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Why Outward Bound?
Our Approach
At Outward Bound we use the term “authentic adventure” to describe the activities we offer to our participants.
The following six elements are a way of describing what we mean by authentic adventure within Outward Bound. The whole adventure is often described as a journey, both physical and metaphorical where participants gain new insights and experiences working with others in a close group in the outdoors with a skilled instructor.
The elements are real and as immersed in the natural environment as possible, giving a high degree of uncertainty and challenge. When combined with the deliberate learning process participant’s development will be at the highest level. Authentic adventure acts as a metaphor for life; participants can reflect on the skills, attitudes and insights that helped them on their Outward Bound journey and how these will help them in the future.
These are the six key features that participants will see and experience, and an instructor will deliver. They apply to all Outward Bound programs.
They are written below at the base level. Instructors, through experience and continual professional development, will be working to raise their standards of delivery in each of these core areas.
We consciously include strands of environmental learning into our programs. This complements our work to help participants understand more about themselves, how they work with others and fit into their wider environment.
This explicit intent is supported by our approach to achieving our learning through authentic adventure where participants are immersed in the natural environment. Without contact with the environment we are not Outward Bound.
This strand of our work is particularly important because:
When delivering “the environment” we will take the steps set out in the flow below. This will be done in an inclusive way that threads and weaves its way throughout the course, so that we can; immerse people into our environment, increase their knowledge, challenge their values and behaviours, and transfer those lessons into their lives and their own environment.
