Creating Inclusive Outdoor Spaces: CNAC’s Anti-Racism Learning Course
- Future Ancestors Services
- Jan 31
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 19
This online course is a professional development initiative designed to equip educators and leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to create safer, more inclusive outdoor spaces for all. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of key concepts such as “access,” “inclusion,” “racism,” and “allyship.” The course aims to help individuals recognize how white supremacy culture may be operating within their workplaces and provides practical tools to begin dismantling those harmful systems.
In creating inclusive spaces for learning and growth, we recognize the transformative power of the natural world. The Anti-Racism and Belonging in Outdoor Play and Learning Course, developed by the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC), is a resource designed to challenge systemic barriers and foster belonging in outdoor environments.
Find the courses here.
Outdoor learning environments have immense potential to connect children and youth to nature, enhance well-being, and cultivate social development.
This course matters because it:
Challenges systemic inequities by helping educators and outdoor leaders identify and address how white supremacy culture manifests in outdoor learning environments.
Deepens understanding of key concepts such as “access,” “inclusion,” “racism,” and “allyship,” which are essential to creating equitable spaces.
Equips participants with actionable tools to dismantle barriers, ensuring that outdoor environments are safe, welcoming, and enriching for everyone, regardless of background.
We’re excited to feature this resource on our platform to support educators and practitioners in reimagining equity and inclusion in outdoor play. Fostering inclusive learning environments involves not only dismantling biases but also embracing cultural knowledge, lived experiences, and diverse identities in all spaces, especially those connected to nature.
About the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC)
CNAC is a national organization dedicated to fostering meaningful, lasting connections between children, youth, and the natural world. With a mission to create equitable outdoor learning experiences, CNAC collaborates with educators, researchers, and community leaders to develop training programs, workshops, and resources. Their work addresses the importance of play and exploration while ensuring that outdoor spaces are inclusive for children of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities.
Through their initiatives, CNAC emphasizes the importance of embracing cultural knowledge, lived experiences, and diverse perspectives as key components of outdoor education. Their vision is rooted in the belief that every child should have the right to safely connect with nature and benefit from the developmental opportunities it provides.