Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
References
Timeline
Generic
Ellie Shea-Graff

Ellie Shea-Graff

United Kingdom

Summary

Personable and enthusiastic Outdoor Educator, with unique experience planning and delivering outdoor programs and expeditions across the world. Using exemplary communication and a positive, can-do attitude to effectively lead, enthuse and motivate diverse groups to achieve optimal enjoyment within an outdoor educational setting. Meanwhile always ensuring strict attention to safety for participant wellbeing.

Overview

7
7
years of professional experience

Work history

Senior Outdoor Instructor

YMCA Lakeside
Lake District National Park, Cumbria
2026.02 - Current
  • Facilitate high-quality outdoor education programmes for diverse groups, ensuring safe, engaging, and life changing experiences.
  • Course direct multi-day and specialist programmes, overseeing planning, logistics, and delivery.
  • Manage and coordinate day camps and large-scale corporate events, ensuring smooth operations and high client satisfaction
  • Train, mentor, and assess instructional staff, including signing off competencies across a range of outdoor activities.
  • Oversee programme management, maintaining standards, schedules, and risk assessments.
  • Act as the primary point of contact for instructors, providing on-the-ground support.
  • Manage the First Aid department, ensuring compliance, staff readiness, and appropriate response to incidents.

Outdoor Education Learning Mentor

Dorchester Learning Centre
Dorchester, Dorset
2025.09 - 2026.01

Dorchester Learning Centre is an alternative provision school for students that find themselves between mainstream education.

  • Lead for outdoor education interventions.
  • Organise diverse outdoor education sessions including hiking, bushcraft and forest school, watersports, indoor rock climbing and bouldering, fossil hunting, crabbing, mountain biking, swimming, rock hopping etc.
  • Work with a variety of students, from permanently excluded (behavioural), AHDH, impoverished, extreme anxiety, self harm, young carers, long term sickness and SEND.
  • Cater sessions to individual student requirements for effective learning including bespoke 1:1 sessions.
  • Employ adaptability in response to the complexities of each student's situation and needs.
  • Facilitate compulsory outdoor education for all students from primary to secondary year 11.

Seasonal Outdoor Instructor

YMCA Lakeside
Lake Windermere, Lake District
2025.06 - 2025.08

With 7 years experience as an outdoor educator, I was able to hit the ground running at YMCA Lakeside and deliver exceptional, outdoor education programs to a huge variety of young people.

  • Dynamically tailored and adapted sessions to aid with engagement for all students, including HAF (holiday activities and food) students during summer camps.
  • Worked alongside a team of experienced instructors to deliver unforgettable outdoor experiences, using each others strengths to optimise the session.
  • Used the outdoors as a tool for experiential learning.

Outdoor Activity Instructor

Hillary Outdoors
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
2024.04 - 2024.12

Hillary outdoors was an incredible and unique place to work, allowing their instructors the freedom to plan their entire program. They operate on and off site in Tongariro National Park and would also extend their operational area out to Taupo Lake and Kailmanawa Ranges depending on the capability of the groups.

As an instructor, I would plan and execute each day depending on the ability and needs of my group, taking into account the weather for the week. I would make decisions on the activities and layout of the program so the participants could successfully complete their outcome i.e. leadership, resilience etc. All routes and overnight locations would also be part of my planning.

List of activities -

  • Summer alpine hiking & scrambling (incl. steep ground)
  • Winter alpine hiking & scrambling
  • Off track bushwalking
  • Rock climbing (natural & bolted)
  • Abseiling (natural & bolted)
  • Alpine overnight (tents/snow caves)
  • Bush overnight (tarping/tents)
  • Canoeing
  • Sea kayaking
  • Caving
  • High Ropes & low ropes
  • Bushcraft

please see log book for full details

Outdoor Activity Instructor & Group Leader

Lands Edge Foundation
New South Wales, Australia
2023.10 - 2024.03
  • Led multi-day expeditions in bush environments and residential trips, ensuring safety and engagement.
  • Specialised in on and off track navigation, canoeing, high ropes, and abseiling.
  • Assisted in ocean and beach activities, including snorkelling and sea kayaking.

Please see log book for full details of programs

Outdoor Educator & Logistics

Higher Ground
Kenilworth, Queensland
2023.05 - 2023.09
  • Group led multi-day bush walking/canoeing expeditions, 16 day Graduation program (May/June) and 24 day Rights of Passage program (August) with students from Hong Kong.
  • Activity specialist in bush walking, canoeing, abseiling and high ropes.
  • Oversaw development of an intern during 24 day program.
  • Logistics/Site management for 24 day Rights of Passage program (July).
  • Abseil Guide throughout both Rights of Passage programs.
  • 16 day & 24 day programs included multiple expeditions and on site & off site activity days.

please see my log book for full details of programs.

