Empowering Our Community Through the NATURE SMILES Project

The NATURE SMILES project is supported through funding from the National Lottery.

Nature SMILES Supported by National Lottery Community Fund

It is a fundamental component of our SMILES Intervention service. SMILES is a youth-driven project with six key objectives: to provide Support, Motivate young people, make a positive Impact on their lives, empower them to Lead, Educate them, and Safeguard them from any form of violence prevalent in our community, including knife and gun crime.

Nature SMILES: A Community-Focused Initiative

Nature SMILES is dedicated to identifying and implementing practical solutions for enhancing our local environment. This project ultimately benefits everyone in our community. It is thoughtfully designed to empower young people to cultivate their creativity and develop innovative ideas that contribute to a healthier and more sustainable environment.

We have initiated conversations and successfully held several engaging workshop sessions specifically designed for young people. These sessions commenced in November 2025. Furthermore, these activities are conducted in close collaboration with well-established groups operating across Manchester, including local schools like Trinity High School.

Young people produced work to help develop outdoor areas in our community. They will implement some of these ideas during the Summer Holiday in August 2026.

Trinity High School Manchester

Engaging Activities for Youth Empowerment

The Nature SMILES project, in partnership with The Phoenix Way Project, has developed engaging activity sessions that incorporate elements like music, dance, and food preparation. These sessions empower young people to generate ideas that will positively impact our local environment.

We are pleased to announce that we have recently installed an improved car charger at our local community hall. Young people have suggested that travel for the project should be done by walking, cycling, and using electric cars. Additionally, Nature SMILES has invested in larger bins, allowing us to recycle all of our rubbish across the entire building site. This improved recycling system helps us make a clearer impact on the environment.

Nature SMILES Started with Improved Outdoor Areas

Addressing Community Concerns

Our younger community members recently met with our local Neighbourhood Representative to discuss potential strategies for effectively reporting fly-tipping incidents. These incidents negatively impact the accessibility of our community hall pathway. Young people have made contact by email and developed an account that allows them to report incidents directly to the council. This ensures that fly-tipping rubbish is removed within 48 hours.

Moreover, young people have encouraged Nature SMILES intervention to include our own rubbish collection activities. This initiative ensures a clean and tidy area around Hulme Centre Hall.

Fly-tipping issues addressed with City Council

Winter Sessions: Learning Through Nature

The NATURE SMILES winter sessions allowed young people to use different aspects of our natural environment to communicate and develop ideas. These ideas provide opportunities for people to learn about their local environment and how to improve access to outdoor areas.

The young people have developed some amazing concepts, such as making plant-based meals and learning to grow their ingredients. They are also exploring ways to create music from our natural environment. Future plans include using this music in outdoor mindfulness sessions to help improve mental health and wellbeing.

Additionally, our young people have agreed to develop protected areas outside for our older community members. This initiative will allow our older citizens to access outdoor areas without fear of damage to their flowers or interference from ball games. It will also provide young people with separate play areas outside.

Winter Sessions started in November 2025

Building Skills and Community Connections

Nature SMILES also creates opportunities for our staff and the local community to better understand our natural environment. We seek ways to improve Hulme Hall’s outdoor space and engage with our local council.

The two key outcomes are to improve the skills of volunteers and staff through access to training. This training helps support, motivate, and educate them in areas that safeguard young people and their families. It also helps staff and volunteers connect better to our natural environment while continuing to deliver current services.

MAV UK Setting an Example with Nature SMILES

Conclusion: A Brighter Future for Our Community

In conclusion, the NATURE SMILES project is more than just an initiative; it is a movement towards a brighter future for our community. By empowering young people and fostering collaboration, we are creating a sustainable environment that benefits everyone.

Together, we are making strides to ensure our community thrives. We invite everyone to join us in this journey, as we continue to support and uplift one another.

For more information about our initiatives, visit our website here.

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