SA AIA Launches New Chapter for Outdoor Learning, ABL, LOTC and School Trip Safety
19 Feb 2026
The Chapter provides a structured platform for discussion, shared learning, and practical implementation support across areas such as duty of care, risk management, training pathways, and SA AIA’s work in toolkits, auditing, and recognition/verification frameworks.
The South African Adventure Industry Association (SA AIA) is pleased to announce the launch of a new Chapter focused on Outdoor Learning, Adventure-Based Learning (ABL), Learning Outside the Classroom (LOTC), and School Trip Safety.
This Chapter will bring together service providers, venues, professionals, facilitators, trainers, and supporting businesses to strengthen collaboration, support consistent safety practice, and advance professionalism across learning and development experiences that take place beyond traditional classroom settings.
The Chapter provides a structured platform for discussion, shared learning, and practical implementation support across areas such as duty of care, risk management, training pathways, and SA AIA’s work in toolkits, auditing, and recognition/verification frameworks.
Key focus areas include:
Outdoor learning, experiential education, ABL, and LOTC practice
School trip and youth programme safety, planning, and risk management
Training, qualifications, and CPD pathways for practitioners and facilitators
Development and implementation support for the SA AIA LOTC Toolkit and related auditing frameworks
Service provider and venue recognition / verification to support informed decision-making
Strengthening alignment around minimum standards, ethics, safeguarding, and accountability
“This Chapter creates a practical home for collaboration in a sector that supports youth development, education, and safe experiential learning across South Africa,” said Jessi Sunkel, Executive Director of SA AIA. “It’s about raising consistency and confidence – through shared standards, professional development, and an industry-led approach to safety and good practice”.
Water safety: building on existing SA AIA work and specialist capacity
SA AIA notes that water exposure is one of the higher-risk elements that can form part of school excursions and camp-based programmes. At the same time, water-based experiences, when properly planned, competently led, and appropriately supervised, can play a valuable role in confidence-building, resilience, life skills, and outdoor education outcomes.
SA AIA’s new Chapter builds on the work already underway through the SA AIA Water Safety Chapter, launched in early 2025, which supports improved water safety practice through education, guidance, and collaboration with specialist partners. The Water Safety Chapter’s focus is to promote practical, evidence-based safety measures, strengthen competence pathways, and support responsible decision-making that enables participation while prioritising learner safety.
SA AIA believes that consistently excluding learners from well-managed outdoor and water-based experiences can have unintended consequences, reducing access to meaningful educational and developmental opportunities, and limiting the sector’s ability to build safer participation through training, standards, and shared learning. SA AIA’s approach is to support risk-managed participation, improved competence, and better alignment across stakeholders.
Participation and next steps
The Chapter is open to SA AIA members and sector partners, including venues and camps, outdoor and experiential education organisations, independent facilitators, training providers, and businesses supporting the sector. Opportunities to participate in working groups and contribute to initial priorities, including school trip safety and water safety, will be communicated through SA AIA’s channels.
To join the chapter, participate in working groups, or learn more, visit www.saaia.org.za.
About SA AIA
The South African Adventure Industry Association (SA AIA) is a member-driven professional body advancing safe, responsible, and credible practice across South Africa’s adventure tourism and adventure-based learning sectors through standards development, professional recognition, training pathways, and industry collaboration.
Media & Partner Enquiries:Jessi Sunkel, Executive Director — info@saaia.org.za | +27 76 601 4997Website: www.saaia.org.za