Conference report > Broadening Horizons

Environment, Sustainability and the Outdoors.

Leaders sometimes make use of the outdoors in a very focussed way. As a result there is little scope for incorporating environmental awareness and sustainability in their work. For example, the environment, in the form of wind, waves, white-water, crag, fell or forest may provide the challenge for adventurous activities. Groups pit themselves against these natural elements, there is the excitement of real or perceived risk, they overcome the challenge and they enjoy the 'buzz' of success. At worst they are in competition with the environment, at best it provides simply the backcloth for their activities. Similarly, field study groups may treat the environment as an outdoor laboratory for their measurements and show little sensitivity or understanding of the ecosystem they are in.

These issues were explored in a conference on “Broadening Horizons: Environment, Sustainability and the Outdoors” hosted by the Adventure and Environmental Awareness Group in summer 2005. It attracted a wide range of outdoor leaders working in the areas of adventure, field studies, youth work, personal and social development, therapy and countryside interpretation. The conference presented ways in which leaders can adopt more environmental and sustainable practices in their work and broaden their programmes to incorporate environmental awareness and global issues.

Here is a summary of some of the views and ideas presented and discussed during the day.

Improving environmental practice.
Geoff Cooper, chair of AEA Group, presented ideas on how we can improve our practice and lessen our impact on the environment.

1. Our own attitudes and values.
It’s important to start with our own actions. People are perceptive to the leader’s behaviour. If the leader talks of the benefits of using public transport or cycling but rolls up each day in a gas-guzzling car, this inconsistency will not be lost on the group. Similarly the leader who professes to be interested in empowering young people but who talks too much and continually interferes in their learning will also be obvious. The “media”, the actions of the leader, must match the message.

2. Our organisations.
Asking questions in our organisation is not always an easy task. The outdoor leader may be a small voice in a large organisation. The aims of the organisation may be quite different from the leader wishing to introduce sustainable ideas and practices. What messages are our organisations putting across? How do we care for our customers and the environment? Are we open to new ideas and change? Do we take a broad view of outdoor education? Do we relate our work to the lives of people? What links have we developed with the local community and other organisations?

If the organisation is open to change a good starting point is to establish a set of values and visions. It is useful to make an audit of what is done at the present time for example what is the current practice in terms of energy saving, transport, recycling, food, staff training, use of sites, choice of activities? What changes are required and how will these be achieved?

3. Methods and approaches.
Are the methods we use conducive to encouraging environmental awareness and sustainable practice? What do we call ourselves- “instructor”, “tutor”, “teacher”, “youth worker”, “counsellor”? How do these names affect our relationships with groups? Do we manage to involve young people in the decision-making? How do we help them take responsibility for their learning? Are we conscious of different learning preferences and do we vary our teaching styles and methods to meet individual needs?

4. Activities and programmes.
Too often we start with a consideration of activities instead of working on our values, aims and methods. Do we use activities as an end in themselves or a vehicle for learning? Which outdoor activities have greatest potential for encouraging environmental awareness and are they the same ones that can be used to develop skills and attitudes for more sustainable living?

The Global dimension.
Eleanor Knowles from Cumbria Development Education Centre challenged outdoor leaders to consider their work in terms of the society we want to live in. She introduced the idea of global citizenship.

A Global Citizen:
• respects and values diversity
• has an understanding of how the world works
• is outraged by social injustice
• participates in the community at a range of levels from local to global
• is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable place
• takes responsibility for their actions

Do we expect a future with greater mistrust between people and cultures; with a fear of terrorism and greater global conflict; with serious water shortage for large numbers of people; with growing inequality between rich and poor, and inequalities in people’s access to power, technology and medical advances?

Do we expect a future with growing waste and consumption, with global warming and climate change or do we prefer a future where action to tackle and reduce these is taken seriously?
These issues are relevant to all educators. They are not just about other countries or about other people’s development problems. The key concepts are real and recognisable to all of us who are concerned for young people’s development and their futures. Of course outdoor educators are not, alone, going to achieve all the goals of global citizenship. But equally outdoor educators must not discard these issues as someone else’s problem. They are the goals for good education for all of us. These issues can only start with a shift in the personal values and attitudes of the leaders themselves.

Towards a broader view.
The presentations were followed by workshops which considered techniques and methods, such as “Philosophy for Children” which can be used to raise global and environmental awareness and programmes such as the John Muir Award and “Going global in the outdoors” which offer frameworks for outdoor leaders to broaden their activities.

During the discussion groups the following points were made:

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