What is outdoor education and how is it different from physical education?
In outdoor education we use adventure activities such as hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, orienteering and camp craft, and nature as a tool, to take students out of their comfort zones to learn problem-solving skills and consequence.
The core difference to physical education is there is a strong emphasis on both physical development and personal growth. A lot of time is spent reflecting and solving problems as a group and as an individual.
What do you want the pupils to learn from this and how will it benefit them later in life?
I would like pupils to learn how to solve problems, sometimes with limited resources. I would also like them to develop self-confidence and self-esteem by overcoming challenges they never dreamt they could.
We will always face challenges and obstacles we did not expect; having the skills and confidence to tackle them will always benefit us.
What do you think makes you good at what you do?
I enjoy the challenge of logistics in an environment that is continually changing. I also think the many years of experience I have in organising expeditions makes me realise what is important and what is less so.
Above all, however, I think my adventure-racing experience helps me to adapt and find solutions to problems I need to solve in my work.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a professional sportsman — an ultra-distance runner or a golfer. I loved sport as a kid, but running seemed to come naturally to me. During high school I would spend two or three hours a day on my running before going to other sports practices.
What would you like to change about your job?
The fact that society and, therefore school students, are less adventurous now than people were in the past.
Outdoor education is always more effective and enjoyable when pupils have an adventurous spirit. If more children were exposed to the outdoors at a younger age, they would be more willing to embrace the outdoor opportunities that come their way.
What is your get-ready-for-work routine?
This would differ based on whether I am at the office for the day or out on a trip. Should I be at home, my ideal start is to get up, have a cup of coffee and rusks on my patio, then have a light breakfast, see my wife and kids off to school, before doing an hour's exercise. I would then go into the outdoor pursuit centre and start my work day.
Should I be on a trip, I would try to have coffee and breakfast using my hiking stove, usually before heading out on the tasks for the day.
What is the best career advice you have ever received?
“You have to pay school fees.” You will never achieve in any field unless you take your time getting experience in that field. You will have ups and downs, but you need to learn your trade, just as you did at school.
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