To meet the challenges of the 21st century, we need resilient, healthy, creative and responsible people with a deep understanding of nature, systems thinking competencies and ability to take action.
The vision
All schoolchildren in Switzerland engage in regular outdoor learning, interacting with nature as part of their education. Learning outside the classroom promotes cognitive, emotional and social development, supports learners’ health and deepens their connection to nature. This enables them to navigate learning processes in a complex world competently, creatively and collaboratively.
Learning outdoors helps shape a sustainable education system and sparks transformative changes both within and beyond the school environment.
This vision drives all of SILVIVA’s work advancing outdoor learning, increasing its accessibility and embedding it in educational practices.
What do we mean by outdoor learning?
- Outdoor learning is learning in and about the real world. It is experiental, hands-on and exploratory. The content is often linked to the place of learning.
- Outdoor learning takes place regularly and outside the classroom.
- Outdoor learning is competence-orientated and/or curriculum based.
SILVIVA collaborates with a wide range of partners in order to integrate outdoor learning throughout all levels of the educational system. Our goal is for everyone involved in teaching and learning to benefit from regular outdoor learning experiences. Achieving a systemic integration of outdoor learning within the Swiss education depends on key stakeholders at all levels recognising its value and being committed to its implementation. By working towards this goal, we contribute to high-quality, sustainable education.
A Learning Organisation
SILVIVA learns through collaboration. We strive to advance the field of learning outdoors in Switzerland and Europe through partnerships with a diverse array of stakeholders. The development of collaborative projects offers us our own learning opportunities: we work with partners across all levels of the educational system in varying capacities and differing intensities, including as a source of support and advice. Our long-term goal is to empower our partners to implement high-quality outdoor learning independently.