SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, wants to see more support for the outdoor education sector.
Mr Rowlands, Chair of the Senedd’s Cross Party Group for the Outdoor Activity Sector, recently highlighted the importance of outdoor education for young people.
Mr Rowlands has previously tried to get a Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill passed in Welsh Parliament which would have made residential outdoor education part of Wales’s curriculum.
Speaking in the Senedd he said: “One of the benefits of working through that legislative process that I went through, just over a year ago now, was that it showed there are some non-legislative items of work that can be done to further promote the good work that outdoor education provides to young people up and down Wales, supporting their well-being, their personal development and just an appreciation of the natural environment as well.
“One of those areas is the work undertaken by the Outdoor Partnership, a North Wales-based organisation, on their adventure learning framework, which is a vehicle to provide educational rationale, aligned with the Curriculum for Wales.
“That framework is taking off in England across many, many schools and local authorities over there, but it’s not happening here in Wales at the rate it should do, in my view.”
Mr Rowlands asked Lynne Neagle, Cabinet Secretary for Education if she would be willing to engage with the Outdoor Partnership to see where that work can be pursued further in Wales.
The Cabinet Secretary said the Welsh Government is committed to working with partners across the outdoor education sector to ensure learners benefit from meaningful engagement with the outdoor environment.
Mr Rowlands added: “I am a strong advocate for this economically important area and I know the benefits a thriving outdoor sector can provide; supporting positive mental health, physical health, understanding of our natural environment and expanding educational attainment.
“I sincerely hope the Welsh Government will work with organisations like The Outdoor Partnership so that more young people will have the opportunity to take part in outdoor education.”
