JHC Leader Course, UK - Early Bird

If you are a Herbalist or Naturopath, you can train to become a registered Junior Herbalist Leader©

The Junior Herbalist Club (JHC) is a 2-year extracurricular course for kids (aged 7-12) which runs for 90 minutes, once a month, for 10 months of the year. The aim of the JHC is to help children learn about the healing plants around them in a safe and supervised environment. The children are taken on a journey of discovery, engaging all their senses with playful practical skills.

Herbal Education since 2014 

JHC has been delivering herbal education to children in the UK since 2014. It was created by Medical Herbalist Mel Hornby, who was the 2021 winner of The Christopher Headley Memorial Award for Significant Contribution to Herbal Medicine awarded by the UK’s National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH).

NIMH became involved with JHC in 2019 and are proud to support the scheme across the UK. There are now approximately 30 JHCs in operation, with an estimated 300 children currently in attendance. This is incredible growth and registered JHC leaders in the UK expect to earn their initial course tuition fee back within the first year of teaching. 

JUNIOR HERBALIST LEADER TRAINING COURSE

From Monday 19th May to Friday 23rd May 2025 from 9.00am to 5.30pm each day. This comprehensive course comprises five full days of tuition covering the whole two-year JHC course and includes:

Comprehensive Leaders Handbook containing all the information needed to teach both years one and two including class plans, worksheets and answers, equipment lists and key facts 

A USB flash drive containing all printable paperwork including advertising flyers, letters for parents, consent forms, register and enrolment forms etc.

Ongoing support from the course leader

A qualification approved by the NIMH for CPD allowing you to advertise yourself as a ‘Registered Junior Herbalist Leader’

Entry onto the NIMH’s register of Junior Herbalist Leaders for promotional purposes.

Teaching sessions in a way that engages all types of learners

Practicals – making all the items and products in the course

During the course, student leaders will actively work through each of the twenty sessions in ‘real time’. This demonstrates how to teach the sessions in a way that engages all types of learners (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Kinaesthetic), and allows student leaders to experience the practical aspects of the course by making all the items and products included in the syllabus.

On completion of the course, you will be equipped with all the information and skills required to teach the two-year syllabus to children and be entered on to the register of qualified JHC leaders.

Because of the high professional standard of the training and the course content, it is a requirement that all herbalists and naturopaths enrolling in the JHC leader training program must:

Have graduated from an NIMH-accredited course

Have and maintain a current membership with NIMH or an equivalent professional association

Have and maintain current appropriate professional insurance

This course is only available through in-person attendance as its practical and safety aspects prevent it from being suitable to be taught remotely.

The cost of the 5-day intensive training course to become a registered Junior Herbalist Leader is £1250. 

The number of attendees is strictly limited and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so early enrolment is advised.

More information is available by contacting: Mel Hornby BSc (Hons), MNIMH.

Email: juniorherbalistclub@gmail.com 

Ph: 07813 840394

Application form available here: Leader Application Form 2025.docx

Event Refund policy:

Cancellation made 2 months or more before the event – 100% refund

Cancellation made 1 - 2 months before the event – 50% refund

Cancellation made within one month of the event – 0% refund