Ginny Wright, early years development officer, Learning through Landscapes
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Ginny Wright helps schools and early years settings make the most of their outdoor space for play and learning.
What do you do?
Learning through Landscapes (LTL) helps schools and early years settings make the most of their outdoor space for play and learning. I'm on the end of the phone speaking to members about any concerns and questions they have, such as health and safety queries. I get them to think through what they want and how they can achieve it.
How did you get into this job?
I was brought up on a farm so the outdoors has always been very important to me. However, parents these days do not always have time to get outside. They don't go to parks and houses don't have large gardens.
I have worked with early years children in a variety of settings. I ran a pre-school group in a deprived area before becoming an outreach worker. I knew about LTL because I was a member and I have a passion for getting children outdoors.
How do you make a difference?
The Early Years Foundation Stage mentions the outdoors a lot and there is funding from the Department for Children, Schools and Families until 2011. I empower people to have the confidence to make a bid or to spend the money. After talking to me I hope they go away saying: "Wow, I'm ready to go." Part of my role is to go on site visits and advise them on getting the most from the outdoors. We have an audit tool to help because it's not a quick process. You need to think about inclusion, you need to know what you are asking architects and landscape gardeners to do, and you need to think about how equipment will affect the rest of the space.
What are the challenges?
Places that do not have outdoor space. Shared space is another challenge, where you have to work with other groups to realise your needs. And some landlords will not let you have fixed equipment in the ground. Motivating staff is the key. When I do visits I try to inspire them by showing case studies of what others have achieved. You don't need a lot of space. People think they have nothing, but once you talk to them they see that even a square of concrete can be used.
