Barefooted is really about combining my two biggest passions- nature / bush craft, and children. Connecting children with nature in a way that stays with them through life.

The outdoors has always been a place that I have loved to be. From young I would spend hours exploring and building with natural resources, and I have found myself being pulled back to nature my entire life. Having struggled through ‘traditional’ school due to severe dyslexia, the outdoors was where everything just made sense to me. From 2015-2020, I had the joy of working at Sir Peter Blake MERC where I developed my outdoor leading skills and gained qualifications in the outdoor industry. 

If you have met me before you will know that I definitely live a shoeless lifestyle and this is where the name Barefooted was born. To me, being barefooted is more than just not wearing shoes- it’s a mind set, it’s a way to connect with nature- a ‘sole’ connection. It symbolises treading lightly on nature, leaving nothing but footprints behind when adventuring.

And finally, educating and ultimately, learning from, tamariki and rangatahi. Through my experience of outdoor leading, volunteering at Radio Lollipop, fostering children and most recently, parenting my two beautiful children, I have learnt the importance of connection. Connecting to each other, connecting to nature, connecting to ourselves. 

I believe, to be barefooted, is to be connected.

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Harry Scott

Barefooted NZ