There are some experiences that you just can't get in the classroom or local youth centre.

We offer groups of young people some of these experiences through creative outdoor education and learning programmes.

Please select from the list below to jump to more information on Surrey Outdoor Learning and Development.

• What we do
• More than an adrenalin rush
• No two courses the same
• Recognising achievement
• Who we work with

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What we do

We offer courses for everyone, whether it's a one-off visit, residential course or a one week programme. A visit to us also fits the Every Child Matters agenda.

Climbing walls and ropes courses, learning to sail and learning from the past – our four centres deliver all kinds of courses and experiences to very different groups of young people.

We help young people get the most out of their experience by helping them plan how they tackle a challenge then review what went well and could be improved so they appreciate the progress and development they have made.

The quality of our courses is important to us so we're always trying to improve what we do. We get feedback from the young people who take part and the group leaders who organise the visits.

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More than an adrenaline rush

Visiting one of our centres should be fun. But it's about more than that. It's about learning and developing. It's about achieving things that you thought were impossible.

Young people learn about themselves and their experiences by measuring and evaluating their performance.

The courses we offer are structured to make sure the young people who visit us get genuinely beneficial results from their visit, whether that is increased confidence, a specific skill or an award or certification.

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No two courses the same

What do you want to gain from you visit? Whether we're working with groups form youth centres or mainstream schools, we always look at what your group want to achieve from your visit before deciding on the activities. We use our curriculum document to guide group leaders to the specific learning outcomes they wish the visiting group to work towards.

Our courses are flexible. Some activities like dragon boating or the challenge course are perfect for building team work. The aerial runway or the ropes course will help build confidence whereas activities such as orienteering help with specific skills – map reading and problem solving – for example.

We have activities designed specifically for young people with physical or learning difficulties. And other experiences can be adapted to any level of ability. The activities your group will do depend entirely on what you tell us about why you want to come and the experience and achievements you want to see. We offer courses which help any young people achieve their potential, but exceed their expectations.

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Recognising achievement

We recognise every achievement – big or small – in the young people we work with. For some, just preparing for something like a climbing session is a big step forward which deserves praise.

However, our courses count towards more tangible certification as well. We use the AQA unit award scheme to give young people formal recognition of their achievements. Courses specifically designed to promote communication, problem solving or managing risk give young people AQA unit awards.

We also run courses and programmes which work towards nationally recognised awards, such as the Duke of Edinburgh award, the Youth Achievement Award or certificates from the British Canoe Union or Royal yachting Association.

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Who we work with

We cater for most educational visits and work with groups from youth groups, voluntary organisations and mainstream schools.

We have developed courses for young people who are not in education, employment or training. Or those with problems with self-esteem or anger management issues, for young people who are at risk of exclusion from schools or for those with special needs.

It's not just young people, either – we also run adult coaching and training, corporate training and work with whole families.