ABOUT

professional membership:

Matt Larsson-Clifford

Sweden Outdoors Coaching is owned and run by Matt Larsson-Clifford. Matt has been instructing, guiding, teaching, coaching and leading groups in the Great Outdoors for the last 30 years and is driven by his passion for working with people and groups in challenging outdoor environments. Prior to his career in the military, Matt worked in the outdoor industry and gained a Diploma in Outdoor Activities, a BEd Honours Teaching Degree in Outdoor Education and many high-level qualifications in coaching, risk management, mountaineering, skiing, kayaking, sea kayaking, open canoeing, bushcraft and survival. Check out his profile on LinkedIn for more details.

Matt retired from the Royal Air Force (RAF) as one of the leading specialists in Adventurous Training, a Survival Rescue Officer and as a Fellow of the Institute in Leadership and Management, and his final position was as the Commanding Officer of the largest Outdoor Training Centre in the RAF. During his time in this position, he designed, developed and led a variety of overseas annual expeditions, which still today, exposes more than 1000 RAF personnel a year, to the personal, team and leadership benefits of Adventurous Training; including Ski Touring and Mountaineering in the Alps, Wilderness Open Canoeing in Sweden, Sea Kayaking in Scandinavia and Nordic Ski Touring in Sweden and Norway. He was also privileged to have led expeditions throughout Europe, Africa, USA and Canada.

On leaving the RAF in 2013, Matt moved with his family to Sweden where he set up 'Sweden Outdoors Coaching' and has worked as a consultant coach/guide for: the RAF, the British Army, the United Arab Emirates Military, Human Behavioural Performance Training (HBP Trg), Pro Noctis Performance Coaching, Leeds Met University, UK-based Education Academies, UK-based Charitable Trusts, The Swedish Canoe Federation, Swedish Outdoor Leader Groups, Various Swedish Adventure Tourism Colleges, The Adventure Activities Licensing Service, Swedish Nature Colleges, Various Canoe Clubs, Radio P4 Västernorrland, Ray Mears Woodlore, the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue Team (UKISAR Wales), Titan Airways as a Safety Consultant in Antarctica and various private groups and individuals. He is currently chairman of the Swedish International Sea Kayak Guides Association (SISKGA) and is the UIMLA Representative for Svenskafjälledare Organisation, where he was responsible for the introduction of the International Mountain Leader (IML) course to Sweden and continues to train and assess Swedish International Mountain Leaders.

Matt continues to use and develop his high-level qualifications and experience to develop individuals and teams in the outdoors, both in the mountains, forests and on the rivers and sea. He rigorously conforms to the British Standard 8848 (BS8848) to ensure that your safety whilst on course/expedition is paramount and that all risks are thoroughly assessed to ensure a high quality, enjoyable and memorable experience.

He looks forward to sharing 'Fika' (Swedish Coffee and Snack) with you soon!

TESTIMONIALS

Over the last 8 years, Sweden Outdoors Coaching have provided exceptional support to the Royal Air Force’s Adventurous Personal Development Training programme. Able to tailor products specific to our evolving needs they have provided first-class adventures in both summer (sea kayaking and wilderness canoeing) and winter (Nordic touring) which have enabled participants to broaden their physical and mental resilience, self-awareness and leadership skills. Sweden Outdoor Coaching programmes have become some of the most popular of all activities offered to our personnel and have even been featured in the RAF’s recruitment strategy’

"Umeå Kanotklubb stod inför en utmaning att förflytta sig från att jobbat helt utan paddelpass till att börja jobba med den typen av gradering. Genom kontakten med Matt/Outdoors så kunde vi dela upp arbetet i tre faser under två säsonger. Inventera grovt var våra drygt 200 medlemmar befann sig (självskattning), i en andra fas prioritera och utbilda alla ledare till rätt nivå på paddelpass, examinator och turledareutbildning. I en tredje fas diskutera hur man behåller ekosystemet klokt och examinera alla medlemmar i rätt nivå. Arbetet har varit roligt, lärorikt och framförallt ser vi att alla medlemmar tycker det är mycket roligare nu att deltaga i klubbens aktiviteter för vi kan dela in turer och aktiviteter mycket tydligare och på så vis blir det roligare och säkrare för alla deltagare."

"Jag rekommenderar Matt å det varmaste när du eller ni har en grupp som ska förflytta er kunskapsmässigt. Matt har en professionell förmåga att jobba med ledarskapet så alla känner sig inkluderade även om de befinner sig på olika nivå."

"Sweden Outdoors Coaching has provided a cutting edge Winter operational training packing for the South Wales International Search and rescue team and also members of our Vital Command and Control team. Matt and his team has truly tested our operational capabilities exposing us to the harsh environments of Sweden in Winter. ISAR have deployed to many austere places such as Japan and Nepal helping these people in times of need. Soon we welcome our 3rd visit to hone our skills and operations where no doubt again Matt will provide another testing package to ensure that we are deployment ready for our next call."

We organise life changing challenges for fundraising groups in extreme places all over the world, including the Arctic. The most successful of these always involve Matt and his team. "Taking diverse groups of people of all ages and abilities, often with only a rudimentary understanding of outdoor survival techniques isn't easy. It requires very specific knowledge, experience, and professionalism. Matt and his team provide these things in spades. Several of our previous expeditions have hit a very testing and changeable Arctic landscape - often at minus 40 degrees. The reliance, decisions, and humour by which Matt and his team have consistently brought us through make these challenges not just life changing but brilliantly memorable."

Professional, challenging with focus on development & achieving goals are the first things that come to mind when thinking back about our fantastic week with Matt! He set up a made-to measure kayaking course for us including safety, leadership and also lots of inspiring ideas of how to set up our canoe centre. He not only taught us the technical kayak skills but showed us the beautiful Swedish nature and how important the Swedish breaks, called Fika, are! A week to never forget.

Procedurminnet med motoriska färdigheter för kajakpaddling går att träna upp även nära pensionsåldern och underlättas om man lär sig av en professionell instruktör. Efter 6 kurser med Matt har kajaken blivit en kär vän.

Matt är en erfaren och professionell ledare, instruktör, inspiratör och guide. Han är lösningsinriktad och gör det han kan för att tillgodose våra önskemål i form av utbildningar och examinationer.

Luleå kajakklubb har under 2020-2021 haft Matt som kursledare för olika kurser och moment för våra havskajakledare och kanadensarledare. Vi har haft fantastiskt roligt med Matt och lärt oss enormt mycket om paddling under dessa utbildningar. T.ex. segla med kanadensare var ett väldigt roligt inslag i utbildningen på kanadensarledare. Matt har av oss fått smeknamnet Yoda för att han har alltid bra svar 😊

We were fortunate to be guided by Matt on our recent Heroes of Telemark (HOT) expedition. The ultimate professional, Matt is clearly at the very top of his field. With a quiet, self-assured manner, he quickly put our rather apprehensive team at ease teaching us everything we would need to know to survive on the Hardangervidda Plateau. In fact Matt was so brilliant that we have booked him again next summer to lead a canoeing expedition in Sweden - we couldn't recommend him highly enough!