Sharing insights from The Outdoor Connection workshop sessions - Part 1
This article is part 1 of a 2 part series sharing resources following on from The Outdoor Connection. Bringing you insight and expertise from some of the incredible industry professionals that joined us.
The Outdoor Connection, an event run in partnership with All the Elements and the YHA - Outdoor Citizens, was created to provide people running and developing groups the support they need to build their impact and grow. Specifically for those creating change on diversity in the UK outdoors, across all diversity areas and outdoor activities.
The event took place in September 2022, bringing together change makers to share resources, network, explore funding opportunities and attend training sessions.
This article is part of the resources following on from the event sharing advice from two of the incredible speakers who joined us: Hetty Key and Frankie Dewar. Exploring what their sessions were about and their key takeaway advice for others.
Image Credit Hannah Abdel-Hadi
Sharing insights from The Outdoor Connection workshop sessions - 'Creating events where everyone feels welcome’ with Hetty Key.
Hetty can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?
I’m someone who loves adventure, endurance and data! I’m passionate about positive change and improving the accessibility and inclusivity of the outdoors through both research and events.
From a research perspective I combine a scientific background with experience in the outdoor industry and digital health sector, working with a wide range of organisations keen to bring about change. Alongside this, I run several independent research projects. Examples include ‘Turning the Cogs’ - a project aiming to increase the diversity of startlines at cycling events; and Women in Adventure - research aiming to narrow the data gap for women in the outdoors).
I really love putting these findings into action, working on logistics and working to build grassroots communities from the ground up. I’m the director of the sell-out climbing festival Women's Trad Festival and Operations Director for The World Relay where I recently organised a continuous, 24/7 human-powered relay called Running Out of Time. This travelled from COP26 in Glasgow to COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh to deliver an important message on climate change to world leaders.
Away from the office, I love exploring the hills on my bike and I’m one of the organisers of Peak Gravel Gang.
What was your session about at The Outdoor Connection?
The Outdoors Connection workshop focused on how to create events where everyone feels welcome. Together, we discussed what makes a safe space and why that is important, as well as exploring what we understand about intersectionality.
Using the Women's Trad Festival as a case study alongside research findings, I shared some of the approaches the festival has used to help make the festival a safe, inclusive space. We ran through their aims, structure and values, explaining how these played a fundamental role in creating an event where everyone feels welcome.
After this, the session turned its focus on to how to put these into action, as well as looking at how these aims and values could be evaluated and monitored. We explored how to make sure an event's mission and values aligned with the feelings and needs of those you would like to attend, and how to ensure they felt motivated and empowered to participate.
The session ended by bringing the focus back to intersectionality. Looking in depth at the challenges of welcoming everyone with potential differing and conflicting needs and how this could be managed.
What would you say are the 3 main takeaways from your session?
When creating an event where everyone feels welcome, start by establishing your aims and core values. These are the fundamentals you would not want to run the event without, and should factor into every decision you make going forward. In order to be effective (and realistic), they should be short, clear and straightforward to communicate. Undoubtedly, there will be a lot you care about bringing to the event, however, try to limit your aims and values to 2-3 points each to ensure you have an actual impact in these areas.
Make sure you are always thinking about who you would like to welcome at your event and how your values and aims align with their needs - physically, mentally and emotionally. Take the time to find out what these needs are, and work out a way to measure and monitor the impact and effect the event has on them. This isn’t a marketing exercise - this is to make sure you are continuing to listen to your audience's needs as they change over time and allow your event to adapt accordingly.
The hardest part is taking that first step! Creating a space where everyone can feel welcome can feel daunting - especially when there are conflicting needs and wants. With that in mind, start with small actions and steps, focusing on building sustainable, solid foundations from which you can grow. You will not achieve ‘perfect’ overnight or first time, so be patient and allow yourself enough time to think each step through.
You can find out more about Hetty and her work via her website Women in Adventure, on Instagram @HettyKingston and Linkedin @HettyKey
Image Credit Hannah Abdel-Hadi
Sharing insights from The Outdoor Connection workshop sessions - 'Showing up on Social Media & How to stay safe when you get there' with Frankie Dewar.
Frankie can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?
I help people with purpose with their social media and marketing. Whether that’s charities, not-for-profits, community groups or purpose driven businesses. Particularly focusing on the intersection between outdoors and adventure and change making and activism. Including working with All the Elements managing their social media channels.
I’m the founder of the Purposeful Adventure Club, a community that brings together people using the outdoors for good and supports them with their social media and marketing, helping to take down the barrier of knowledge for people to get their message out there.
What was your session about at The Outdoor Connection?
My session was really in two parts. Firstly we looked at how to show up online, talking through the importance of knowing why you want to be on social media, who your target audience is, and what their needs are.
Image Credit Ani Barber
We looked at a monthly planning document that can be used to help structure content in a more efficient way and get over the “I don’t know what to post” feeling.
Then the second part was about staying safe whilst you’re there. Getting hurtful comments and being trolled is a big concern for a lot of people and we looked at how you might protect yourself whilst showing up online.
What would you say are the 3 main takeaways from your session?
The question I always start with, with all my clients is “why” Why do you want to grow on social media? Because everything else comes from there. Whether you are there to share a message, market an event, increase representation or for some other reason. Knowing your reason for being there is so key to creating a strategy that helps you to achieve that goal.
Next you’ll want to ask yourself who you are trying to reach? Get really clear on your audience - I like to get really specific, name them, and sometimes even have a real person in my mind. This will help you to create content that speaks to their needs, the conversations they are talking about and that resonates.
When it comes to staying safe my biggest advice is to set boundaries for how and when you are showing up online, your mental health comes first. Dealing with negative comments can be really hard, I often recommend people seek out someone else or a team of people who can help them to delete unwanted comments. If you find someone who isn’t harmed by your comments in the same way they can delete them for you without you having to sort through and see them.
Can I go for four?! My final takeaway is that if you are working with a new brand it's good to ask them how they plan to deal with unwanted comments and to make sure they are really clear on what comments need to be removed - particularly where comments might be microaggressions that social media teams might not pick up on.
You can find out more about Frankie’s work on her website, on Instagram @Frankie_Dewar or Linkedin @Frankie-Dewar.
Illustration Rebecca Osborne
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