 Acheon Research is one of the more valuable and rewarding learning experiences that any young person can have throughout their whole school career. In particular, residential outdoor education, when young people can be in an environment very far removed from their usual from everyday situations, can be life changing. I firmly believe that adventurous new experiences in the outdoors develop young people with lifelong connections to the natural environment. It increases self-esteem, self-reliance, confidence and resilience. I believe that such experiences help young people to know what it means to be part of a team, to learn leadership skills, and the importance of valuing friendship. A bearing in mind the impact of the pandemic on young people, when there is growing national concern about young people's physical and mental health wellbeing, The benefits of residential outdoor education cannot be overstated. Furthermore, the fact that many children from some of the most deprived areas do not get the same opportunities as their counterparts elsewhere, residential outdoor education should be a key part of the curriculum. My name's Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, and I'm consulting on a proposal for a Member's Bill in the Scottish Parliament, which would ensure that young people in Scotland have the opportunity to experience residential outdoor education. My proposed bill would place a requirement on all local authority and granted schools to make provision for 12 to 16-year-olds in their education systems to have at least one week of residential outdoor education during their school career. The evidence illustrating the physical and mental health benefits of residential outdoor education is well documented and compelling, and I believe that residential outdoor education should be available to all young people. My consultation is now open and I'd like to hear from as many people as possible, so please do let me know your views. Thank you.