The first international BIP student group from the European Outdoor Sport Campus went to Finland to visit Lapin AMK to develop their skills in promoting a better relationship with nature.
28 students and 7 teachers from Norway, Ireland, Belgium, France, Portugal, Slovakia and Finland gathered in Finnish Lapland to explore and develop good practice in building a relationship with nature for nature guides, trainers and educators.
“Safety and hard skills are important skills for guides, but if guides are able to promote a relationship with nature for their clients, they will also produce a better sense of sustainability and well-being. That is better guiding or training”
Tommi Haapakangas, LAPIN AMK
The students started their learning journey 5 weeks before the exchange by studying theoretical knowledge and its application in practice through an online course. In Lapland, it was time for real experiences. The group travelled to Pallas-Ylläs National Park for three days to learn about arctic cultures, ecology, biodiversity and and soft skills under the midnight sun. Experienced teachers from universities on the ourdoor sports campus guided a very personal journey to their own relationship with nature. “Moments that excite, mesmerize, give space to think and awaken interest in beautiful nature are important experiences that everyone can learn about themselves through nature. Nature itself does not question or question, but it teaches if you just know how to listen,” says Haapakangas.
The three-day hike included exercises developed by the students and each of the elements through which the relationship with nature was explored. Elements like rocks, forest, and water were at the heart of the learning. Based on these experiences, the students built a webinar “How to reconnect- More sustainable outdoorguiding” open to all as a demonstration of their skills.
Here you can access the recording of the webinar:
“I must say that i´m impressed how this group grew together and made this experience way beyond I ever expected. By the end of the journey we visited in Old Saami heritage secret place. It is a lake that is told to be gateway to underworld where our past away ancestors live. That was a silent moment of gratitude. Thor or “Ukko” as we call it here in Lapland, God of thunder hold his rage until we were done about our moment with gratitude, same time He gave us a warning to leave with a huge roam of a thunder. We listened, and our journey to these ancient secret places was sealed with storm. What a magical moment that is transformative and sure will be remembered always.”
Tommi Haapakangas, LAPIN AMK
The Outdoorsport Campus has been an excellent way to bring together students from different backgrounds to work towards a common goal. Next year the course will move to Norway where the University of South-Eastern Norway will host the event. Participating students gained 5 credits (ECTS) from the course but more importantly, they made new friends and found a different way of approaching nature. Nature is more than just a place to practice your outdoor sport. We are also conducting research on the learners’ experience and will report back when the research is completed. In the words of David Sheffield, professor of psychology and nature researcher who opened the Intensive Week, “Increasing Connection to Nature is about, Engaging people with nature through: Contact, Emotion, Compassion, Meaning, and Nature’s beauty”.