Military paralympian Nick Beighton joined MPs and outdoor learning specialists at Westminster to discuss how outdoor education helps young people disconnect from daily stresses and build resilience.
“How different the world would be if we all had the chance to just be still, in the outdoors and appreciate the here and now” - that was the message from military paralympian Nick Beighton, speaking at an Outdoor Learning Westminster event.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Outdoor Learning event was held at Portcullis House, London, on Tuesday 24th March and was a celebration of the achievements made during the last year. It also gave MPs a chance to see how outdoor learning continues to respond to the challenges young people face.
It was hosted by MP Tim Farron, a champion of outdoor learning, and brought together various specialists and organisations in the sector including the Institute for Outdoor Learning which is the group’s secretariat.
School Travel Organiser editor, Keeley Rodgers attended. She said: “We know the wide-ranging benefits that outdoor learning has on young people, we hear from teachers and EVCs about the impact that these experiences have on the students taking part. But yet still there are so many barriers that mean many young people miss out, usually those who need these experiences the most.
“The work that the APPG has done, and continues to do, is vital in campaigning for outdoor education, and it’s so important to me and the team at School Travel Organiser that we show our support and help raise the profile of getting children learning outside the classroom.”
From trauma to transformation: Nick Beighton’s Outdoor Learning journey
Nick Beighton was injured in 2009 after stepping on an IED while serving in Afghanistan and now works for Life Shed, a mentoring programme for young people in Shropshire involving forest school and bushcraft skills.
Speaking to School Travel Organiser during the event, Nick said he had seen first-hand the power of getting young people learning outdoors: “I have the opportunity to introduce them to basic activities in the woodlands such as looking after themselves, how to whittle a stick, cooking over the camp-fire and being comfortable.”
He added: “I think it’s such a great environment because it removes a lot of the stresses that young people are constantly exposed to in their day-to-day lives and allows them focus on the here and now, without the noise of everyday living, and that’s quite rare nowadays especially for young people.
“The opportunity to disconnect and really be present is so rewarding and you see a huge difference in the young people, whether that’s over the course of one session, or a matter of weeks or months. It is fundamental to their life, resilience, mental health and ultimately their happiness.”
The APPG for Outdoor Learning was re-launched in May last year with Lib Dem MP Tim Farron, who represents Westmorland and Lonsdale, as the chairman.
“How much better would it be if we could build resilience in young people so that we minimised some of the mental health issues later in life.”
MP Tim Farron
Mr Farron explained its key aim: “Our big ask, which is very ambitious, is that every young person, once at primary school and once at secondary school, should have a funded entitlement to an outdoor residential experience, so essentially a week away from home doing all of the wonderful things you do in the outdoors.
“But along the way, there are lots of other things we want to achieve too and we are pleased that the Government is moving forward with the Enrichment agenda. It’s right to see outdoor learning as something knitted into the whole curriculum, not as something separate.”
The push for mandatory Outdoor Education in schools
The MP has been campaigning for the Outdoor Education Bill, which would require every child to be offered at least one outdoor education experience during primary and secondary school, to become legislation. It is currently awaiting a Second Reading in the House of Commons although Mr Farron said it will likely fail: “We still have hope though and if it fails, which I expect it to, I will just reintroduce it and see if we can get a higher ranking.”
Elsewhere, in Scotland, the Residential Outdoor Education Bill was passed at Holyrood and means that every pupil in Scotland has access to a week of residential outdoor education. Mr Farron said: “It is great what has happened in Scotland but it is a much different process here. Also we do need teacher buy-in, we need them to see the wider value this will have for them, and the young people.”
Building resilience: the mental health connection
An advocate for outdoor learning, Tim said his passion comes from a number of factors: “Firstly, I had a great experience of outdoor education myself at school and I’m still best mates with the guy I shared a room with at the age 15.
“Also, I represent an enormous number of outdoor education centres in my constituency. For me, it has been about really understanding the connection between quality outdoor experiences and adventure, and the building of resilience to tackle mental health issues.
“The benefits of investing in outdoor education are enormous.The barriers include risk aversion, lack of funding, lack of training, resource pressures on schools but it is so vital to young people. Not only for their sense of worth, sense of value and leadership skills but being in uncomfortable situations so they can find their way out. How much better would it be if we could build resilience in young people so that we minimised some of the mental health issues later in life.”
For more information about the APPG click here.
