Outward Bound School Programs Parliamentary Submission – July 2009

Program Overview

Sean Powell Partnerships Manager, 73 Wellington Street Collingwood VIC 3066 [email protected] www.outwardbound.org.au Ph: 03 9473 4357 MOB: 0417 434 844

School Program Overview

Outward Bound has led the way in experiential outdoor education in for over fifty years. The organisation is recognised worldwide as a leader in providing 'rite of passage' experiences for young people. Our journey-based programs are powerful foundations for future learning and life challenges. An Outward Bound experience as part of a young person's schooling sets them up for greater success and personal well-being. The results speak for themselves, making Outward Bound an important investment in each student's future. In making this submission to the Inquiry into the Potential for Developing Opportunities for Schools to Become a Focus for Promoting Healthy Community Living, we consider our approach to be of a holistic kind: developing human potential through a combination of physical, intellectual and emotional challenges experienced in an adventurous journey based program in a wilderness environment.

The objective of this submission is to firstly discuss both how and where we operate these programs, and secondly to indicate the success of these programs based on examples of research. Lastly this submission will indicate examples of community based partnerships, both with business and community organisations.

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Contents

This document includes the following information:

Nature of Outward Bound programs

Course Objectives

Design Principles

Activities and Learning Outcomes

Locations

Successful Programs

Benefits of Outward Bound programs to students and teachers – Appendices

A&B

Regional Community Partnerships

Conclusion

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Nature of Outward Bound programs

Each program is a journey. This means that the groups do not stay at a centralised 'camp' but rather set out on expedition. Along the way they undertake the various outdoor activities available in the wilderness they are journeying through. All groups move independently of each other and in most cases rarely see anyone else. This creates an incredible sense of self- reliance and adventure. This feeling of being independent, on a self-directed journey, forces students to use initiative, resourcefulness and the group's diverse skills and attributes. While the groups will learn or reinforce bushcraft skills such as navigation, building a fire, choosing and setting up a campsite, food preparation and safe hygiene practices, the real learning is from the challenges faced. The students will learn about each other, their own strengths and weaknesses and how to support each other in a setting that is beautiful, but challenging. The emphasis will be on learning in a safe and fun environment, where the students are willing to take on new experiences. The program provides intellectual, physical, mental and emotional challenges that will stretch the students well beyond what they know. Leadership and personal responsibility are important parts of each program. Upon returning to school, the students will be able to take on more complex and challenging leadership and problem solving tasks. The programs help equip students for the transition from youth to adulthood and assist in preparing them for their final years at school, entry into the workforce and life ahead.

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Course Objectives

Personal Development - To enhance self-awareness, self-esteem, confidence, discipline and motivation, and improve physical fitness. Teamwork - To enhance appreciation and awareness of other's strengths and skills. To develop an understanding of the positive attributes of an effective team including leadership, followship, participation, trust and communication. Leadership Development - To develop social awareness, interpersonal skills and communication skills. To provide group leadership opportunities in challenging and unfamiliar settings. Service - To teach the concept of service. To provide opportunities to model and practise acts of service to others and/or the environment. To develop a service ethic. Environment - To develop appreciation for and an awareness of the natural environment. To develop awareness of minimal impact practices.

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Design Principles

Experiential Learning – Learning by Doing. Providing diverse stimulating activities involving teamwork and problem-solving facilitated to bring out the best in you. Safe and Supportive Environment – Providing you the right support, guidance and belief in your potential so that you can challenge yourself and celebrate your success. Adventure and Challenge – Stepping out of your comfort zone to face mental, physical, social and emotional challenges with a sense of fun and adventure. Self-discipline – Allowing you to make decisions, experience consequence, success and failure, and being accountable for what you say and do. Skill & Care – Self-respect, using initiative and being resourceful to achieve to the best of your ability. Solitude and Reflection – Providing a place apart to appreciate silence, reflect on your values and set goals for your future. Minimal Impact Practices – conducting ourselves in environmentally responsible and sustainable ways.

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Activities and Learning Outcomes

Outward Bound has a variety of activities available to students. Each program includes diverse activities to meet a variety of outcomes. Our activities include: Rock Climbing – problem solving, initiative, facing fears, supporting team members, physical challenge Abseiling - facing fears, individual challenge, pushing the limits, unique activity Raft building - group cooperation, teamwork, communication, different mode of transport Expedition - working as a team, learning basic navigation skills, communication, development of planning and problem solving skills Teambuilding games and leadership initiatives - fun, creative, short and sharp exercises to enhance learning in areas such as communication, leadership, teamwork, cooperation. Solo - reflect on the experience, time apart from the rest of the group Bushcook - celebration feast, group social event, planning and organisation Ropes course - individual challenge, facing fears, problem solving, initiative Service - group cooperation, instils community values and a sense of contribution Rafting/Canoeing - Group cooperation, teamwork, skill and care, communication.

