We are a community of like-minded individuals with a passionate interest in exploring the therapeutic application of nature and the natural environment.
The group arrange ad-hoc meetings and events and have an email discussion forum for members. You can add Outdoor Therapy Professional Discussion Group Membership to your membership by contacting the IOL office.
Chair : Open
Inspired by the “… the exploration of…. inner or innate spiritual potential and its integration and expression in everyday life” the IOL Spirituality group are responding to this time of global crisis and turmoil, by promoting a sound relationship with oneself, others, the natural environment and the divine provides empowerment and resilience in the confusion of current events.
We take the definition of ‘Spirituality’ (not to be confused with religion) offered by U Thant, Secretary General of the UN in the early 1970s, as our starting point:
“…….. a state of connectedness to life. It is an experience of being, belonging and caring. It is sensitivity and compassion, joy and hope. It is the harmony between the innermost life and the outer life, or the life of the world and the life universal.”
The group arrange ad-hoc meetings and events and have an email discussion forum for members. You can add Spirituality Professional Discussion Group Membership to your membership by contacting the IOL office.
Chair : Elspeth Mason
A forum for linking the expertise and interests of all lecturers, researchers and fellows involved in higher education within the outdoor sector.
The HE Dissertation Prize is designed to recognise research at undergraduate level that demonstrates a high level of understanding of a subject area, emerging talent in the field of outdoor learning and complements the aims of the institute.
You can add HE Professional Discussion Group Membership to your membership by contacting the IOL office.
Chair : Ian Harris
The aim of the group is to provide a forum for employers in the sector for discussion and action to develop the quality and extent of outdoor learning. This is achieved through:
- Networking - supporting each other and sharing information on strategic and operational issues
- Informing - communicating employers’ views to IOL, thereby informing its strategic direction
- Promoting - working together to identify and develop business opportunities
- Influencing - creating a landscape in which member organisations can thrive
Meetings
There are currently 19 member organisations, which meet three times a year for an overnight meeting, each member hosting the meeting in turn. Organisations are normally represented by the Chief Executive or equivalent post. Meetings start with the evening meal, which is followed by an informal session for exchanging news and raising any current issues. Members find this informal session is a particularly valuable aspect of membership. There is a more formal business session the next day.
Membership
Membership is open to all organisational members of IOL. Prospective members should be willing to work in a spirit of co-operation, not competition and should be willing to become fully involved and contribute to the group.
An annual fee of £50 is payable. In addition, members must be prepared to host a meeting, without charge, each time their turn comes round, currently every five years. Please contact the IOL Office to add this to your existing membership.
Group Committee
Simon Waring : Chair
The aim of the AEA Professional Discussion Group is: “to promote approaches to outdoor adventure, education and recreation which encourage awareness and understanding of and action for the environment, local and global”
The AEA Group intends to achieve this by: “sharing best practice across the outdoor sector”.
The AEA Group has an overarching vision: “to promote approaches through outdoor learning that will contribute to a sustainable future”.
The group will share knowledge and debate relevant issues, influence current and future practice and provide guidance and specialist comment.
To join the group and the discussion is FREE but you need to be an IOL Member, please contact the IOL Office to add this to your existing membership.
Group Committee
Geoff Cooper : Chair
Louise Emslie : Vice Chair
Graham Watson : Treasurer.