James Redfearn
James has worked in the outdoor education industry for nearly 12 years including for a small social enterprise connecting universities’ environmental education to schools plus delivering training and supervising Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. He currently manages an Outdoor Activity Centre in the New Forest which caters for around 20,000 young people annually. James also volunteers with the Scouts, taking young people for often their first experiences of hill walking and mountaineering.
With experience working within Higher Education and as a Governor of a Primary School, James is passionate about the power of education in all its forms to transform lives for the better. In particular, James has seen first hand the benefits of outdoor education as one of the most transformative and impactful forms of education possible and believes that every young person should benefit from at least one residential outdoor education experience in their early lives.
Hostelling with YHA and internationally gave James affordable access to some of his early travels, in particular to the Lake District and Eryri (Snowdonia), enabling growth in his passion for hill walking, mountaineering and travel. He is passionate about working with YHA to widen access to the outdoors for all, in particular young people.