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Locations

While an Outward Bound experience is about the journey as much as the destination, we offer diverse and inspiring locations from alpine wilderness to rainforest and coastal environs. We use National Parks and Private Land in a number of states, following the good weather in order to deliver the best possible experiences to our students. In each location, we are committed to community and environmental service projects that ensure we minimise the level of impact and create sustainability of these locations for years to come. These areas currently include:

• Namadji National Park, Tharwa, ACT • Snowy River National Park, Buchan, VIC • Toonumbar National Park, Kyogle, NSW • Kosciuszko National Park, Adaminaby, NSW • Walpole-Nornalup National Park, Walpole, WA

Successful Programs

Outward Bound school programs typically operate between 5 and 10 days in length, using the activities, objectives and design principles described above, in our diverse operating locations. Our list of Partner Schools includes schools that choose to send entire year levels, multiple years and smaller groups of students as part of an optional outdoor educational program. Some of our schools are supported through Outward Bound's Regional Community Partnerships Program . Over 50 years, we have had a large number of partnerships; those listed reflect our current relationships. These schools have had in some cases partnerships with Outward Bound extending to 25 years, indicating the success of the program throughout not just the school, but the greater community:

State School Partnership Victoria Beaconhills College Catholic College Bendigo Notre Dame Catholic College Sacred Heart Catholic College

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St. Francis Xavier Catholic College Woodleigh School Irymple Secondary College Chaffey Secondary College

Western Australia Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School Christian Brothers Agricultural College Tardun Geraldton Grammar School Great Southern Grammar College Penrhos College Tranby College The International School of WA WA College of Agriculture Denmark Albany Senior High School Boyup Brook District High School Bridgetown High School Bunbury Senior High School Collie Senior High School Manjimup Senior High School Kearnan College Manjimup Newton Moore Senior High School

NSW Ascham School Cranbrook School St. Gregory's College Marist College Kogarah Albury High School St. Joseph's High School Aberdeen St Raphael's Central School Cowra Cowra High School Maitland High School Francis Greenaway High School Scone TAFE Scone Grammar School Ulladulla High School Bega High School Lumen Christi Catholic College Singleton High School Muswellbrook High School All Saints College, St Josephs Lochinvar Faith Lutheran School Braidwood Central School Monaro High School St Patrick's Parish School Cooma Coonamble High School Murrumburrah High School Boorowa Central School Young High School Yass High School

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Braidwood Central School

Queensland AB Paterson College St. Stephen's College School of Total Education Nerang State High School Coomera Anglican College Robina State High School Miami State High School Upper Coomera Secondary College Southport State High School Commbabah State High School Elanora State High School Marymount College ACT Brindabella Christian College Canberra Girls Grammar School Marist College Radford College

Singapore Hwa Chong Institution High School Outward Bound Singapore

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Benefits of Outward Bound programs

Outward Bound partner schools report many benefits not only for their students, but also their school community. These benefits include: Benefit to the School Community : A unique and powerful professional development experience for teaching staff Strengthened relationships between students and between students and teachers, that have a lasting impact beyond the end of the Outward Bound experience A powerful rite of passage experience that can become a strong part of the school's culture More positive approach to taking on service and leadership roles Benefit to the Student: Greater maturity and self-confidence in the classroom Increased competence in overcoming difficulties (resilience) Willingness to attempt new tasks Demonstration of greater initiative in team-oriented settings Changing negative self-image, stereotypes and limiting beliefs Increased personal achievement Gaining deeper understanding, compassion and tolerance for others Developing teamwork, communication, personal responsibility (right choices) and initiative Developing planning and problem solving skills Assistance in the transition from youth to adulthood.

These benefits are supported by research, specifically the Life Effectiveness Questionnaire (LEQ). Two of the most recent studies, detailing results of programs run in May 2009 are attached as appendices A & B. Appendix A details the results of a Regional Community Partnership with the Mildura community and the Harry Triguboff foundation, and appendix B details the results of the National Aspiring Leaders Program, sponsored by The Smith Family and the Westpac Foundation.

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Regional Community Partnerships

Outward Bound is about building stronger communities by inspiring the new generation. Outward Bound's Regional Partnerships Programs are an initiative designed to foster growth in communities of regional Australia, and allows not only the youth of the area but the whole community to benefit from an Outward Bound program.

