The Outdoor Education Podcast With Rob Carmichael

Epizode

• S01:E19 The Outdoor Leader: Resilience, Integrity and Leadership with Jeannette Stawski 06.06.2026 1h 6min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob is joined by Jeannette Stawski, founder of Leading Valiantly and author of The Outdoor Leader, Resilience, Integrity and Adventure. Jeannette brings a rich perspective shaped by guiding, teaching, wilderness medicine, university outdoor programmes, executive coaching, association leadership, and fifteen years as Executive Director of the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education. Together, Rob and Jeannette explore what it really mea...
• S01:E18 Lucky or Good? Understanding Risk and the Science of Safety with Steve Smith 23.05.2026 1h 6min

  What if safety was not just about preventing things from going wrong, but learning more deeply from why things usually go right? In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob is joined by Steve Smith, founder of Experiential Consulting and author of Safety Science for Outdoor and Experiential Education. Together, they explore how outdoor educators, schools and programme leaders can think more clearly about risk, safety, judgement and purposeful challenge. Steve shares how his experien...
• S01:E17 Inclusion, Agency, and Knowing the Learner with Calum Wright 08.05.2026 40min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob sits down with Calum Wright, primary teacher, outdoor learning specialist, and founder of Fresh Air Teacher, for a thoughtful conversation about student agency, inclusion, and knowing learners well. At the heart of the episode is a key question, when does challenge help a student grow, and when does pushing beyond a comfort zone become unhelpful? Rob and Callum explore how good outdoor practice depends on relationships, trust, and careful ...
• S01:E16 Belonging, & DEI in Outdoor Education with Dan Kreisberg & Camille Simone Edwards 23.04.2026 1h

  What if nature could help us better understand diversity, belonging, and human relationships? In this episode of the Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob is joined by Dan Kreisberg and Camille Simone Edwards, co-creators of Diversity Education in Nature (DEIN). Together, they explore how the natural world can serve as a powerful lens for teaching equity, empathy, and community. Dan and Camille share how simple outdoor experiences, can open the door to deeper conversations about identity, inclusion,...
• S01:E15 Safety, Culture, and the Hidden Work of Outdoor Leadership with Stuart Slay 10.04.2026 53min

  What does real safety leadership look like in outdoor education and why can it sometimes feel like such an isolating role? In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob sits down with Stuart Slay, founder of Slay Risk, a safety leadership and risk advisory practice that works with schools, experiential programs, and outdoor organizations around the world. Stuart shares his journey from climbing gyms, ski patrol, and avalanche forecasting to becoming a leading voice in safety science a...
• S01:E14 Beyond the Checklist: Rethinking Service, Purpose, and Connection in Education With Heidi Oxley-Whitnell 28.03.2026 48min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael sits down with Heidi Oxley, Community Engagement and CAS Coordinator at UWC Thailand, to explore what meaningful service really looks like in schools today. With nearly 30 years of experience in international education across the UK, Africa, Asia, and the US, Heidi shares how her journey, from physical education to global citizenship leadership, has shaped her belief that true impact comes from relationships, not checklists. Tog...
• S01:E13 Designing Transformational Learning Beyond the Classroom with Haena Kim 14.03.2026 42min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael speaks with Haena Kim, a global leader in experiential education and a driving force behind WildChina Education and Beyond Classrooms. Haenna shares how her early experiences in education sparked a lifelong passion for immersive learning and how she began designing programs as a teenager. The conversation explores how experiential education operates in a globalized world, the importance of cross-cultural engagement, and how thou...
• S01:E12 Teaspoons of Change: How Small Actions Shape a Global Future with d'Arcy Lunn 28.02.2026 41min

  What if real change doesn’t start with massive policies, but with a teaspoon? In this episode, Rob Carmichael sits down with global educator and sustainability leader d'Arcy Lunn, Group Head of Sustainability and Global Citizenship at Education in Motion and founder of Teaspoons of Change. From mountaineering in Kyrgyzstan to working on polio eradication in South Sudan with UNICEF, dArcy’s journey reveals how tiny, intentional actions can ripple outward into systemic impact. Together, Rob and...
• S01:E11 Culture Before Content: Building Brave Spaces with Nick Haywood 14.02.2026 40min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael talks with educator, leadership facilitator, and coach Nick Haywood about why relationships and culture must come before curriculum. Nick shares how his journey from Outdoor Education in Tasmania to international education and leadership work with CHanGe has shaped his belief that trust, connection, and “brave spaces” are the foundation for deep learning and wellbeing. Together we explore practical ways to build culture, balance...
• S01:E10 Learning With Nature: Regeneration, Mindfulness & Ecology with Dr. Pierre Echaubard 23.01.2026 39min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael is joined by Dr. Pierre Echaubard, ecologist, educator, and founder of Nature Mind-ED, a Thailand-based organisation blending ecology, mindfulness, and outdoor experiential education. Pierre shares his journey from academic research into community-based conservation, regenerative education, and hands-on outdoor learning. Drawing on his work in southern Thailand, from restoration sites turned into living classrooms to the c...
• S01:E9 Beyond the Classroom: Joy, Stewardship, and Learning Outdoors with Emma Wilson & Jeff Morey 16.01.2026 53min

