Help me go to the Wilderness Awareness School
Donation protected
My name is Reece Allen and I’m a forest school and outdoor educator looking to further my experience in bringing children back to nature and mentoring them on their journeys to connect with our world. I am therefore asking for your support to study at the Wilderness Awareness School.
The school runs the Anake Programme which will enable me to deepen my practice as an outdoor educator. I really love and believe in what I am doing now, but to have a greater impact on future generations I feel I need to acquire new experiences and learn from pioneers in this movement.
What I am currently doing
Last May, after 3 years working in a traditional school setting I left to dedicate myself to running nature sessions full time under the name ‘Seeking Wild’.
The idea behind Seeking Wild is to provide an environment which ignites curiosity for the natural world, connecting children to nature through play and exploration. I am currently running programmes in primary schools, full day and after school clubs, and holiday camps.
A typical session combines immersion in nature, often through play and games, with more structured periods of skills practice. For example, on a full day session:
- After meeting we play some introductory games.
- We then have a nature walk into camp.
- Once at camp we sit together to have a snack and recap boundaries and safe practice.
- The children then are given the freedom to choose what they would like to explore, what they want to focus on.
- We all come back together for lunch and the afternoon offers skill-based practice, which could include fire lighting or knife skills.
- We always finish the session around the fire circle offering time to reflect before walking back muddy, exhausted, and full of stories!
For me, a successful session is where the children come away with a stronger connection to nature. We meet children where they are, and from there go further into skills and awareness of nature when they are ready.
“Cannot recommend more highly. Our girls have had a fantastic 2 days in the forest tracking animals, sliding and abseiling down mudslides, making crafts and generally having lots of fun. Reece is a talented educator, friendly, polite and articulate.”
- Parent from our day camps
Why is this important?
“The future will belong to the nature-smart: those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
- Richard Louv, author of ‘Last Child in the Woods’
The importance of taking children back outside into nature has never been clearer, children nowadays are living mostly through virtual experiences. We all know that spending time in nature is good for us, but there are so many more benefits than just ‘fresh air’. Time in nature lowers stressors in the body, boosts the immune system and reduces symptoms of issues such as ADHD. Now imagine the benefit we can have when we facilitate play, exploration, and outdoor skills. It not only creates healthier children but also develops risk awareness, confidence, independence, health, creativity, social skills and so much more.
Why the Wilderness Awareness School?
The Wilderness Awareness School are pioneers and the ‘gold standard for nature connection training’. The aim of the school is to help children and adults cultivate healthy relationships with nature, community, and themselves. Graduates of the Anake programme have founded schools around the world, becoming leaders in the field, and are respected scientists and naturalists. I believe this course will give me the skills and knowledge needed to mentor future generations, open up the possibility to facilitate adult programs and so many more opportunities.
I am looking to raise £10,000 to cover the Anake programme’s tuition fees- I will cover all living expenses myself. I am a British Citizen and so I am unable to get student finance or a student loan for the course. The nine month course starts in September 2020- but I need to show sufficient funds by May to get granted a visa to study in the USA.
Any small investment into this would make a huge difference to me and, most crucially, what I can pass on to those I mentor who may one day play important roles in preserving our natural environment.
Thanks for reading, and any questions please let me know.
Reece
Links to further reading if you are interested,
Wilderness Awareness School: https://wildernessawareness.org/adult-programs/anake)
Project Wild Thing Movie:
https://vimeo.com/67763495
Richard Louv, Author of ‘Last Child In The Woods’: http://richardlouv.com
1000 Hours Outside Blog:
https://1000hoursoutside.com/index.html/
The school runs the Anake Programme which will enable me to deepen my practice as an outdoor educator. I really love and believe in what I am doing now, but to have a greater impact on future generations I feel I need to acquire new experiences and learn from pioneers in this movement.
What I am currently doing
Last May, after 3 years working in a traditional school setting I left to dedicate myself to running nature sessions full time under the name ‘Seeking Wild’.
The idea behind Seeking Wild is to provide an environment which ignites curiosity for the natural world, connecting children to nature through play and exploration. I am currently running programmes in primary schools, full day and after school clubs, and holiday camps.
A typical session combines immersion in nature, often through play and games, with more structured periods of skills practice. For example, on a full day session:
- After meeting we play some introductory games.
- We then have a nature walk into camp.
- Once at camp we sit together to have a snack and recap boundaries and safe practice.
- The children then are given the freedom to choose what they would like to explore, what they want to focus on.
- We all come back together for lunch and the afternoon offers skill-based practice, which could include fire lighting or knife skills.
- We always finish the session around the fire circle offering time to reflect before walking back muddy, exhausted, and full of stories!
For me, a successful session is where the children come away with a stronger connection to nature. We meet children where they are, and from there go further into skills and awareness of nature when they are ready.
“Cannot recommend more highly. Our girls have had a fantastic 2 days in the forest tracking animals, sliding and abseiling down mudslides, making crafts and generally having lots of fun. Reece is a talented educator, friendly, polite and articulate.”
- Parent from our day camps
Why is this important?
“The future will belong to the nature-smart: those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
- Richard Louv, author of ‘Last Child in the Woods’
The importance of taking children back outside into nature has never been clearer, children nowadays are living mostly through virtual experiences. We all know that spending time in nature is good for us, but there are so many more benefits than just ‘fresh air’. Time in nature lowers stressors in the body, boosts the immune system and reduces symptoms of issues such as ADHD. Now imagine the benefit we can have when we facilitate play, exploration, and outdoor skills. It not only creates healthier children but also develops risk awareness, confidence, independence, health, creativity, social skills and so much more.
Why the Wilderness Awareness School?
The Wilderness Awareness School are pioneers and the ‘gold standard for nature connection training’. The aim of the school is to help children and adults cultivate healthy relationships with nature, community, and themselves. Graduates of the Anake programme have founded schools around the world, becoming leaders in the field, and are respected scientists and naturalists. I believe this course will give me the skills and knowledge needed to mentor future generations, open up the possibility to facilitate adult programs and so many more opportunities.
I am looking to raise £10,000 to cover the Anake programme’s tuition fees- I will cover all living expenses myself. I am a British Citizen and so I am unable to get student finance or a student loan for the course. The nine month course starts in September 2020- but I need to show sufficient funds by May to get granted a visa to study in the USA.
Any small investment into this would make a huge difference to me and, most crucially, what I can pass on to those I mentor who may one day play important roles in preserving our natural environment.
Thanks for reading, and any questions please let me know.
Reece
Links to further reading if you are interested,
Wilderness Awareness School: https://wildernessawareness.org/adult-programs/anake)
Project Wild Thing Movie:
https://vimeo.com/67763495
Richard Louv, Author of ‘Last Child In The Woods’: http://richardlouv.com
1000 Hours Outside Blog:
https://1000hoursoutside.com/index.html/
Organizer
Reece Allen
Organizer