How Regional Community Partnerships work

In the first instance, Regional Partnerships begin when a community identifies problems or opportunities for young people, and that they want to provide solutions for their young people via greater educational opportunities in life. This involve the coming together of community champions who are motivated and willing to take a leadership role in promoting and coordinating programs at a local level. There are four key ingredients:

* A community that wants to provide their young people with greater educational opportunities in life, and has the motivation to get the program started;

* Community champions who are willing to take a leadership role in promoting and coordinating the programs at a local level;

* A sponsor willing to assist with the costs of the program; and

* Outward Bound. The Outward Bound program suite is an innovative set of public open enrolment, education and corporate programs.

Through Regional Partnerships in the initial stages a community is encouraged to develop scholarship initiatives through public open enrolment programs. The Community Partnerships Manager and Public Enrolments team manage this initial process and liaise with the Regional Partnerships Manager. These programs include:

1. Youth - Navigator (12 days, 16-18 years)

2. Adults - Catalyst, Explorer, Pinnacle and Summit to Sea (from 5 to 26 days, city to the wilderness, for ages 18 -80)

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3. Family (9 days) Mother and Daughter, Father and Son, Entire Families

In the next stage of the Regional Community Partnership Development process, community action groups, developed in conjunction with the Partnerships Team, are encouraged to support the development of a broad based Regional Education Program through the Outward Bound Foundations (School Year 9 level) Program. Finally Regional Partnerships are supported in the development of a Regional Leadership Program and development of a Corporate Program, to assist the Youth and School based programs with general community learning.

Outward Bound would encourage a community to build a program plan incorporating active outdoor experiential education opportunities in conjunction with community groups, the corporate sector, local government and education authorities as well as local schools. Outward Bound has a history and a successful structure in place to nurture these communities and present to them the opportunities available to them including a funding model, sustainability kit and a program plan.

The Funding Model

Cost is the major obstacle in the initial stages. To assist with this, seed funding is available through the Australian Outward Bound Development Fund. It is applied on a tiered basis, and gradually reduced over time. For example: 80% course costs sponsored in Year 1; 60% in Year 2; 40% in Year 3 and so on. This empowers the supported community to progressively take on more responsibility for funding their own program. This is critical to the longevity of the programs as long-term sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

History of the Regional Community Partnerships

This significant regional outdoor education initiative began in the Hunter Valley (NSW) with the Coal & Allied community partnership in 2000. It has expanded to include Central West NSW, Mildura/Suraysia (VIC), Northern NSW, Southern NSW, South East NSW, Mid-West WA and South Western .

With Regional Partnerships programs now well established, with over 2500 young people from regional communities participating, there now exists the opportunity to build on the success of the Solid Foundations

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program expanding into South East , Victoria and , followed by , and Northern Australia.

The Solid Foundations program (pitched around 15 year olds) is well complimented by Outward Bound's Aspiring Leaders Program (suited for 16-8 year olds). Communities are also keen to support broader development and may consider other program options, such as Navigator, Family, Summit-to-Sea, Pinnacle, Explorer, Catalyst, and Outward Bound's nationally recognised Cert IV in Outdoor Recreation 'Trained Leaders' Internship Program.

Outward Bound Australia's vision for Regional Partnerships programs is to foster the development of the youth of rural and regional Australia by providing experiential learning outdoor education opportunities which provide a catalyst to help our young people develop important life skills. In partnership with communities, schools and sponsors, these programs have enormous potential to work at the root cause of many of our most problematic social issues.

The elements learned on an Outward Bound course are all critical life skills for young people growing up in regional or marginalised areas, who lack access to the same opportunities that most of their peers in the city have.

Evaluation results from Regional Partnership programs have been very encouraging. They are above the average of Outward Bound's other industry-leading outdoor education programs, indicating a significant change in lifelong learning, and re-inforcing this initiative as a powerful, practical, effective and positive community development initiative.

At the conclusion of each program Outward Bound performs research and analysis on participant feedback and provides learning outcome results through Life Effectiveness Questionnaires.

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Conclusion

Outward Bound Australia has aimed to demonstrate in this submission the physical activities and learning experiences which holistically combine to deliver outcomes that support healthy community living. The list of schools currently in partnership with us is an indication of the success of these programs. Further it can be demonstrated through the attached research results the impact these programs have on individuals and by association the communities they return to. Lastly Outward Bound Australia has shared its Regional Community Partnership model to demonstrate a successful operational engagement of a wide variety of community stakeholders throughout Australia.

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