To ask the Minister of Education to detail his plans for the creation or expansion of child outdoor education facilities in Northern Ireland as a whole, and in the East Londonderry constituency.

The Education Authority (EA) is responsible for youth service delivery and undertook a comprehensive review of Statutory Residential and Outdoor Learning Services in 2017 resulting in the establishment of a new framework to improve the educational experiences and outcomes for children and young people provided by these services.

The framework document - Residential and Outdoor Learning Service Provision - Moving Forward, remains current and can be accessed on the EA’s website via the following link:

https://www.eani.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-10/Residential%20and%20Outdoor%20Learning%20Service%20Provision%20-%20Moving%20Forwards%20FINAL%20REPORT.pdf

Regarding voluntary provision, four organisations which deliver outdoor learning services have been successful is securing funding through my Department’s Voluntary Youth Capital project scheme. These are the Northern Ireland Scout Council, Crawfordsburn (c. £600k); Share Discovery Village, Lisnaskea (c. £580k); Girlguiding Ulster, Holywood (c. 580k), and Riding for the Disabled, Maghera (c. £500k). There are no outdoor centres in the East Londonderry area being considered under the current Voluntary Youth Capital project scheme.

In addition to the above initiatives, and in recognition of the operational challenges faced by outdoor education centres due to the public health situation, I have made available £1m Covid relief funding for both voluntary and statutory Outdoor Education provision to enable them to remain viable and resume services as restrictions allow.