Our Story

Our Mission

Ambios Ltd was established in 2001 to provide nature conservation training in UK and EU via traineeships and volunteering opportunities. Our Mission is to ‘provide inspirational education, practical action, science and technology training and volunteering opportunities in nature conservation in the UK and abroad.’ We help people achieve their goals for nature, science, education and employment.

We currently have around 50 residential learners each year on long term (12weeks+) vocational courses with an additional 20 on short duration (10 days to 2 week) word based training experiences.

During nature conservation training we offer a range of practical learning opportunities that demonstrate nature conservation in action. We aim to maximise opportunities for everyone to learn about the natural world and (if they wish) gain relevant vocational qualifications and employment.

We nurture partnerships and networks to support our aims. Our range of projects target different groups including young adults, adults with learning difficulties and those from under-represented backgrounds (women, carers, ethnic minority, career changers). Trainees may have no previous qualifications or have completed a higher degree – in both cases they are seeking practical vocational qualifications that demonstrate they have the skills for the jobs to which they are making applications.

Our Training

Our training focuses on skills gaps and demands from the world of work. We regularly host visiting Erasmus+ trainees (from University of Évora, Portugal) and co-financed volunteers from UK and France as well as Erasmus+ trainees from Hungary (Barn Owl Foundation).

We run nature conservation training which focuses on practical activities such as hedge-laying, species and habitat identification, mapping biodiversity and then interpreting the results these activities generate to a wider audience (using established and emerging technologies). We also run specific employability training which provides quality information on how to get a job in the nature conservation sector. We deliver (via City and Guilds) vocational qualifications in Environmental Conservation, Information Technology and we employ vocational education quality assurance processes (TAQA) which reflect these activities.

 

Our Farm

We manage a small farm for nature, wildlife and learning. At the farm, we work alongside United Response who support adults with learning difficulties. We also host domestic and international trainees (young people 18-25) who come to learn the skills, and work towards the qualifications, needed to gain employment in the nature conservation sector. United Response support people who have mild to moderate learning disabilities from Downs Syndrome to Autism.

Our trainees are able-bodied and benefit from regular co-adventure interactions with the people United Response support as a minor part of their training placements with us. This breaks down barriers and promotes community cohesion. Consistent positive feedback from our trainees clearly shows that their experiences working alongside the people United Response support are a source of inspiration and personal development.

Ambios Business Plan

Ambios has a track record of delivering high quality nature conservation training for over 15 years. In order to continue to deliver this quality training, we have developed a business plan that sets out our ambitions, unpicks the opportunities, and focuses on a number of key objectives. This document, setting out our plans until March 2019 currently acts as our steer, and lays the foundation for us to continue to offer unique and inspirational opportunities to the next generation of nature conservation trainees.

You can see the document here.

Ambios Ltd is a UK registered not-for-profit company limited by guarantee – meaning it can only spend its income on helping people achieve their goals for nature/science/education and supporting organisations in achieving their objectives for wildlife/conservation/biodiversity.

Companies House Registration Number: 4185277