MIKE HARRISON

Who I Am

GreenTrees Forest Schools CIC is led by me, Mike Harrison a trained Forest School Leader, outdoor instructor, and trauma informed youth worker with a background supporting some of the most vulnerable young people across Wiltshire and Swindon.

I’m responsible for delivery, safeguarding, programme development, and ensuring everything we do is safe, structured, and genuinely supportive. Our CIC is overseen by a Board of Directors to ensure strong governance and accountability.

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Why This Matters

My background blends military instructional discipline, outdoor expertise, and hands on SEMH support.
This combination means our sessions are:

• emotionally safe

• predictable and structured

• calm and supportive

• rooted in meaningful challenge and real skills

It’s an approach that works particularly well for children who struggle in classroom settings, need support with emotional regulation, or benefit from clear boundaries delivered with patience and warmth.

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Background & Experience

Before founding GreenTrees, I served as a British Army instructor, including operational experience in Afghanistan. I specialised in:

• leadership and team development

• resilience training

• safe tool use and fieldcraft

• structured outdoor learning

• navigation and practical skills instruction

These skills now form the backbone of my forest school practice.

After leaving the forces, I retrained as a Level 3 Forest School Leader and Bushcraft & Survival Instructor, focusing on outdoor led interventions that support confidence, emotional regulation, and wellbeing.

I’ve worked across both primary and secondary SEMH settings, supporting young people facing complex challenges, behavioural needs, trauma, or anxiety. Many of the children I work with thrive outdoors in ways they never can inside a classroom.

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Roots to Resilience Programme

I designed and deliver the Roots to Resilience programme a structured progression of bushcraft, tool use, survival skills, and outdoor challenges that build:

• emotional regulation

• problem solving

• teamwork

• independence

• responsible risk taking

This approach actively reframes tools as items of craft, responsibility, and discipline, contributing to early-intervention and youth violence prevention work.

My work has been recognised both locally and nationally, including in Parliamentary discussions on youth resilience and knife-crime prevention.

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Who I Support Best

I have specialist experience working with:

• Children with anxiety or low confidence

• SEND learners (SEMH, ASD, ADHD, sensory needs)

• Children at risk of exclusion

• Young people affected by trauma or difficult home circumstances

• Pupils who need calm, structure, and hands on, meaningful activities

Forest school is powerful for these children and my background allows me to meet them exactly where they are.

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What I Believe

• Children thrive when trusted, listened to, and understood

• Nature is one of the strongest tools for emotional healing and growth

• Calm leadership creates emotionally safe environments

• Real tools teach discipline, responsibility, and self worth

• Every child deserves a space where they feel capable, included, and valued

• Resilience is built outdoors slowly, through real experience​

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A Real Example of Impact

"One young man came to us with no real drive or direction. He spent most of his time indoors playing video games and dreaming of becoming a YouTuber, but had little motivation beyond that. Through a one to one programme focused on hands on skills, routine, and achievable challenges, he began to see his own potential in a different light. Over time, his confidence grew, his attitude shifted, and he discovered he actually enjoyed working with tools. By the end of the programme, he wasn’t talking about YouTube anymore he was talking about becoming a carpenter. That change didn’t come from pressure; it came from giving him space, skills, and someone who believed he could do more".

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Key Qualifications & Professional Skills

Outdoor & Education

• Level 3 Forest School Leader (AIM Qualifications)

• Qualified Bushcraft & Survival Instructor

• Mountain Leader (Summer)

• Mountain Bike Trail Leader

• Duke of Edinburgh Award Assessor

Military Instruction & Leadership

• Former British Army instructor (Royal Regiment of Artillery)

• All-Arms Skill at Arms Instructor

• Fieldcraft, navigation & expedition leadership

• Resilience, mentoring and team development

Professional & Compliance

• CMI Level 5 Certificate in Management & Leadership

• Enhanced DBS

• Paediatric First Aid

• Level 2 Food Safety

• Specialist in outdoor safety, risk assessment and tool competency

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Safeguarding & Safety

We maintain robust safeguarding, health and safety, and risk management procedures across all outdoor sessions.

• Enhanced DBS

• Comprehensive safeguarding training

• Paediatric first aid

• Detailed risk assessments for sites, tools, fire and activities

• Public liability insurance

• Clear policies (available to schools, partners and funders on request)

Your children’s physical and emotional safety is always the priority.

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How We Are Funded

GreenTrees Forest Schools CIC is sustained through:

• School partnerships

• Community bookings

• Paid sessions

• Small grants and community funding

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As a CIC, all surplus is reinvested into:

• subsidised places for vulnerable children

• improving equipment and all weather provision

• developing our Roots to Resilience programme

• expanding access for families across Wiltshire and Swindon

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We are seeking additional support to reach more young people who would benefit from structured outdoor intervention.

We welcome conversations with funders, partners, commissioners and schools who share our commitment to improving youth wellbeing through nature.