What happens when you put 30 strangers, together in tents?

Anything.

Everything.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

2 weeks, 2 months, 31 participants, and 1 significant summer. Remarkable adventure, brand new learning, consequential challenges, cultural exchanges, and plenty of sharing and caring.

This was the Erasmus + project “Inclusive Outdoors”.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

Our story begins on the eleventh of June two thousand nineteen, like any other Tuesday, except that this was the beginning of something greater than we could have imagined.

The Tuesday when 31 humans from different countries, backgrounds, and interests met for the first time and built a community. It happened at the end of the edge, where the sea meets the land – the cliffs of Seven Sisters. That’s where our outdoor adventure began.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

10 days guided by 5 values – inclusion, adventure, curiosity, kindness, accountability. We slept in tents, took care of each other, cooked and ate (especially biscuits), enjoyed astonishing sunsets and sunrises, (as well as the whole spectrum of British weather), learnt new methodology, discovered nature, handled varying situations. The goal of these 10 days was to acquire and improve competences, skills, and behaviours while using “the outdoors” as a method for social inclusion.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

The outcome? Accomplished. But that was only the first part….On the 20th June we didn’t say “Good bye”. We said: “See you in London!”

London was the second location of our “inclusive outdoors” adventure. The final phase of the project welcomed us on the 27th August. We met for the second time – all the same, but also different in a way – more experienced, more curious and having seen life from another point of view. The summer had changed us all in a certain way. We were ready to bring and share our learning from the past 8 weeks.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

The first day we got just what we wished for – challenges in 3 levels, team work, and the even the opportunity to plan and organize our own events and training courses.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

Phase 4 of the project was about taking the initiative to implement our common values such as tolerance, freedom of speech, and inclusion in achieving active participation of individuals throughout our society. Now that the training is over, it’s up to us to further disseminate this non formal learning through our own communities. And as we learned, together is better.

Inclusive Outdoors - training course - Erasmus plus - United Kingdom - abroadship.org

Inclusive Outdoors – training course – Erasmus plus – United Kingdom – abroadship.org

Curious to look what has been done as local action – check it here.

Testimonials

“Outdoors can be the source for any activities as it offers inspiration and a great field to feel connected with nature, the life which surrounds us. Outdoors is dynamic and we are part of the dynamism. If we are outdoors we are opening of our doors and be part of the unity of a whole, nature, its living creatures.”

“Travel, sleep, eat & repeat”

“This is a project which includes the most awesome things at the same time – being in nature, teamwork, stepping out of your comfort zone, sharing and caring, learning about yourself and others”

“”It was great to experience this project and all those people. I tried to take out all I could of this project in all phases. It was fun and new experience”.

“”Inclusive Outdoors was the adventure I never knew I needed. From 8 days of camping, taking initiative to create our own events and activities, working as a team with people from 10 different countries, completing challenges and stepping out of our comfort zone.. this project changed the way I see others, the environment around me, and myself.”

“I am so happy that I’ve met amazing people with whom I created such beautiful memories and relationship.”