Outdoor Educator & Support

The Outdoor Education Group
Eildon, Victoria
2023.01 - 2023.05
  • Led expeditions across Victoria for all ages up to year 10 in bush, water, and abseiling environments.
  • Supervised high rope sessions and managed abseiling on natural and artificial rock.
  • Specialised in bush walking and rock climbing/abseil activities, ensuring safety and engagement.
  • Tailored programmes to align with specific learning outcomes for clients.
  • Addressed challenging situations involving hazardous wildlife unique to Australia.

Outdoor Activity Instructor & Course Coordinator

Kingswood Learning & Leisure Group limited
Mold , Denbighshire
2019.01 - 2022.12
  • Coordinated and led residential outdoor activity trips for diverse groups.
  • Conducted thorough risk assessments to prioritise participant safety.
  • Administered first aid and reported incidents as necessary.
  • Planned engaging outdoor activities for various age groups, including S.E.N. and scouts.
  • Utilised motivational leadership techniques to enhance participant engagement and support.
  • Trained new team members to uphold high operational standards.
  • Inspected activity equipment regularly to ensure safety compliance.
  • Facilitated experiential learning through reflective tools and activities.

List of activities -

Hill walking, High ropes, Rock climbing (artificial), Abseiling, Giant Zipwire and standard zipwire, 3G swing, Aerial walkway, Tree climb, Archery, Kayaking (still water), Canoeing (still water), Raft building, Caving (artificial), Bushcraft shelter building, Bushcraft fire lighting, Bushcraft cordage making, Low ropes, Problem solving & Team initiatives, Buggy building, Nightline, Laser tag, Campfire, Bottle rockets, Frisbee golf, Environmental arts.

Education

UK Mountain Leader -

Mountain Training
Snowdonia National Park, Wales
2025.04 -

Alpine 1 Pre Assessment Training -

NZOIA
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
2024-07

Avalanche Skills Course 2 -

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
2024.08 -

Wilderness First Aid & CPR (50 hour) -

Wilderness First Aid Australia
Blackwood, Victoria
2023.01 -

Paddlesport Instructor (Kayak) - Coaching Award -

British Canoeing Awarding Body
Mold, Denbighshire
2021-06

Outdoor Activity Instructor Level 3 -

Apprenticeships and Technical Education
Mold, Denbighshire
2020-10

Climbing for All -

Dearne Valley
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
2021-09

Archery GB -

Archery GB
Ashford, Kent
2022-03

Traditional High Ropes Instructor -

European Ropes Course Association
Denbighshire, Wales
2022.03 - 2025.03

Generic Rescuer -

European Ropes Course Association
Denbighshire, North Wales
2022.08 - 2025.08

References

available on request.

Timeline

Senior Outdoor Instructor

YMCA Lakeside
2026.02 - Current

Outdoor Education Learning Mentor

Dorchester Learning Centre
2025.09 - 2026.01

Seasonal Outdoor Instructor

YMCA Lakeside
2025.06 - 2025.08

UK Mountain Leader -

Mountain Training
2025.04 -

Avalanche Skills Course 2 -

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council
2024.08 -

Outdoor Activity Instructor

Hillary Outdoors
2024.04 - 2024.12

Outdoor Activity Instructor & Group Leader

Lands Edge Foundation
2023.10 - 2024.03

Outdoor Educator & Logistics

Higher Ground
2023.05 - 2023.09

Outdoor Educator & Support

The Outdoor Education Group
2023.01 - 2023.05

Wilderness First Aid & CPR (50 hour) -

Wilderness First Aid Australia
2023.01 -

Generic Rescuer -

European Ropes Course Association
2022.08 - 2025.08

Traditional High Ropes Instructor -

European Ropes Course Association
2022.03 - 2025.03

Outdoor Activity Instructor & Course Coordinator

Kingswood Learning & Leisure Group limited
2019.01 - 2022.12

Alpine 1 Pre Assessment Training -

NZOIA

Paddlesport Instructor (Kayak) - Coaching Award -

British Canoeing Awarding Body

Outdoor Activity Instructor Level 3 -

Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Climbing for All -

Dearne Valley

Archery GB -

Archery GB
Ellie Shea-Graff