Connecting Through Creativity

Di Collins, Journeying Gently, UKEOE 2011 Metsäkartano, Finland

Into the Woods: About the significance of wood and wilderness for Youth Work in Europe.

Getting in touch Recall a recent event or occurrence in which you

have made a connection with nature. Briefly talk about it with a person near you.

My Starting Point1. A connection with nature is important on a

personal levelE.O.Wilson’s biophillia hypothesis - - - humans have a hard-wired disposition to affiliate with the natural world.

2. Through a connection with nature, people develop varying degrees of environmental literacy - - - insights into how to sustain life on our planet.

3. By supporting people to make connections with nature, I am enabling them to start considering the complexities of issues related to the sustainability - - - we usually do not want to harm that which we love.

Issues we face Carbon emissions Global warming Depletion of natural resources Etc Etc

My Question I am a play, youth and community development

practitioner.

How can I better support play, youth and community workers, so that

a) they will venture into the outdoors, and

b) they will work with children, young people and their parents, to encourage them to venture into the outdoors?

Setting the Scene ‘… over 60 per cent of parents would like their

children to play outdoors more often than they currently do. Alarmingly, however, one in seven parents don't know where their nearest natural play space, such as a park or playground, is.’

Ref: Research from Savlon and Play England for the National Playday. 3 August 2011.

The outdoor world seems to be out of reach for many of today's children. 1 in 5 children have never played in fields and farmland and 1 in 6 have never played in woods and forests - this compares to nearly 60 per cent of adults who played there every week when they were children. 

For parents, however, safety concerns mean that 1 in 4 would prefer their child to play on a computer than climb a tree, and 1 in 5 prefer computer-based play than allowing them to play out in fields or farmland.

Ref: Research from Savlon and Play England for the National Playday. 3 August 2011.

Children’s perspective ‘ The message from them all was simple, clear and unanimous:

their well-being centres on time with a happy, stable family, having good friends and plenty of things to do, especially outdoors.’

Qualitative research with children age eight to thirteen from all walks of life across Spain, Sweden and the UK… Findings discussed in-depth with our three national steering groups of fourteen year-olds.

‘… by the time many British children had reached secondary school their participation in active and creative pursuits – pursuits that children said made them happy - had in fact dwindled, whilst this occurred less in other countries.’ (IPSOS and Nairn, 2001:1)

Ref: Research undertaken by Ipsos MORI/ Unicef in partnership with DR Agnes Nair (June 2011:1)

‘A good day …’ Across all three countries being active and being

outside were important elements of a good day. Many of the children mentioned the good weather or sunshine as a feature of a good day, which they seemed to value as an enabler to being outside, playing sports or going to exciting places such as the beach.

Children were much more likely to talk about outdoor and other active pursuits such as music and dance, than to mention television, using the internet or playing on games consoles as part of a good day.

Ref: Research undertaken by Ipsos MORI/ Unicef in partnership with DR Agnes Nair (June 2011:1)

My problem … Many of the youthworkers and play workers I am

working with are in their twenties1. The outdoors was not a major part of their growing up;2. They have ‘grown up’ in a play and youthwork culture

restricted by safety assessments, regulation and a fear of litigation. There is a reluctance to support activities that can be perceived as risky;

3. When they do support outdoor activities, they may become ‘helicoptor’ supervisors – over zealous in their supervision; restricting in what they ‘allow’.

4. How do I challenge, support, motivate?

Focusing In Talk to the people around you … Is there something that you would not do, or would

never do again in the outdoors?

eg Dive a sump in a cave, kayak across the open ocean, dive into a rock strewn river

Research with women youth workers Outdoor adventure education is not for me because … It is physical It is competitive It is macho I don’t have time I can’t afford to do it I haven’t had an opportunity to do it ….

Peter Martin’s Research (2003)

Nature is seen as sacred or having spiritual connection

A sense of oneness promotes nature caring as pervasive

Nature caring is practiced more in everyday life

Nature caring is practiced while in the natural environment

Nature is acknowledged as a significant part of personal life

Nature is seen as a place to go

Nature remains unacknowledged or feared

INTEGRATED WITH NATURE

CARING FOR NATURE

TRAVELLING THROUGH NATURE

ALIENATED FROM NATURE

(Hypothetical Only)

Additional Perspectives (Collins, 2006)

Nature is seen as sacred or having spiritual connection

A sense of oneness promotes nature caring as pervasive

Nature caring is practiced more in everyday life

Nature caring is practiced while in the natural environment

Nature is acknowledged as a significant part of personal life

Nature is seen as a place to go

Nature remains unacknowledged or feared

INTEGRATED WITH NATURE

CARING FOR NATURE

TRAVELLING THROUGH NATURE

ALIENATED FROM NATURE

(Hypothetical Only)

Identifying one’s role in nature

Reflecting on one’s role in nature

Recognizing the power of nature

Observing nature and the outdoors

Martin 2003

Collins2006

Putting Ideas into Practice – Why Photography? The pedagogies identified the emotional underpinnings of

connections with nature and creativity can be an emotional response

Cameras and camera phones are becoming more common and less intimidating.

Photography can be a non-physical activity.

Photography can encourage people to stop and look, increasing their awareness of/ affinity with the natural world - offering meetings with ‘the flora and fauna in all kinds of situations, in all kinds of weathers’ (Becker, 2011).

Niall Benvie (2011; Rewilding Childhood) believes that photography can support children in discovering nature for themselves, having a positive impact on their lives, developing into a lifetime passion for nature and environmental actions.

Exploring Photographic Activities Photographing with intent – one image to capture the

experience A series of images to tell as story, or convey the

essence/spirit of a place – three or five for example Images related to using the senses – seeing, smelling,

touching, tasting and hearing Place at different times of the day; in different weather

conditions Contrasting landscapes – a shopping trolley against a

beautiful sunset Take photographs which require no editing

In conclusion Photography as a personal quest …

“chasing … an unobtainable illusion …”(David Ward, 2004)

After thought …Rather than thinking about what the individual gains from a

connection with Woods and Wilderness, should I/ we be thinking about what

society this planet

will gain from this connection?

Will this give me/us greater clarity about the direction of my/our work?

REFERENCESAyland (Collins), D. (1991) Upward, Outward, Inward and Onward Bound: Outdoor Education and

Women Youth Workers. University of Surrey (Unpublished MSc Dissertation).

Becker, P. (2011) Into the Woods: Some Remarks on the Cultural and Biographical Significance of Woods and Wilderness in Youth Work. EOE Conference Papers.

Benvie, N. (2011) Nature Photographers: the next generation. in Outdoor Photography. Issue 136. February.

Collins, D. (2005) Outdoor Education, the Informal Sector of Education and Otherness: Making Connections with Nature. BCUC. (Unpublished first draft PhD Submission).

Ipsos MORI and Dr Agnes Nairn , June 2001. Children’s Well-being in UK, Sweden and Spain: The Role of Inequality and Materialism.

Martin, P. (2003) Outdoor Education for Human/Nature Relationships. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education 1(3).

Savlon and Play England (2001) Background Research for the National Playday. 3 August 2011.

Ward, D. (2004) Landscape Within: Insights and Inspirations for Photographers. London: Argentum.