What is Young Farmers?
Gloucestershire Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs is part of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs. Led by young people, for young people, The National Young Farmers’ Clubs has around 25,000 members across 644 Young Farmers’ Clubs, making it one of the largest rural youth organisations in the UK.
Young Farmers is an organisation that provides young people between the ages of 10 – 28 with fun, learning and achievement opportunities. It is a club for individuals who have a love for agriculture or rural life. One of the common misconceptions of Young Farmers is that you have to be a farmer to take part; you definitely don’t!
About Gloucestershire YFC
At Gloucestershire YFC we provide a social hub for young people in agriculture and the countryside as well as the opportunity to learn new skills in a fun and safe environment. There are 10 clubs across Gloucestershire – you can see where your nearest one is by visiting the Clubs page to find out more.
We all know each other at Gloucestershire YFC and pride ourselves on the friendships within the county. Clubs enjoy catching up with each other, but there is also a healthy dose of club rivalry! You can be sure you will be welcomed, not just the first time you come along, but every time!
We provide young people with plenty of opportunities; from developing skills, learning about the countryside, working with local communities, travelling abroad, taking part in a varied competitions schedule and attending social events; there’s something for everyone!
What Goes On?
Meetings: Club meetings usually occur weekly and are organised and run by YFC members. The club elects club officers annually to take responsibility for the club on behalf of its members and organise the activities that members take part in; there is also a dedicated team of adult staff and volunteers who support the YFC’s programme. Weekly meetings can range from talks and trips to preparing for competitions or fundraising for charity.
Competitions: There are a variety of fun competitions for different ages and skill levels such as floristry, stock judging, tug of war, public speaking. Members compete at a county level and can progress onto national level.
Charity: Fundraising is a big aspect of Young Farmers and each club raises money throughout the year for their chosen charity by organising events put on by their members.
Social Events: Social events take place throughout the year ranging from local YFC parties to South West area activity weekends along with other trips that clubs organise. County events include themed parties, a Glitter Ball, skittles, quizzes, etc – there is something for everyone to get involved with!
Sports: Members have the opportunity to take part in a variety of sports including netball, dodgeball, football, hockey, skittles, tug of war and clay pigeon shooting. Sports competitions can be progressed on to National level, and these events are a great way to meet members outside of your club.
Training and Skills Development: As a member you will have many opportunities to learn lots of new skills as part of your club programme, ranging from public speaking and debating to farm safety or a range of certificated professional qualifications.
Just by taking on a role in the running of a club, our members are automatically learning essential leadership and team working skills. Each year Gloucestershire YFC hosts an Officer Training Day for Chairmen, Secretaries and Treasurers which includes networking, training for creating a club programme through to chairing a meeting, budgeting and safeguarding.
Travel: There are a wide range of travel opportunities as a young farmer, including homestays, working scholarships and team travel opportunities, not to mention an amazing YFC ski trip. Club members can also welcome and host Young Farmers from all over the world.
County Officer Team
Sign up!
Interested in joining us? Head over to our county’s club pages to find your nearest club. Read all about each club and then give them a call to find out when would be best for you to go along. We recommend trying a few clubs to get a feel for how each one runs.
Alternatively, give our county office a call on 01452 526 032 or fill in the contact form for more information or help.
