Sometimes change starts with something small like a pair of gloves, a litter grabber, and a bin bag.
Recently, a group of young people living with us here at YMCA in Mansfield set out on a familiar walking route in their local area. Many of them had walked the path before as part of our outdoor activities, but this time there was a difference. This walk had a mission: to clean up the area and see how much litter they could collect along the way.
Equipped with gloves, litter grabbers and bin bags, the group headed out ready to tackle whatever rubbish they could find.
Seeing the Problem Clearly
Interestingly, although the group had walked this route before, many of them said they had never realised quite how much litter there actually was. Once they started actively looking for rubbish, it quickly became clear that the area was far more littered than they had first thought.
Plastic bottles, wrappers and cans appeared everywhere once their eyes were trained to spot them.
At first, the group were a little reluctant.
The general feeling was: “What’s the point? People will just throw more rubbish here tomorrow.”
It’s an understandable reaction. When a place is already full of litter, it can feel like the problem is too big to fix.
Changing the Mindset
During the walk, the group leader shared a different way of looking at it.
If people see others putting effort into improving a space, especially local young people giving up their time they are far less likely to disrespect that effort by throwing rubbish on the ground.
There’s also another interesting effect: people tend to treat clean spaces with more respect. When an area is already full of waste, it subconsciously signals that littering is normal there. But when a place looks clean and cared for, people are much less likely to be the one who spoils it.
With this in mind, the group got stuck in.
Filling the Bags
Over the course of the morning, the bin bags started to fill quickly. What began with a little hesitation soon turned into a challenge: how much rubbish could they collect before the end of the walk?
As the bags filled up, the difference along the route became more noticeable. Patches of grass and pathways that had been scattered with rubbish were suddenly clean again.
It was a simple change, but one the group could clearly see.
A Well-Earned Lunch
After a productive morning, the group headed to a local shop where everyone could choose some lunch as a reward for their efforts.
While eating together, the group looked back through the photos taken during the morning comparing the “before” and “after” pictures of the areas they had cleaned.
Small Actions, Real Impact
The morning was about more than just picking up litter.
It was about helping young people see that they can make a difference in the communities around them even through small actions.
By taking ownership of their local environment, the group not only improved the space for others but also experienced the satisfaction that comes from working together to achieve something positive.
And who knows the next person walking that route might just think twice before dropping their rubbish.
A huge thank you to Awards4All for the funding for projects such as this to help better the young people we support.