After an (unintentionally) extended period of quiet, the Adventure Playground Network is pleased to announce Friday 8th November, 11am – 1pm, as the next meeting date. To ensure you receive the most up-to-date information, including the link to the meeting, please ensure you sign up.
The Network has also been liaising with the Raising The Nation Play Commission to ensure that adventure playgrounds have an opportunity to contribute to the call for evidence. Please see the open letter to Adventure Playgrounds below:
Dear Playworkers,
Last week, Sereena, from Haringey Play Association and Mike from Play Bradford met with Policy Researchers from the Centre for Young Lives / Raising The Nation Play Commission.
Read our article on the commission here.
The aim of the meeting was to amplify the voice of England’s adventure playgrounds in the Centre for Young Lives’ and Raising the Nation Play Commission’s ‘ENQUIRY INTO WHY PLAY IS SO CRITICAL TO CHILDREN’S WELLBEING AND HOW A NATIONAL PLAY STRATEGY CAN BE ESTABLISHED.’
The aim of the meeting was threefold:
- Ensure that the crucial role of adventure playgrounds is not overlooked in the course of the Enquiry
- Maximise the time available for contributions from adventure playgrounds to be made to the Enquiry
- Offer the assistance of the adventure playground sector’s collective wealth of knowledge and experience to the development of a national play strategy for England.
The Centre for Young Lives has received evidence from all sectors including Health, Sport, Education, Early Years etc. Some adventure playgrounds have already submitted evidence, but the closing date is October 31st.
HOWEVER, the Adventure Playground Network has negotiated a rolling deadline, which means that the Centre will continue to welcome contributions from adventure playgrounds – via the Network – on an ongoing basis.
If you have any evidence of the wonderful work that you do, which you’d like to inform the enquiry, please consider sending it to Mike at m.wragg@leedsbeckett.ac.uk and we will ensure that your adventure playground is represented in this national enquiry into why play is so critical to children’s wellbeing and how a national play strategy can be established.
Evidence may consist of anything at all from data concerning numbers and backgrounds of beneficiaries, through to case-studies, presentations, testimonies, reflective diaries and films or video.
The Centre for Young Lives is also keen to visit adventure playgrounds across the country, so if you would be willing to show someone round your site, please let us know and we’ll pass on your details.
And if you have any questions, please let us know at m.wragg@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Dr Mike Wragg
Senior Lecturer, Childhood Development & Playwork
The School of Health, Leeds Beckett University.
The Playwork Foundation 