At the October 2016 National Conference Institute members considered the next steps in delivering the IOL vision of ‘Outdoor learning as a highly valued form of development, education and employment in UK society’. Both the conference and an earlier meeting of the Institute’s Steering Group agreed that Institute’s Executive should work towards the establishment of a Chartered Body for Outdoor Learning as key element of delivering the vision.
For individuals and organisations across outdoor learning, the challenges brought about by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic have given sharp focus to the need for wider valuing of outdoor learning in UK society and stronger public confidence in the professional status of our workforce. Now, perhaps more than ever, a cohesive force for the outdoor community and its influence on UK society is essential for our collective future.
Much has been done towards operating as a professional institute capable of seeking a Royal Charter. This has not been a straightforward task with a clear line of sight between beginning and end. We have been moving along a winding road with many opinions, choices and decisions to be made in a landscape that has revealed itself as we travelled through it. Strengthening each one of three core strands have been underpinning developments:
Read more about the Horizons magazine - Horizons 100, due out Spring 2023.
To date the project has included the comments and support of members of IOL as well as members of AHOEC, OEAP, SAPOE and others within outdoor learning and we hope this will continue and further expand. Please look out for UK wide briefings and consultations and share your views so we can include them in future developments.