Last year Robin set up the APPG - Outdoor Learning (All Party Parliamentary Group - Outdoor Learning) to respond to the representations that were being made to him from across the constituency and wider: outdoor education providers, guides, instructors and residential training centres. Each community in the constituency has been affected by the difficulties that these individuals and organisations have been experiencing. It is not only the centres themselves, but the food that they buy locally; the people that they employ; the services that they use; the equipment that they hire. And, of course, we have a long history of people coming to this part of this world to be challenged by the walks, the climbs, the rivers. Indeed, the preparations for the British 1953 ascents of Everest were done in Snowdonia. Also, many of us will remember as children visiting these centres and the fun that exploring the outside gave us and the confidence and memories we went home with. Many of the people involved in this industry had been prompted by such visits to dedicate their careers to sharing those experiences.
Throughout last summer and beyond, Robin and his fellow APPG members have been working with the Department of Education, the Department of Health and a wide range of national and local providers. So Robin took the opportunity on Monday 8th June to ask the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, a question about the inclusion of Outdoor Learning in the government's education recovery plan.
Robin asked the Minister:-
Education is, without doubt, one of the big legacy issues from the pandemic, so I welcome my right hon. Friend’s pledges to invest billions of pounds and millions of hours, and his determination that we should use evidence of what works. We know that education is not just about moments of time, but about timeless moments. Our outdoor learning and education centres are experts in creating those experiences for children and young people. Centres such as Marle Hall in Llandudno Junction stand ready to help them to catch up and make up that lost ground. Will my right hon. Friend therefore give consideration to including outdoor education centres and residential stays as part of the delivery of his education recovery plan?
and the Minister, Rt Hon Gavin Williamson MP responded:-
We can certainly look at that very closely. I know my hon. Friend worked incredibly hard to ensure that our outdoor education centres were included as part of the lifting of restrictions so that children are now able to access those outdoor education centres residentially as well as for day visits. We can certainly look at that consideration in future plans.
You can listen to the exchange here:
Marle Hall, Cyffordd Llandudno ac Addysg Awyr Agored
Y llynedd, sefydlodd Robin y Grŵp Seneddol Hollbleidiol (APPG) - Dysgu Awyr Agored i ymateb i'r sylwadau a oedd yn cael eu gwneud iddo o bob rhan o'r etholaeth ac yn ehangach: darparwyr addysg awyr agored, tywyswyr, hyfforddwyr a chanolfannau hyfforddi preswyl. Mae pob cymuned yn yr etholaeth wedi cael ei heffeithio gan yr anawsterau y mae'r unigolion a'r sefydliadau hyn wedi bod yn eu profi. Ac nid yn unig y canolfannau eu hunain, ond y bwyd maen nhw'n ei brynu'n lleol; y bobl maen nhw’n eu cyflogi; y gwasanaethau maen nhw’n eu defnyddio; yr offer maen nhw'n ei logi. Ac, wrth gwrs, mae gennym hanes hir o bobl yn dod i'r rhan hon o'r byd i gael eu herio gan y teithiau cerdded, y dringfeydd, yr afonydd. Yn wir, gwnaed y paratoadau ar gyfer esgyniadau Everest Prydeinig 1953 yn Eryri. Hefyd, bydd gan lawer ohonom gof plentyn o ymweld â'r canolfannau hyn a'r hwyl a roddodd archwilio'r awyr agored inni a'r hyder a'r atgofion yr aethom adref gyda nhw. Roedd llawer o'r bobl sy'n ymwneud â'r diwydiant hwn wedi cael eu hysgogi gan ymweliadau o'r fath i gysegru eu gyrfaoedd i rannu'r profiadau hynny.
Trwy gydol yr haf diwethaf a thu hwnt, mae Robin a'i gyd-aelodau APPG wedi bod yn gweithio gyda'r Adran Addysg, yr Adran Iechyd ac ystod eang o ddarparwyr cenedlaethol a lleol. Felly manteisiodd Robin ar y cyfle ddydd Llun 8fed Mehefin i ofyn cwestiwn i'r Ysgrifennydd Gwladol dros Addysg, Gavin Williamson, ynghylch cynnwys Dysgu Awyr Agored yng nghynllun adfer addysg y llywodraeth.
Gofynnodd Robin i'r Gweinidog:-
Mae addysg, heb amheuaeth, yn un o'r materion etifeddol mawr yn sgil y pandemig, felly rwy'n croesawu addewidion fy Nghyfaill gwir anrhydeddus i fuddsoddi biliynau o bunnoedd a miliynau o oriau, a’i benderfyniad y dylem ddefnyddio tystiolaeth o’r hyn sy’n gweithio. Gwyddom nad mater o eiliadau o amser yma ac acw yn unig yw addysg, ond hefyd yr eiliadau bythol. Mae ein canolfannau dysgu ac addysg awyr agored yn arbenigwyr ar greu'r profiadau hynny ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc. Mae canolfannau fel Marle Hall yng Nghyffordd Llandudno yn barod i'w helpu i ddal i fyny a gwneud yn iawn am y tir hwnnw a gollwyd. A fydd fy Nghyfaill gwir anrhydeddus felly’n ystyried cynnwys canolfannau addysg awyr agored ac arosiadau preswyl fel rhan o gyflawni ei gynllun adfer addysg?
ac ymatebodd y Gweinidog, y Gwir Anrhydeddus Gavin Williamson AS:-
Yn sicr, gallwn edrych ar hynny'n fanwl iawn. Rwy'n gwybod i’m Cyfaill anrhydeddus weithio’n anhygoel o galed i sicrhau bod ein canolfannau addysg awyr agored yn cael eu cynnwys fel rhan o godi cyfyngiadau, fel bod plant bellach yn gallu cyrchu'r canolfannau addysg awyr agored hynny ar gyfer preswyl yn ogystal ag ar gyfer ymweliadau dydd. Yn sicr, gallwn edrych ar yr ystyriaeth honno mewn cynlluniau ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Gallwch wrando ar y drafodaeth yma:
