Help Outward Bound tackle this ‘crisis of a generation’

Young people who benefit from an adventure in the outdoors return with a new awareness of what they are capable of, says Mark Beaumont

Theoutdoorsplayedahuge part in my childhood. There was something about the sense of freedom and being able to explore that helped me dream of bigger adventures, adventures that ultimately took me around the world.

We might not have been able to travel much in the past 12 months, but time spent outside has felt even more precious. Perhaps for two reasons; firstly, when something you love is restricted you appreciate it even more; and secondly, a growing awareness of the inequalities to access this free resource that exist in our society. The stark realisation that more than two million families across the UK didn’t have access to a garden during lockdown. And that in Scotland one in four children live in poverty, four in five don’t get enough daily exercise and one in two report feeling anxious or stressed.

Covid-19 has taken a lot away from our young people. The freedom to be outside and just hang out with friends, as well as the more structured opportunities that come from being in school or at youth groups.

There is a real risk we’ll look back in years to come and coin this year as a ‘crisis of a generation’. Thankfully many people and organisations are working hard to support young people. One of these being The Outward Bound Trust.

Outdoor residentials were cancelled 12 months ago. In Scotland there is still no date for them to restart.

Of course, some children are lucky to have parents who will take them camping, hiking or biking, but for many an outdoor residential is their once-in-childhood moment to visit the Highlands, walk, canoe and scramble, pitch a tent and sleep under the stars.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time with the Outward Bound team in Scotland over the past few years. In particular getting to meet and hear from the young people who have been on an Outward Bound course. What I hear from them are stories of hope, of realisation and awareness of what they’re capable of. They went on an adventure in the outdoors, but came away with real-life learning, developing skills such as the determination to succeed and finding confidence in themselves.

It’s skills like these that will have helped many people get through this pandemic. I value how much the outdoors has done for my own personal development and want to make sure young people have the same opportunity to both connect with their natural environment and learn what they are capable of.

I’m joining Outward Bound to discuss exactly this on a webinar on Friday, 23 April at 8.30am. If you are interested in how your business or you personally might be able to partner with The Outward Bound Trust, I invite you to join me. It’s free to attend and we’ll discuss just what can be done to help young people in Scotland recover from Covid.

Sign up at outwardbound.org. uk/mb

Mark Beaumont is an athlete, broadcaster and author. He holds the record for cycling round the world. He is also an ambassador for the charity The Outward Bound Trust.