Ep 227 - Inconvenient Resilience

In this warm, idea-packed episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem move from personal updates to a deep dive on resilience. Using Looby McNamara’s Cultural Emergence and Chris Johnstone’s framing, they explore recovery, adaptive, transformative, and spreading resilience. They challenge the “just power through” myth, contrast perseverance with true resilience, and look at how groups become more sustainable through transparency, shared roles, and flatter hierarchies. Expect practical examples from fire-lighting to policy writing, plus reflections on neurodivergence, school attendance narratives, and how adults can model resilience when there’s a supportive team around them.

⏱ Chapter Timings:
00:00 – Patreon intro and setting the scene for a busy month
01:39 – London “bird orchestra,” road trip vibes, and upcoming FSA plans
04:26 – What the FSA road shows are and why mini-conferences matter
06:03 – Workshop picks: coil baskets, nature connection, and “dangerous toys”
07:24 – A secret embargoed event, outfit chat, and Wem begins a PhD
10:28 – Four types of resilience via Looby McNamara and Chris Johnstone
12:53 – Oxford definitions: beyond “hardness” to bouncing and recovery
20:12 – Adaptive resilience vs perseverance: the fire-lighting example
22:42 – Community resilience: transparency, small teams, and avoiding burnout
41:54 – Modelling resilience, flatter hierarchies, and support networks

🌲 Keywords: Forest School resilience, Looby McNamara, Chris Johnstone, adaptive vs perseverance, community resilience, transparent roles, policies as pearls, neurodivergent perspectives, FSA road shows, outdoor learning practice

🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #Resilience #CommunityLearning

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