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what is a project?
OUR PROJECTS
The Mayfly Project UK’s standard programme is to mentor a foster child through five sessions or ‘stages’ in a format that we call a ‘project’.
objective of a project
Our projects follow a structured curriculum that is designed to teach fly fishing, conservation, and provide opportunities for our mentees to experience the outdoors with a safe mentor. Every session is built around the premise that we are there to provide fun, build up the self-esteem of the foster children we mentor, and to give as many high fives as possible.
stAges of a project
Each project is broken down into stages which are characterised by the life cycle of a mayfly. We provide 1 to 1 mentoring during 5 project sessions over a 3-6 month period, where our mentees learn new fly fishing skills, get time to fish, earn participation buttons, and receive gear to continue to pursue fly fishing.
As a mentor, I love to invite curiosity in aquatic nature and encourage new learning and skills. And occasionally, a fish will interrupt the calm practice with electricity. Then slowly together we begin again the steps towards another success.
— TMPUK Project Mentor
mentee curriculum
Our Mentee Curriculum is our programme curriculum that teaches all things fly fishing, safety, conservation, and is character building. With a youth-friendly design and language, children in our program enjoy learning about fly fishing in a way that speaks to them. We utilise this tool throughout the project to learn and also to point out how fly fishing is making us feel or how time outdoors is fun.
Mentee Curriculum—each child will receive their own mentee curriculum that will include ‘Characteristics of an Angler’, and all things fly fishing. This book is to be used parallel with the badge incentive programme and as directed by your lead mentor.
art of tying programme
Our Art of Tying Programme was created because just as fly fishing can be therapeutic, so can tying flies. We have worked with several foundations, artists, and professional tiers to create packaged materials so projects can teach tying flies to their mentees. We also have specialised videos by Tim Camnisa, and artwork created in our curriculum that reflect the stages of tying.
Art of Tying Programme—We have packaged tying materials for youth to tie Wooly Buggers, Pheasant Tail Nymphs or Hares Ears. Not every project will tie, but we would like to encourage our projects to introduce the fun of fly tying and we have supplies to support these efforts. Talk with your lead mentor to find out more details. Each child will receive instructions in their tying kits and we also have YouTube videos available for you to follow or for foster youth to follow as needed.
conservation initiative
We believe that our children need rivers and our rivers need children. By teaching our mentees how to protect against invasive species, clean up the ecosystems we are privileged to enjoy, and practice safe catch and release tactics, we are inviting them to join in a cycle of caring for the environment. We use our curriculum and badge incentive programme as tools to encourage this unique connection to the outdoors.
FIND A LOCAL PROJECT
Our projects are run throughout the game fishing (fly fishing) season, which is April to October. To find a project in your local area, please click here. If you do not see a project listed near you, please connect with us and we can see if we can bring The Mayfly Project UK to you.
