By Steve Bargeton, political editor

ALL SCOTTISH 11 to 15-year-olds would be given the right to a one-week adventure training course under plans published by the Scottish Tories yesterday.

The party are calling on the Scottish Government and other parties at Holyrood to give 50,000 youngsters a year the chance to go hiking, rock climbing, sailing and abseiling.

The Tories propose that a trust be set up to make available £10 million a year— £6 million from Government and £4 million from philanthropic and business interests.

The aim is that every Scottish pupil in year groups P7 to S3 should, at some time within these four years of schooling, be entitled to a week’s residential course in outdoor education.

Education in an outdoor environment provides one of the most valuable and rewarding learning experiences for a wide range of pupils.

Scottish Tory schools spokesman Liz Smith said outward bound activities would build confidence and self-esteem in young people.

“I firmly believe this experience would enrich the lives of the pupils involved, provide them with a knowledge and appreciation of unfamiliar environments and communities, helping them to build confidence and self-esteem,” she said.

“In particular, these activities teach pupils leadership skills, the need for responsible behaviour and how to deal with new challenges and risk factors.

“In an age when there is growing national concern about young people’s lifestyles, and many children from some of the more deprived areas do not get the same opportunities as counterparts elsewhere, the Scottish Conservatives believe it is time for a new policy development in this field; one which fits with the Curriculum for Excellence and has lasting benefits for pupils well beyond their years at school.”

The idea won backing from former Scottish rugby captain Gavin Hastings.

“At the moment we are sorely lacking something like this in too many of our schools—a scheme that encourages both personal development and physical activity,” he said.

“There is widespread support for an idea that encourages young people to participate in outdoor education and parents generally are keen to support their children in such a venture.

“I’m sure that it would receive the backing of many entrepreneurs and businesses, many of whom have voiced concerns in the past that young people entering the job market do not have the necessary skills or confidence to succeed.”

The Scottish Government has set up a strategic advisory group to explore outdoor education.

“We want the opportunities for young people to participate in a range of outdoor education,” said a spokesman. “The draft experiences and outcomes for Curriculum for Excellence which have been released over the course of this school year contain opportunities for schools to use outdoor education and learning to achieve the outcomes sought.”

The Scottish Lib Dems said the idea was “fantastic” but accused the Tories of stealing their idea.

“The idea of making sure that children get outdoor activity during their time at secondary school is as fantastic an idea as it was when the Liberal Democrats proposed it in our manifesto,” said Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis.

“It’s only taken the Tories a year to cotton on. It is heartening that the Tories are finally seeing the positives of outdoor education.”

The Tories said any outdoor activities would be run by trained instructors but the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association were concerned that teachers would be responsible.