Outside Voices

Who is the outdoors for? And how comfortable do people feel there? These questions have been at the heart of the Youth Hostel Association’s (YHA) project ‘Outside Voices’.

YHA aims to help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, and appreciation of the cultural values of towns and cities. In particular, it does this by providing youth hostels or other accommodation for them on their travels.

Through honest interviews, graphic interpretation, heartfelt poetry and music, the Outside Voices project explores personal relationships with green and blue space. The project, part funded by the Emerging Futures Fund, delves into the impact of the pandemic on attitudes and access. It asks what barriers exist and why exclusion persists and provides a creative outlet for voices that too often go unheard.

Contributions come from YHA users and members, from the YHA community consultants’ networks, and through connections made as the project developed.

The Outside Voices e-book is an anthology of human stories, with contributions from a diverse range of communities