios, guides, brownies scouts badges, Highlife Highland Volunteer schemes or Duke of Edinburgh awards.
Community Asset:
Toolkits, sensory kits, and training materials remain for future volunteers. What's In the Box kits for use when visiting the orchard

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