First this is the e-petition being lodged with the UK government:
'Our petition calls for the government to protect outdoor education centres from imminent closure by creating a fixed-term transition fund and providing business training which will enable Local Authority Centres to survive long enough to become self-sufficient. One in 3 Local Authority outdoor education centres are threatened with closure. Millions of young people may be denied a potentially life-inspiring experience at a time when health, physical activity and contact with nature are all declining. For some children from poorer and disadvantaged groups this will be the end of “a once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to share an overnight experience away from home and to visit places that they would not otherwise see. The sad fact is that closure need not happen in many cases; given some extra time many threatened centres could become self sufficient. If centres close they may never reopen. Please act now to protect these unique opportunities for our young people.'
And all good sentiment and that but this doesn't address the fact that there are hundreds of private outdoor centres that are well placed to provide a high standard of outdoor education to school children and who have never been given the opportunity, despite governments commitment to a level playing field between industry and the public sector, to deliver residential courses for the majority of schools.
Many LEA's insist that schools use their authorities centre/s despite individual schools and teachers wishing to go elsewhere, despite dissatisfaction with some services, despite there being available viable alternatives.
The problem with members of the public and well meaning industry specialists supporting this petition is one of economics. For the LEA centres to survive, to become self sufficient, they will have to further encroach upon, steal if you like, the commercial adventure activity sectors business, so open up at weekends for family or party groups, take premium rate clients in at peak periods...
And that would be fine if there were a level playing field.
So I think no, let's not support the LEA centres and lets see schools continue to offer adventure activity short breaks and weeks through those centres that survive and through those adventure activity specialists that are waiting for the opportunity to develop sustainable partnerships with teachers and schools.
