Ever asked yourself: "What did youth work ever do for me?" As a young person, my youth club gave me the opportunity to discover the great outdoors. That first trip to the Lakes, the long minibus journey, camping, climbing my first mountain - life-changing stuff.

So why this reflection? Following a consultation last year the Government is to publish its Education Outside the Classroom manifesto. Minister Phil Hope told a Commons select committee in April it aims to ensure that "all young people have a variety of high-quality learning opportunities away from the classroom", offered during or after school or in holidays.

(Of course, this means likely investment and partnership working between a variety of stakeholders.)

I recently saw first-hand the benefits of investment at the Mill Adventure Base, a new 1.5m Nottinghamshire Youth Service provision. It provides a range of water sports, caving and climbing activities with an experienced team of outdoor education specialists and has classrooms to complement the outdoor activities. The emphasis is on learning and having fun.

The Mill hosts a Department of Health-funded Young People's Development Programme project with 13- to 15-year-olds, combining outdoor work with drug and sex and relationships education, behaviour and motivational work, and life skills.

Outdoor education offers a range of unique benefits for personal development to all, such as improving health and building confidence and self-esteem.

It encourages participation, understanding of natural environments and reinforces learning and achievement. This work can support the Every Child Matters outcomes and the criteria outlined in Youth Matters.

It isn't everyone's cup of tea - but you don't have to climb mountains.

Outdoor activities offer a challenge where the risks are managed. Tragic events in recent years and the "risk" factor have unfortunately resulted in some professionals avoiding this work through concerns such as possible litigation.

The draft vision is online, though it contains no hint of decisions on policy. The Department for Education and Skills tells me the manifesto should appear in July or August. It needs to take account of the risks of outdoor education but I hope it isn't driven out by them. It needs to set out a vision of more places like The Mill.

As I can testify, the benefits are real and can last for life.