Outdoor People - Become a Wild Walk Leader!

Outdoor People is a social enterprise, with a mission to make the outdoors easy for everyone, and in particular for families, kids and communities. We sell great outdoors kit in our shop, run projects for local residents, and offer consultancy to organisations that share our mission.

Our Family Wild Walks project is growing and we need your help! We are looking for enthusiastic Wild Walkers to volunteer to lead monthly Wild Walks in Hackney.

What are Wild Walks?

Wild Walks – ‘adventures for children to take their adults on’ – are short walks of about 2km. They can be transformational; fostering friendships and helping children and families enjoy, socialise and play in their local green spaces every day. The aim is to allow outdoor play to happen, connect with nature and have fun!

We believe that a little bit of nature and outdoor play everyday can help us keep healthy and active, feel good, learn, act and be connected. No matter how big or little we are, we can all play!

Did you know? Every child in London lives within 15 minutes walk of a park and yet one in seven London’s children NEVER go to a green space.

What do Wild Walk Leaders do?

Being a Wild Walk Leader is rewarding, fun and creative. It is a great opportunity to get to know your area better and make more friends in your community.

As Wild Walk Leaders, we make sure everyone is welcomed, safe, happy and having fun. We plan Wild Walk routes through large and small green spaces and find spots for picnicking and play. We make sure our walks are flexible and easily accessible to accommodate for all ages, buggy and wheel-chair access, the weather, hungry children, spontaneous play and unexpected adventure!

The time commitment as a Wild Walk Leader is not huge. Ideally you would lead one walk a month but this is flexible and a commitment that can be shared between Wild Walk Leaders. Wild Walks are about 2-3 hours long and 2-3km in distance (we take it slow!). We anticipate preparation and feedback time for each Wild Walk to take around 2-3 hours. This means the total monthly commitment for a Wild Walk Leader is up to 6 hours (including the walk).

Wild Walk Leaders are ambassadors for community, outdoor play and nature in our neighbourhoods.

The responsibilities of a Wild Walk Leader include:

Planning and risk assessing Wild Walk routes.
Publicising Wild Walks in the community.
Welcoming families to the Wild Walks.
Giving a brief introduction to the project and ensuring everyone is prepared for the walk.
Making sure registration forms (for new families) and registers are completed.
Leading Wild Walks.
Taking photos!
Gaining feedback from families that join the walks.
Dealing with problems and challenges on the Wild Walks and reporting these to the Project Leader.
Attending occasional Wild Walk Leader meetings and receiving support and mentoring from the Project Leader.

What support and training do I receive?

You are supported by Outdoor People staff throughout your journey as a Wild Walk Leader.

Wild Walk Leader Training includes a Wild Walks Induction Day, First Aid at Work Certificate and Safeguarding Best Practice. As part of the training, you will plan and lead your own Wild Walk with the support of an experienced Wild Walk Leader. Childcare is available for training commitments, if needed.

You will have access to Outdoor People resources and equipment, become part of a small, supportive network of Wild Walk Leaders in Hackney and have regular check ins with the Project Leader. We encourage that each Wild Walk has two Wild Walk Leaders so that responsibilities, such as paperwork and making sure no one is left behind, can be shared!

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for enthusiastic people in Hackney that value getting outdoors, playing and walking on a regular basis. Ideally you are a parent, carer or someone who regularly looks after children, however this is not essential. You don’t need any particular experience or even to get outdoors as frequently as you would like, becoming a Wild Walk Leader will help you get out more!

This role is suited to people with good communication skills, who are reliable, well organised, caring and sensitive to people’s needs and are able to speak in front of small groups. You will be closely supported and these skills will develop as you gain confidence and your own style of facilitating the Wild Walks.