WELCOME TO
THE OUTDOOR CONNECTION 2026
The Outdoor Connection is an event run in partnership between YHA Outdoor Citizens and All The Elements.
The 2026 event is supported by YHA (England & Wales), Natural England and Sport England.
Useful Links
Session slides and handouts
Support Beyond The Outdoor Connection
There are a range of different ways that YHA Outdoor Citizens and All The Elements can support you throughout the year.
Continued Support From YHA Outdoor Citizens
The Outdoor Citizens community is made up of small charities, not-for-profit groups and organisations that are working to support more people to access the outdoors – hosted and administered by YHA (England & Wales).
YHA are supporting and resourcing the work of Outdoor Citizens members through a range of benefits including:
Free meeting rooms
Discounted accommodation
Access to funding
If you have any questions about Outdoor Citizens you can reach out by email on outdoorcitizens@yha.org.uk
Continued Support From All The Elements
The All The Elements community brings together individuals leading the way on access and representation for underrepresented and systemically-excluded groups in the UK outdoors. We support grassroots changemakers working across all disciplines and all diversity areas to sustain and scale their work and connect more people with nature.
The four main ways we could support you are:
Capacity Building: Through one-on-one calls, online events and written articles.
Amplification: Sharing your story and amplifying your work to our community and beyond.
Online Resources: Including our Outdoor Directory which lists over 300 communities across the UK, as well as our Funding Page, Written Press, Research and more…
Peer-to-peer Support: Connecting individuals and groups working across diversity areas and across the outdoor sector to share best practice. Join our next online social to meet others working in the space!
The best way to find out how we can support you is to book in a one-on-one call, please email us on hello@alltheelements.co to connect.
Upcoming Events
The Resilient Communities Series
The Resilient Communities Series provides online training sessions and resources designed around your feedback and needs. Run in partnership between All The Elements and YHA Outdoor Citizens and supported by Sport England.
The 2025 Resilient Communities Event Series included three free-to-attend online training sessions with community experts, sharing their insights and experiences.
Event Topics:
Session 1: Bringing a Nature Focus into your Work
Session 2: Radical Rest for Leaders and Changemakers
Session 3: Press Training: Pitching, Preparing and Handling the Media
Dates for the 2026 Resilient Communities Series will be announced soon.
A three-part series of online training events.
YHA Festival of Walking
A month-long programme of free guided walks from YHA hostels across England and Wales.
The YHA Festival of walking is back for its fifth year on Friday 11th September - Sunday 11th October 2026.
As part of the event, grants are available to Outdoor Citizens members that want to get involved by running walks. Members of Outdoor Citizens can apply for up to £1500 towards the cost of a residential and £500 towards a day walk. During the festival members can also access a 20% YHA funded discount at participating hostels.
Find out more including details on how to apply here.
All The Elements Online Socials
Online social events welcoming those working on diversity, access and representation in the UK outdoors.
All The Elements socials are the opportunity to meet likeminded individuals working to create change on diversity in the UK outdoors. Our community covers all diversity areas, all activities and all outdoor sector roles - all we ask is for you to join us with an open and collaborative attitude.
Upcoming dates for our Community-Wide Social:
Monday 25th May, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Thursday 24th September, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Monday 23rd November, 7pm Register here to attend >>
Upcoming dates for our Disability Campaigners’ Social:
Monday 8th June, 6:30pm Register here to attend >>
Tuesday 1st September, 6:30pm Register here to attend >>
Wednesday 4th November, 6:30pm Register here to attend >>