  In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael speaks with Emma Wilson and Jeff Morey, educators at UWC Thailand, about creating learning environments where curiosity, care, and connection thrive outdoors. From jungle classrooms and mangrove stewardship to bee boxes, field guides, and family learning, Emma and Jeff share how outdoor learning isn’t an “extra” — it’s simply good learning. They reflect on joy, risk, student agency, collaboration, and how children grow soc...
• S01:E8 Rethinking Risk in Outdoor Education with Dr. Clare Dallat 02.01.2026 57min

  Episode 8, Rethinking Risk in Outdoor Education with Dr. Clare Dallat In this episode of The Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael sits down with Dr. Clare Dallat, Founder and Director of Risk Resolve, to explore how outdoor educators can move beyond blame and build safer, more meaningful learning environments through systems thinking and a strong safety culture. Drawing on more than two decades of experience and a PhD in Human Factors and Accident Prediction, Clare reflects on how growin...
• S01:E7 Out There Together: Leadership That Listens with Martin Foakes 20.12.2025 50min

  In this episode of the Outdoor Education Podcast, Rob Carmichael is joined by Martin Foakes, Chair of the Board for OFFSEAS, a fast-growing community of outdoor educators across Asia. Martin shares how his love for being outdoors started in childhood, and how that passion evolved into a career in schools, expedition leadership, and ultimately regional governance. Together, Rob and Martin explore what good leadership looks like in outdoor education: leading with humility, listening well, and c...
• S01:E6 Fearless by Nature: Leadership, Inclusion, and the Outdoor Journey with Yuen Li 12.12.2025 37min

  What does it take to build an outdoor culture where everyone belongs — not because they fit in, but because the outdoors makes room for all of us? In this episode, Rob Carmichael sits down with Yuen Li Chan, founder of Nomad Adventure and one of Southeast Asia’s pioneers of outdoor and adventure education. Together, they explore what it means to lead with courage, care, and conviction, even when there’s no roadmap to follow. From learning to climb on the limestone walls of Malaysia to opening...
• S01:E5 Step Outside: Regenerative Learning with Kenny Peavy 05.12.2025 34min

  What happens when we stop seeing nature as “out there” and start recognizing it as part of who we are? In this episode, Rob Carmichael sits down with Kenny Peavy, Outdoor Learning Specialist at Green School Bali, to explore the roots of regenerative education, an approach that connects learners with themselves, with others, and with the living world around them. From childhood days chasing creek water to cycling thousands of kilometers on a bamboo bike, Kenny’s journey is a reminder tha...
• S01:E4 Small Wonders: Kevin O’Shea on Cultivating Curiosity Through Nature 28.11.2025 46min

  Description: In this episode, Rob Carmichael talks with Canadian educator and podcaster Kevin O’Shea, whose two decades in Asia have been devoted to helping children rediscover their natural curiosity. From cicada-chasing mornings in Japan to monkey-guarding gardens in Malaysia, Kevin shares how small, everyday encounters with nature can transform learning, wellbeing, and wonder. Discover how to start your own school garden, balance curriculum with curiosity, and why being authentic, passiona...
• S01:E3 Learning by Doing: Maker Mindsets, Sustainability & Outdoor Learning with Gus Merckel 21.11.2025 30min

  In this episode, Rob sits down with maker-educator and sustainability innovator Gus Merckel, whose global journey, from Mexico to Germany to Thailand,has shaped a powerful approach to experiential learning. Together, they explore how hands-on making, reclaimed materials, circular design, and outdoor learning can reconnect students with the real world and spark authentic curiosity. Gus shares stories from the field and how outdoor learning helps students feel the impact of environmental change...
• S01:E2 Connection in Practice: Rethinking Risk and Youth Wellbeing with Dr. Nevin Harper 07.11.2025 56min

  Host Rob Carmichael sits down with Dr. Nevin Harper—outdoor educator, therapist, and co-author of Kids These Days—to explore how real growth happens through connection, challenge, and time outside. Neven traces his path from a northern Canadian childhood to wilderness guiding and clinical counseling, and unpacks big ideas from the new book: why risk ≠ hazard, how our modern “safety trap” and over-diagnosis can backfire, and why belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity (the Circle of C...
• S01:E1 Imagination in Motion- Exploring Outdoor Education Across Asia with Pete Tupper 25.10.2025 52min

  In this episode, Rob speaks with Pete Tupper, founder of Imagine — a network of outdoor learning and adventure companies operating across China, Japan, and Taiwan. From ski slopes to startup offices, Pete shares how Imagine grew from a simple idea into a platform for outdoor education across Asia. Together, we explore the power of imagination in education, what it takes to lead outdoor programs across borders, and what outdoor entrepreneurship looks like. Authentic, reflective, and full of pr...