Teenage Dirtbags
Supported by Scottish Forestry, over the course of 5 months we’ll introduce the Teenage Dirtbags to traditional crafts and skills, including coppicing, tree planting, greenwood crafts and blacksmithing, and work together to build a timber-framed workshop in the woods. We’re hoping that the project will lead to some great benefits for the participants, including:
Increasing wellbeing
Increasing confidence – about being outdoors, working with others, and doing practical activites
Learning about potential careers in the woods
Having a great time!
At different points in the programme, we’ll invite members of the local community to join us, so that our Dirtbags can demonstrate what they’ve learned and, in turn, learn from the different experiences of the community. And we’ll finish with a celebration event, where (hopefully) we can unveil the new workshop.
Places are limited each session so if you’re interested in taking part, just click the button below to sign up. You can email us with any questions on hello@greenaspirationsscotland.co.uk. Need to know more before you sign up? Check out the FAQs below.
Remember, this is for you if you’re at all interested in being outdoors, doing something great for the climate, learning new crafts, building things, or finding out about what goes on in the woods.
Teenage Dirtbags is a new volunteer group for young people aged 14-24. Between October 2025 and February 2026, we’re asking young people to get out into the woods, learn woodland crafts and sustainable woodland management techniques, and help us build a new woodland workshop. It’s free to attend, and a great way to learn more about the woodlands and hang out with your friends - as well as making new ones!
This project is supported by:
Programme
Sessions will take place in Kirkton Wood, nr Aberfoyle (https://what3words.com/former.relishing.mural), about a 15 minute walk from the bus-stop, served by the X10A between Glasgow and Stirling. All sessions are outside in the woods, but we will have some shelter available as well as a campfire. Sessions will run from 10am to 3.30pm, but you can come along any time and stay for as long as you want. Lunch is included for free! We’ll be building the workshop each week, with a different craft to try. When you sign up, we’ll send you all the details you need.
Saturday 25 October
Coppicing and workshop build
Saturday 8 November
Tree planting and workshop build
Saturday 22 November
Willow weaving and workshop build
Saturday 31 January
Blacksmithing and charcoal, on our site nr. Port of Menteith
Saturday 17 January
Coppicing and workshop build
Saturday 13 December - Community Day!
Christmas decorations and workshop build
Saturday 14 Feburary
Hazel weaving and workshop build
Saturday 21 February - Community Day!
Final celebration!
FAQs
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We want to give young people a safe way to find out about different traditional crafts skills and potential careers in the woodlands. We also help it will build confidence, increase wellbeing, and help participants meet new, likeminded folk.
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The majority of the sessions will take place at Kirkton Wood, nr Aberfoyle (https://what3words.com/former.relishing.mural). Participants can get to Aberfoyle on the X10A bus and then walk from there - about a 15 minute walk. One of the sessions will take place on our site near to the Port of Menteith. We’ll discuss travel arrangements directly with participants for that session.
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Kirkton Wood is just that - a woodlands. We do have a composting toilet set up, as well as a fire and a shelter, but most of the work will be outdoors.
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We’ll have a craft on offer at each session, running alongside the workshop construction. We’ll be coppicing, tree planting, weaving, making Christmas decorations, and blacksmithing.
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We provide all the tools, and we’ll have work gloves for you to wear. You’ll need waterproof jackets, appropriate outdoor clothes for the winter, and sturdy shoes. If you don’t have any of these things, let us know - we have some funding to help buy kit for anyone who doesn’t have it.
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No! Lunch and snacks will be provided at each session, free of charge!
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No! Each session is free to attend, as we’ve received funding from Scottish Forestry.
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Get in touch with us via email (hello@greenaspirationsscotland.co.uk) and we’ll look at each case individually.
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In a word, yes! There are obviously some risks working outsite, but we do our best to mitigate those. We’ve been running projects like these since 2013 and we only work with experienced trainers. We’re first aid trained and everyone involved has the full PVG clearance to work with young people. We also have full insurance for all the activities we do.
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Of course! A focus of ours is to encourage more women into the working in the woods. Most sessions will have at least one female trainer involved.
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We welcome everyone to the woods, so yes - please do come along. We have good experience of working with young people who are neurodivergent, and try our best to create safe spaces for everyone.