Ep 43 - Is activism a part of Forest School?

Gemma kicks things off—shoes off, that is—explaining why a mud-bath “bare-foot break” can reset practitioner wellbeing as effectively as any spa session. From there the conversation pivots to a thornier theme gripping UK newsfeeds: 🌍 climate activism. Should Forest School leaders join Extinction Rebellion marches, glue themselves to bridges, or remain politically neutral?Lewis admits he’s never protested, arguing that systemic, legislative change will stick only if it’s backed by personal, grassroots lifestyle shifts. Gemma counters that direct action can inspire those very shifts, especially when led by young people; she recalls Exeter’s youth-fronted strike and how chanting with a crowd felt both cathartic and educational. Together they weigh:the duty of outdoor educators to model stewardshiprisks of blurring personal politics with business brandingpotential DBS/employment implications of civil-disobedience arrestsmedia claims that XR is an “upper-middle-class death cult”historic protest tactics (Rosa Parks, anti-tuition marches) versus XR’s decentralised approachthe power of children seeing adults stand up publicly for planetary healthThey finish by inviting listeners to share their own stance—march-lover, fence-sitter or sceptic—inside the new Forest School Podcast Community group, and plug upcoming CPD dates on storytelling, outdoor cooking, whittling and the April 202X Level 3 course.Key Topics & Timestamps00:05 – 02:50 Shoes off! Bare-footing as self-care02:50 – 05:40 Feeling empowered (or odd) when parents copy the mud walk05:40 – 09:45 Climate-march debate: personal vs professional activism09:45 – 13:00 Legislation vs lifestyle: can protests create lasting change?13:00 – 16:05 Extinction Rebellion overview & common media criticisms16:05 – 18:45 DBS checks, arrests and teaching professionalism18:45 – 22:10 Historic protest strategy: Rosa Parks to student fees22:10 – 25:10 Youth-led strikes & why Gen Z gives Gemma hope25:10 – 28:00 When school charity choices backfire (shoebox row)28:00 – 31:15 Balancing political passion with community trust31:15 – 34:50 Next steps: local XR meet-ups, family-friendly actions34:50 – 36:10 Training calendar & call for listener storiesLinks & CommunityJoin the discussion → Facebook: Forest School Podcast CommunityCourse dates & booking → https://theforestschoolpodcast.com/trainingSupport the show → https://patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcastEmail us → [email protected] you marched, organised, or opted out? Tell us why—your experience could feature in a future episode.