Does your employer offer paid volunteering days? Many businesses encourage employees to support charities and community organisations, but finding opportunities that suit their interests, skills and availability can be challenging.

At Positive Steps Outdoors (PSO), we’re exploring how Healthy Hikes can provide a rewarding way for employees to support their communities while enjoying the benefits of spending time outdoors.

A Flexible Approach to Employee Volunteering

Taking a whole team away from work for a day isn’t always practical. Employee volunteering offers an alternative, allowing individuals or small groups to get involved at different times throughout the year.

Through our guided Healthy Hikes, employees could join suitable community events, spending time outdoors alongside people from different backgrounds and circumstances.

We can also work with employers to explore Healthy Hikes that support their own chosen charities or community partners, giving employees an opportunity to use their volunteering days for a cause that matters to them.

Connecting People Through Nature

PSO works with charities and community organisations to deliver guided outdoor experiences that support mental and physical wellbeing.

Our Healthy Hikes give participants opportunities to explore natural surroundings in iconic locations, enjoy gentle physical activity and spend time with others. Along the way, we incorporate learning about local flora, fauna, history and geology, alongside simple mindfulness exercises to help people get more from their time outdoors. We call this Green Therapy.

Depending on the event, employees could support community participants simply by walking together, chatting and sharing experiences. Some may also have skills or knowledge that could benefit others, such as offering informal career insights or explaining different routes into employment.

These conversations happen naturally along the trail, helping people connect beyond their usual social and working circles.

Any volunteering opportunities involving our community groups would be agreed with the relevant organisation and planned around participants’ needs and interests.

Benefits for Employees and Employers

Volunteering through outdoor activities can offer benefits beyond giving something back to the community:

• Employee wellbeing: Time outdoors and physical activity provide a welcome break from desks, screens and everyday pressures.
• New connections: Walking together creates opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds and build understanding.
• Personal fulfilment: Sharing experiences, knowledge and time can be rewarding for volunteers as well as those they support.
• Community impact: Employers can help strengthen local connections and support initiatives that matter to their people.
• Flexibility: Individuals and small groups can take part without requiring an entire team to be away from work.

Healthy Hikes can complement existing employee wellbeing, volunteering and community engagement programmes, offering a different way to bring people together.

Explore the Possibilities with PSO

We’re keen to hear from employers interested in exploring Healthy Hikes as part of their employee volunteering or wellbeing programmes.

Whether you’d like employees to join suitable community hikes, explore opportunities with your chosen charity, or organise a Healthy Hike for your team, we can discuss an approach that works for your organisation and the people involved.

Could a Healthy Hike be a rewarding way for your employees to support their wellbeing and make a difference in their community?

Get in touch with Positive Steps Outdoors to explore the possibilities.