Imagine taking a boat trip down a wide river. Up in the distance you can see a bridge being built simultaneously from both sides, about to meet in the middle. The guide on the boat tells you that the right-hand side is being built by an outdoor learning provider, confident that the programme they are developing - perhaps a forest school initiative, a residential experience, or a targeted wellbeing offer - will bring clear benefits to people across the water. On the left bank,

In the world of outdoor learning, we often "just know" that our work makes a difference. However, as the sector faces increasing pressure to demonstrate value to funders, schools, and policymakers, relying on intuition is no longer enough. This is where a Theory of Change (ToC) becomes an essential tool. A Theory of Change is not an abstract academic concept; rather, it is a logical “roadmap” that makes the thinking behind a programme or service explicit. It provides a clear

A friend of mine told me during Covid how his company had been advocating going for a walk in the morning before working from home and then another one in the evening to bookend the working day. It made sense, and as at the time I was working from home as I wrote up my PhD, I did just that. I went for a walk and as a result I started the day energised and ready to work, and it’s a habit I have continued as I have become self-employed. A question of privilege As I was walking