We help good projects succeed.
Independent operational consultancy — helping organisations develop places, operations and people.
Founder-led. Supported by a trusted network of specialists and strategic partners.
Whether you know exactly what you need or you’re still exploring, we’ll help you find the right starting point.
Who we are
Who is SHACADEMY?
An independent outdoor operational consultancy helping organisations develop places, operations and people — supported by practical experience and a trusted network of specialists.
Most projects don’t need one person. They need the right people. SHACADEMY brings the right combination of experience, judgement and specialists to the projects it takes on — whether that’s a landowner developing a venue, an event that has to go right first time, a production that needs safe water, or a team that needs developing.
How we help
Areas of Expertise
SHACADEMY brings together practical experience, trusted networks and specialist knowledge across a range of outdoor sectors. Explore the areas below to learn more about how we help clients solve real-world challenges.
01
Venue & Destination Development
Helping landowners, estates and outdoor venues develop successful destinations.
Explore →
02
Tourism & Rural Diversification
Helping create places people choose to visit, return to and recommend.
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03
Water Safety & Operations
Building operations people can trust — planning, capable people, clear leadership, practical decisions.
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04
Events & Festivals
Independent operational advisory for organisers building memorable, safe and commercially sustainable events.
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05
Production Support
Independent operational partner for outdoor productions — planning, water safety, locations and trusted local support.
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06
Leadership & Workforce Development
Developing capable people through responsibility, mentoring and real operational experience.
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07
Qualifications & Safety Systems
Practical qualifications, operational systems and governance that people actually trust and use.
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08
Technology & Operational Systems
Practical operational technology built from real experience — SmartBand, Race Mode, workflows and the systems teams actually use.
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09
Risk Awareness & Prevention
Preventing incidents before they occur — through people, behaviour, communication and culture.
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Featured Solutions
Consultancy, brought to life through practical solutions.
SHACADEMY combines consultancy, operational experience and carefully developed technology to solve real-world problems for the organisations we work with. These are some of the ways that work is delivered.
Guidance Platform
Ask Matt
Helping visitors find the right answer before they need to contact your team.
Ask Matt is SHACADEMY’s intelligent guidance platform. Built through consultancy, customer journey mapping and approved Knowledge Packs, it helps organisations guide visitors towards the right activity, service or solution while reducing repetitive enquiries and improving customer experience.
Independent Operational Review
Secret Swimmer
See your venue through your customers’ eyes.
An independent operational review service providing objective feedback and practical recommendations to improve customer experience, safety and operations. Built on the SHACADEMY Independent Operational Review Methodology.
In Development
Future platforms
Further platforms currently in development, drawing on the same combination of operational experience and thoughtful implementation.
Coming Soon
SmartBand
Operational check-in, participant management and digital safety systems.
Coming Soon
Race Mode
Event management and live race operations for paddlesport and endurance events.
Who we help
The people, places and organisations we work with
- Venue operators
- Landowners
- Events
- Production companies
- Governing bodies
- Brands & organisations
- Local authorities
- Individuals
Our principles
How We Work
Independent advice
Practical experience
Trusted specialist network
Real-world delivery
Continuous improvement
The SHACADEMY Network
The right people, not just one person.
Complex outdoor projects rarely need a single expert. They need the right combination of experienced practitioners, and the judgement to know who fits where.
SHACADEMY draws on a carefully developed network built over decades — spanning operational delivery, safety, leadership, technology, production, outdoor education and destination development, and extending into specialist creative expertise where projects call for it.
Contacts sit across the UK, Europe, Canada, Alaska, Central America, Australia and Thailand.
When you engage SHACADEMY, you don’t hire an individual. You access the right expertise for your project, assembled, coordinated and grounded in real operational experience.
Supported by specialists across
- Water Safety
- Outdoor Education
- Technical Rescue
- Event Operations
Our philosophy
People first. Technology second.
SHACADEMY believes that great projects are built by capable people, strong teams and meaningful human connections.
Whether it’s a venue, event, production, expedition or training programme, the most important factors are still judgement, communication, leadership, teamwork and experience.
Technology has an important role to play, but only when it helps people do their jobs more effectively. We use it to support people, not replace them.
Technology supports people.
People create great outcomes.
How we think
Every project is different.
That’s why we don’t start with a solution.
We start by understanding the challenge, then bring together the right people, knowledge and experience to help your project succeed.
How we work
A simple, practical way of working.
Most projects move through four stages. The early conversations are free.
01
Initial Conversation
Understand the project, challenge or opportunity.
02
Review & Recommendations
Identify priorities and practical options.
03
Delivery Support
Provide guidance, implementation and specialist expertise.
04
Ongoing Development
Help projects evolve and grow.
Start here
Tell us about your project
Every project starts somewhere. Usually with a conversation.
A few short questions help us understand what you're working on so the right person at SHACADEMY can come back to you with something useful. It takes about a minute.
Every enquiry is read personally by someone with real-world experience. No forms disappearing into a void.
Not sure where to start? .
Clarify your challenge
Turn a rough idea into a clear starting point.
Spot opportunities and risks
Surface what matters before decisions are made.
Access relevant experience
Tap into SHACADEMY's network and practical know-how.
Speak to a real person
Every enquiry is reviewed and answered by a human.
Trust
Trusted Experience
SHACADEMY is built on more than three decades of practical experience across safety, outdoor operations, business development and project delivery.
Projects, venues, organisations and events connected to Skip’s founder-led experience, The SHAC and SHACADEMY’s growing consultancy work. Inclusion does not imply endorsement, accreditation or a formal partnership.
- The SHAC
- Buckland Park Lake
- Birtley House Estate
- Belmont School
- National Trust waterways (River Wey & River Mole)
- GLAGLA UK
- Big Swim Series
- SUP BIKE RUN
- Mustang Survival
Projects & Ventures
Alongside supporting other organisations, SHACADEMY continues to develop its own projects, systems and ideas, using real-world operations as a testing ground for innovation, including The SHAC, GLAGLA UK and We Are Wild, plus SmartBand, Race Mode and Ask Matt.
See all projects & ventures →Track record
Proven through real experience.
Buckland Park Lake
Read case study →
From former sand quarry to one of the UK's best-known inland outdoor activity venues. A practical example of long-term collaboration, community building and operational delivery.
About Skip
A career built through experience.
SHACADEMY was created by Scott “Skip” Innes, a lifelong outdoor practitioner who has spent his career building venues, leading teams and bringing good people together around good projects.
- Started as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at age 16.
- More than 20 years leading outdoor sessions, teams and venues across water, woodland and mountain environments.
- Former Scout Leader and Chief Scout Award holder.
- 2023 Yukon 1000 winners — first British pair to complete the race on stand-up paddleboards, and current course record holders.
- Founder of The SHAC and GLAGLA UK.
- Creator of SHACADEMY.
How to start
Tell us what you're working on.
Most clients arrive with a problem, not a brief.
A short conversation helps us understand what you’re trying to achieve so the right member of the SHACADEMY team can respond with context and understanding.
Whether you know exactly what you need or you’re still exploring, we’ll help you find the right starting point.
Prefer email? Send a message.
Every enquiry is reviewed personally. We aim to respond as quickly as possible.