Conversations | 16. Griff Longley – Exploring the outdoors

We have all been maintaining physical distance from each other as we combat the spread of the coronavirus but that does not mean there has been a lack of physical activity.

Conversations | 16. Griff Longley – Exploring the outdoors

We have all been maintaining physical distance from each other as we combat the spread of the coronavirus but that does not mean there has been a lack of physical activity.

Like many of us, Griff Longley has seen more families out and about exercising in local areas as the period of COVID-19 isolation stretches on.

He sees this as an expected – and welcome — result of people needing to find some space after spending a lot of time confined to home for school and work.

Griff, who is the chief executive of Nature Play, tells the latest instalment of Creating Communities’ Stronger Together series of video conversations that many parents have had a tough time balancing working from home with supporting their children learning at home.

He says the whole family can benefit from escaping outside, and Nature Play has useful resources for inspiration on how to spend time together. Easy suggestions include camping in the backyard, stargazing and getting out as a group for a lazy bike ride to nowhere in particular.

See the full range of resources for families here: https://www.natureplay.org.au/resources

Griff Longley is a community development professional and chief executive at Nature Play WA, a not-for-profit agency which works to encourage children in outside play and exploration. He is a director of Lifting Horizons, which runs a midnight basketball program for at-risk youth in WA. Griff was previously a columnist and reporter at The West Australian newspaper. 

This is part of Creating Communities’ series of video conversations with prominent Australians offering insights and wisdom on coping with the challenges this pandemic presents for all of us. It is a key part of our “Stronger Together” approachto the COVID-19 crisis as we work to bring people and communities together to help each other through this testing time.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for many small businesses, but for Creating Communities managing director Donna Shepherd, the prospect of economic collapse has helped crystallise what her enterprise is all about....
With the COVID-19 pandemic taking a disproportionate toll on elderly people, Allan Tranter believes it is the ideal time to recognise what this generation has contributed to our society....
The world looks very different to what it did only a couple of months ago, and that is a particular challenge as young people consider their futures....
In a time of stress and uncertainty for many people, Jaimen Hudson urges us all to focus on the positive and think about things we are grateful for....
Lynne Craigie believes her community will emerge stronger and more united from the upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic....
The Town of Port Hedland is working to soften the blow of COVID-19 on the community with a range of initiatives from a rates freeze to a $1 million fund to support small business and local organisations with special grants....