MARTIN SMITH IN BRAND NEW Q&A SERIES WITH FIGURES FROM THE WORLD OF OUTDOOR LEARNING

IOL CEO JO BARNETT CAUGHT UP WITH MARTIN FOR A CHAT ABOUT LIFE, WORK AND THE OUTDOORS.

Jo Barnett: So here we are at the 100th edition of Horizons and in that 100th edition we want to celebrate some of the best things about outdoor learning. For this profile interview, we wanted to interview someone who has dedicated their career to the outdoor learning sector and made a positive difference - both professionally and personally. Martin Smith, we think this would certainly describe you! We’d love to take a look at your career over the years – let’s kick off with the ‘now’, what is your current role in outdoor learning?

Martin Smith: Thanks Jo, those are kind words. My current title is Senior Advisor, Academic Resilience for the Greenwood Academy’s Trust. This role entails supporting our academies in their delivery of personal development for young people, initially looking very much at ‘character’ and more recently with a focus on ‘cultural capital.’ On top of that, I am responsible for the development of outdoor learning supporting our academies in terms of their curriculum delivery as well as providing advice on educational visits. So, it’s a bit of a mix of things. But it’s very enjoyable and it certainly isn’t a career path that I would have discussed with the Career’s Adviser before leaving school! My current role is a great way to finish my career because it’s giving me the opportunity to not only work with school staff, but also with young people, and that’s where my journey started. In addition to the ‘day job’, I am also Chair of what was the Outdoor Council, which will soon become the new Advisory Board for the Outdoor Learning Association, which is currently supported by the IOL. In addition, I am chair of Adventure UK, which oversees both the Option 3 development, which is the proposed non-statutory replacement for AALA, and the Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee (AAIAC) which overseas Adventure Mark. Alongside this, I sit on a number of Department for Education groups covering enrichment, out of school settings and, believe it or not, anti-terrorism. I also chair the DfE working group on Learning Beyond the Classroom. So that’s me, I guess!

JB: Where did your initial love for outdoors come from?

MS: We have lots of family tales about hacking our way through brambles, where there should have been a footpath and wasn’t of course…the number of times my Dad got us lost even though he was a King’s Scout! But despite that, we did have very positive experiences and I was lucky enough to have lots of open and free access to the outdoors, outdoor play in particular with friends and mates. I think that friendship bit is key. More friendships developed through the joint Scouts and Guides group I was involved with was so important – those experiences stay with you.

JB: What do you think is the most significant thing(s) that you’ve learned looking back at your career in outdoor learning?

MS: It’s the importance of relationships. Developing personal relationships is a key life skill, that is important throughout your life. In the outdoors, you do get into situations sometimes that are quite challenging, but are controlled…and sometimes quite challenging, but less controlled - having those relationships and working with people closely in those situations, is incredibly valuable. As my career has developed, the value in developing relationships has gone on to support much of my partnership working. I have also probably learnt more from the young people I work with than they’ve probably learned from me to be honest!

JB: What are you most proud of, Martin?

MS: Having fun with others. I like having a bit of a laugh, having people around you and enjoying both being with them and what they’re doing. When I look back and reflect, I’m really proud of being able to do that with the loads of people, young and old. And linked to what I said earlier hopefully we have all learned something as well.

JB: What do you think will be next for the outdoor learning sector?

MS: We need to make a step change in the development of our partnership working across the sector. We must join up together and share our resources more effectively. We also need to move from most of our ‘influencing’ work being undertaken on a voluntary basis and begin to ‘professionalise’ our lobbying. If we really value our work we need to invest effectively to ensure the message is received in an actionable way by decision makers. There are lots of challenges, but I think some great opportunities as well. In England we have begun to lay the foundations of some great working relationships with the DfE and the Outdoor Learning All Party Parliamentary Group. There are also some really exciting developments in both Wales and Scotland relating to the possibility of making residential outdoor education an ‘entitlement’. Everyone across the UK will be able to learn from the developments in Wales and Scotland.

JB: What are you doing next?

MS: I’m going to be retiring shortly. Well, I’ve got loads of hobbies and toys, both indoors and out. I’ve got a grandson, and hopefully others to follow, who I’ll be pestering to play with me. Also, it’s just going to be enjoying the outdoors. Everything the outdoors has given me, it will continue to give me. I want to share that with other people as well. I just love the idea of saying to my partner Chris, ‘Hey, it’s going to be sunny in the northwest next week, shall we go?’

JB: Thank you very much Martin, it’s been wonderful talking to you.

MS: It’s been a pleasure p

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