By Andy
I can’t quite believe that it’s been over a week already since the Playwork Campference came to an end! What an amazing whirlwind it has been. As I get ready to depart the US and head back to Europe, I spent a moment reflecting on my experiences of our maiden conference voyage.
It’s been more than a year since the discussions about the Campference began. I remember the excitement and enthusiasm about the schedule, workshops, food and the people and stories it would gather.
Despite the ‘touch’ of bad weather, the schedule and workshops prevailed. The food was amazing and the people with their stories glued the whole thing together.
I was surrounded by such a diverse group of wonderful and knowledgeable people. Friends I’d know for years, Colleagues I’d only ever met on Skype, amazing and inspirational people I had met on my travels with Pop-Up Adventure Play and my University professor, all mixed in with a group of passionate play advocates from around the globe.
The conversation and stories throughout the weekend were exhilarating, motivating and inspirational. They fueled me to take this contagious passion back across the Atlantic with an aim of unpacking it and sharing it in a way that could help to re-ignite the increasingly suffering playwork profession in the UK.
The Campference achieved many things for me, both personally and professionally. The main point I took from it was that dwelling on the past and the ‘good old days,’ are great but unproductive. It’s time to accept that Playwork in the 21st century is a different beast, but the need is still there, if not greater. We need to step off the playwork soapbox and move forward – If we don’t, who will?
If anybody wants to get involved in this discussion, throw some thoughts our way!
This is part 2 of 3 reflective pieces from Team Pop-Up Adventure Play about the Playwork Campference 2017 – part 1 is also available. If you want to find out more about us, check out our Facebook and Twitter.
