An unfolded map. A conversation about fynbos. A pause to take in the coastline. Much like with our Eco Explorer hikes, we believe that the most valuable learning happens when we step outside and pay attention to what’s around us.
Our Green Team recently joined Lauren Medcalf of Mother City Hikers for a week of practical hiking training, spending time out in nature and putting learning into practice together. This captures something we value deeply at Earthchild Project; learning through experience, curiosity and connection.
Being outdoors gives us the opportunity to notice things we might otherwise walk past. A map invites us to understand where we are and how different parts of a landscape connect. A discussion about fynbos encourages us to look more closely at the plants around us. Walking together creates space for questions, observations and conversations that grow out of the experience itself.
For the Green Team, the training week brought these opportunities together: time to explore, learn alongside one another and engage with the natural world beyond our everyday surroundings.
Making space for our team to learn
At Earthchild Project, we create opportunities for children to discover, participate and build a connection with nature. Making space for our own team to keep learning is part of that same commitment. Practical training offers time to share knowledge and explore new perspectives, and it also reminds us what it feels like to be a learner…to ask a question, encounter something unfamiliar or see a familiar landscape differently. We deeply believe in investing in the people who bring our work to life. The tools and values we share with children are practices we nurture within our own team, from connecting with nature to learning with curiosity and caring for one another. Creating space for our team members to learn, grow and experience these practices for themselves helps them bring greater confidence, understanding and care to their work.
Thank you to Lauren for sharing her expertise, knowledge, and absolute love for knowledge while accompanying the Green Team through this week of practical learning. We’re grateful for opportunities like these to invest in our people and deepen the connection with nature that sits at the heart of our work.
