As I’m sure many will agree, Outdoor Education is extremely beneficial to those in education, with a whole range of lasting benefits, yet sadly, too many in our schools don’t get the opportunity to participate.
I have an aspiration that all children in Wales should be given access to an Outdoor Education residential visit at least once in their school career, regardless of the local authority in which they live in and regardless of their family income or demographic.
That’s why in July I was delighted to be selected in the Welsh Parliament’s Member Ballot Bill to seek the Senedd’s approval to introduce my Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill.
Since then, I have had the pleasure of working alongside the Outdoor Education Sector and academic institutions in preparing an Explanatory Memorandum regarding the proposed policy objectives of the Bill, along with mass support received from those in the Outdoor Education Sector.
The Welsh Government’s own research has recently stated that Outdoor Education has well established benefits for children and young people in their physical and mental health and well-being, personal and social learning, cognitive development, and understanding their place in the world.
Outdoor Education residential visits can form an important part of many children’s experience of transition from primary school to secondary school, developing the organisation, self-reliance and resilience needed to thrive in a secondary school setting.
In addition to this, it’s clear that Outdoor Education also has potential cost savings relating to long term physical and mental health as well as educational outcomes, shaping our future generation.
Over the next few months, I hope to receive cross-party support from Members of the Welsh Parliament to introduce my Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill which will ensure children in Wales will have access to an Outdoor Education residential visit at least once in their school career, and deliver long lasting benefits.
Please feel free to contact me by emailing [email protected] or calling on 0300 200 7267.
Fy marn i - The Leader
Fel rwy'n siŵr y bydd llawer yn cytuno, mae Addysg Awyr Agored yn hynod o fuddiol ym myd addysg, gydag ystod gyfan o fanteision parhaol, ond eto yn anffodus, mae llawer yn ein hysgolion heb gael cyfle i gymryd rhan.
Rwy’n awyddus i bob plentyn yng Nghymru gael mynd ar ymweliad preswyl i ganolfan Addysg Awyr Agored o leiaf unwaith yn ystod ei gyfnod yn yr ysgol, pa bynnag awdurdod lleol sy’n gyfrifol amdano a beth bynnag yw ei nodweddion demograffig neu incwm teuluol.
Felly, ym mis Gorffennaf, rhoddodd gryn bleser i mi gael fy newis ym Mhleidlais Biliau Aelodau Senedd Cymru i ofyn am gymeradwyaeth y Senedd i gyflwyno fy Mil Addysg Awyr Agored (Cymru).
Ers hynny, rwyf wedi cael y pleser o weithio ochr yn ochr â'r Sector Addysg Awyr Agored a sefydliadau academaidd wrth baratoi Memorandwm Esboniadol ynghylch amcanion polisi arfaethedig y Bil, ynghyd â chefnogaeth aruthrol gan y rhai yn y Sector Addysg Awyr Agored.
Mae ymchwil Llywodraeth Cymru ei hun wedi dweud yn ddiweddar ei bod yn hysbys bod Addysg Awyr Agored yn fuddiol i blant a phobl ifanc o ran eu hiechyd a lles corfforol a meddyliol, addysg bersonol a chymdeithasol, datblygiad gwybyddol, a deall eu lle yn y byd.
Gall ymweliadau preswyl â chanolfannau Addysg Awyr Agored fod yn rhan bwysig o brofiad llawer o blant wrth bontio o'r ysgol gynradd i'r uwchradd, gan ddatblygu sgiliau trefnu, hunanddibyniaeth a gwydnwch ar gyfer ffynnu mewn lleoliad ysgol uwchradd.
Yn ogystal â hyn, mae'n amlwg bod gan Addysg Awyr Agored arbedion cost posibl hefyd sy'n ymwneud ag iechyd corfforol a meddyliol hirdymor yn ogystal â chanlyniadau addysgol, gan siapio cenhedlaeth y dyfodol.
Dros y misoedd nesaf, rwy'n gobeithio derbyn cefnogaeth drawsbleidiol gan Aelodau Senedd Cymru i gyflwyno’r Bil Addysg Awyr Agored (Cymru) a fydd yn sicrhau bod plant Cymru yn cael mynd ar ymweliad preswyl i ganolfan Addysg Awyr Agored o leiaf unwaith yn ystod eu gyrfa ysgol, gan sicrhau buddion parhaol.
Mae croeso i chi gysylltu â mi drwy e-bostio [email protected] neu ffonio 0300 200 7267.
