Toby Spencer

Background

About Toby Spencer

I am a dedicated and hard-working individual who likes to challenge myself whenever possible so that what I learn can be applied to my current job. My passion is for outdoor activities, such as kayaking, climbing, and skiing, but I mainly enjoy mountain biking. In my spare time, I have participated in several downhill races, including several Enduro events. I currently hold the MIAS Level 2 Mountain Bike Leader - Technical Terrain qualification and RYA Powerboat Instructor and BC Level 1 Coaching Paddlesport qualifications. I'm a first aider, holding the QN Level 3 Emergency Outdoor First Aid qualification. In addition to my passion for outdoor activities, I’m also qualified as a black belt in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon-Do, an activity that not only helped to keep me physically fit but also taught me how to be mentally disciplined and have self-control; something that I was able to apply to my academic studies. I have participated in three World Challenge expeditions: in Norway, learning winter survival skills and avalanche training, where cooperation and teamwork were paramount; in Madagascar, volunteering at an orphanage, where teamwork and communication skills helped us renovate the whole building and in Malaysia where we laid pipework for the community water supply in extreme heat, which taught me the importance of keeping each other motivated to push on and achieve our goal when nearing exhaustion. Each expedition was preceded by 18 months of preparation: creating our itinerary, improving our fitness, fundraising and learning first aid skills while bonding as a team. All the expeditions were physically and mentally challenging, and I learnt to take responsibility for myself and others while keeping a cool head - a life skill I see as key for working in outdoor education. I applied and extended my skills by participating in and achieving the DofE Gold Award and completing NCS, where I helped organise and run a Youth Connexions workshop on self-esteem for secondary school pupils.