The threatened closure of London's Jubilee Waterside outdoor education centre has again shone a spotlight on the problems outdoor education is facing in the light of widespread budget cuts.
The loss of funding from Camden Council looks likely to be the final nail in the coffin for the Jubilee centre (YPN, 17-23 January, p3), which is still struggling with large debts caused by the overrunning of modernisation work a few years earlier.
But, in losing its funding, the Jubilee centre is far from alone. Outdoor education centres are increasingly being expected to pay their own way.
In November last year, while the Department for Education and Skills was launching its Learning Outside the Classroom manifesto, the chair of the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres, Kevin Jackson, told Young People Now that outdoor education centres in 21 local authorities are facing closure because of the reorganisation of children's services budgets (YPN, 29 November-4 December 2006, p2).
The cuts form an "ironic juxtaposition" to the manifesto, says Simon Hills, chief executive of Youth Clubs North Yorkshire, which includes the Carlton Lodge Outdoor Centre.
Although Carlton Lodge is not dependent on local authority funding, cuts to the area's four local authority outdoor education centres in North Yorkshire could have a knock-on effect on its business, because it works closely with the statutory centres, says Hills. "They may have to adapt themselves to a business model or merge but, if they end up running commercially, the knock-on effect will be to squeeze us all."
The county's four statutory outdoor education centres face a shortfall of 200,000 from North Yorkshire County Council. Pippa Manson, head of the outdoor education service at the council, says: "The council is committed to providing outdoor education through its centres but any statutory centre is now expected to work more efficiently." Camden Council also called for the Jubilee centre to be more commercially aware.
However, statutory outdoor education centres may not have enough time to adapt themselves to the vagaries of a competitive market, including having the necessary skills and systems in place, says Hills. "It takes three to five years to have a sustainable service."
Thinking commercially
Karen Brush, managing director of the Institute for Outdoor Learning, agrees. "Lots of centres are losing subsidies and now have to think more commercially. Most of the centres facing closure have known for a while but have not been given assistance or opportunities to explore other opportunities."
However, for private sector providers such as World Challenge, the future looks promising. World Challenge offers outdoor activities in a range of locations such as the Peak District, as well as working with inner-city London schools.
Last year, it introduced a new style of activity centre, a "base camp", which has cut its huge year-round overheads. The base camp system, which puts all accommodation and facilities under canvas, can be set up to provide outdoor activities during peak times of the year and stored in winter.
Terry Hayward, sales and marketing director, believes that for young people, the choice in outdoor learning has never been greater. "The problems are not across the board as there are a lot of private sector and voluntary centres that are not struggling," he says.
Brush believes that outdoor centres need to raise their profiles if they are to avoid cuts. Camden Council told the Jubilee centre that it needed to be more proactive in its marketing, and the centre itself admitted it was known locally as a place for "kayaking, canoeing, and climbing" but not for personal development programmes.
"When Outside the Classroom was launched, we invited every director of children's services but many didn't turn up, maybe because outdoor learning is so low on their agendas," says Brush. "Outdoor learning can address problems such as obesity, substance abuse and antisocial behaviour. However, it is not considered before other options due to a lack of understanding."
