We are delighted to announce that Jim Burt has been confirmed as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC). A familiar face to our CEO, Dr Anne Hunt, who has worked closely with Jim for over 15 years, in various roles focussed on delivering better outcomes for all children and young people.
Jim will start to take over from our current Chair, Dave Scourfield, to continue leading the Board of Trustees to ensure good governance and strategic direction to support the charity to achieve its mission. We thank Dave for all his support, guidance and leadership over the last 10 years, working with the LOtC Quality Badge Working Group and most recently as Chair.
For the past 25 years, Jim has worked in senior and executive leadership roles, including at Natural England and more recently the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), which he co-founded as a charity in 2019. Working at the interface between policy, research and practice, all his work has been focused on delivering strategic change and enhancing social value.
Jim has been involved in many key campaigns over the years, including the BBC Breathing Places campaign, led by BBC Learning. The campaign provided the off-air programme of local, environmental learning activities and experiences for those engaged through the on-air productions of Spring Watch, Autumn Watch, CBeeBies and other BBC programmes.
Research has always been at the forefront of Jim’s work and he has worked on many research reports that have been vital in shaping multi-sector partnerships and government policy, for example the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper and the subsequent 25 Year Environment Plan in 2018.
Most recently Jim has worked as executive lead for political engagement and strategic partnerships at NASP. In this role he worked in parliament with MPs and Peers together with departments across government including NHS, DHSC, Treasury, Cabinet Office, DEFRA, DCMS, Dept Work and Pensions and their agencies, along with relevant research bodies and the voluntary organisations in the nature, physical activity, arts, heritage and financial advice sectors.
We are thrilled to have Jim on board! We have no doubt that his excellent leadership qualities and wealth of experience will help steer the charity in the right direction during this exciting time of growth and development.
“We are living through an unprecedented period of rapid social, environmental and technological change driven by social media, AI and climate change, permeating into all parts of our lives.
Haim Ginott a well-known scholar, teacher and child psychologist once said ‘Children are like wet cement: whatever falls on them makes an impression.”
So, I strongly believe the work of the Council is needed to support children and young people to develop the skills, knowledge and resilience that will help them to successfully navigate these increasingly fast changing and unpredictable times. I can’t think of a more important mission! So, I’m really looking forward to ‘rolling up my sleeves’ and working with the other Trustees, Anne and her team, and our partners to help ensure that learning beyond the classroom is recognised, valued and supported across government and wider society.”
Jim Burt
