The Outdoors
The UK outdoors sector covers a wide-range of leisure, learning and well-being activities undertaken within the natural environment.
Activity within the sector can be broadly divided into five key sub-areas:
- Outdoor education - experiential, environmental, physical and social education.
- Outdoor recreation - organised and self-guided outdoor activities for ‘fun’.
- Outdoor development training - leadership, team and management development.
- Outdoor sport development - performance coaching, instructor training and skill development.
- Expeditions and exploration - planning and delivery of local, national and international expeditions and research.
There are many overlaps between these sub-sectors, and it is unusual for organisations to neatly fall into any one single grouping. The sector encompasses private, public, charitable/ not for profit and voluntary operations. It also has an equally mixed range of participants.
About the outdoors sector
To find out more about the sector, such as its role and the size, or training and qualifications, explore the areas below or on the left hand side, or get in touch with us.
Training and qualifications
Training and qualifications are vitally important to the outdoors sector. Many relate to the technical skills closely linked to different activities, while others relate to people skills.
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National occupational standards
There are a number of sets of national occupational standards for the outdoors, covering Activity Leadership, Outdoor programmes, Expedition leadership & management and more senior roles.
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