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 challenge with psychological safety, and embed routines that help teams and students thrive.

If you’re an outdoor educator or leader looking to strengthen group culture, this episode offers simple, human-centred practices you can use now.

Connect with Nick Haywood:
🌐 https://www.nickhaywood.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-haywood-98071b2b0/

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 creation of the Rewild Festival, Pierre explores how education can move beyond sustainability as a buzzword and toward genuinely regenerative practice.

Together, Rob and Pierre unpack:

• The shift from sustainability to regeneration
• Why connection must come before conservation
• What it means to learn with nature
• How mindfulness deepens ecological learning
• What gives hope in the face of today’s ecological “wicked problems”

This conversation is an invitation to rethink education, reconnect with place, and remember that caring for the natural world begins with relationship.

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 socially and emotionally when given space to explore.

This episode is an invitation to rethink what a classroom can be and who learning is really for.

Key themes:

• Outdoor classrooms & inquiry
• Risk, resilience & reflection
• Stewardship & student agency
• Community & generational learning