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Our Impact in their Words
Each young person we work with has their own unique experience at Outward Bound and has their own story to tell about how it has impacted them.
Click on the topics to read about the particular challenges young people have felt prior to coming to Outward Bound and how they've learnt to overcome these and take steps towards achieving their ambitions in life as a result of their experience with us.
These real stories are from interviews with or written feedback from individuals who have been on our courses. We have changed their names to protect their anonymity and the photos are for illustration purposes only.
RAISING ASPIRATIONS
A young person’s aspirations are shaped by a wide range of opportunities, experiences and influences; each occasion shaping their view of themselves and their place in society.
Young people from deprived backgrounds frequently lack quality opportunities and positive influences, and those who are exposed to adversity stand significantly reduced chances of reaching their full potential as adults.
Low self-esteem, lack of confidence and poor resilience, together with a lack of focus or motivation hold young people back.
At Outward Bound, we believe with the right skills, attitude and confidence, this can change.
During our courses, young people push their limits and build their confidence by overcoming physical and emotional challenges. They leave their course having experienced what it feels like to overcome difficulties and achieve their goals. They go home confident in the knowledge that they can take control of their future, as the stories below illustrate.
Employability
A young person’s transition into adulthood is becoming increasingly challenging for a number of reasons: economic outlook, competition for jobs and the breakdown of the traditional pathways into work.
Added to this is the fact that a young person’s journey into the workplace is complex and dependant on many factors such as their personal circumstances, emotional capabilities, education and employability skills including communication, teamwork and leadership skills.
A poll of 1,000 18-25-year-olds showed that 18-25 year olds feel that a large chunk of their time is spent feeling anxious or under pressure because of career plans and fears about their future (1).
At Outward Bound we strive to address the development of young people’s personal, social and emotional skills to better prepare them for the world of work. Here are some stories from young people for whom their Outward Bound course provided an opportunity to build on skills they will need in the workplace and as a result, feel more in control over where their career may take them.
Mental well-being
Mental well-being is described as a positive state of being. It includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being and affects how we think, feel, and act (2,3).
A recent study (The Prince’s Trust 2019) (4) shows young people are becoming more stressed and anxious than previously recorded, with nearly two thirds reporting that they “always or “often” feel stressed and just over half reporting that they “always” or “often” feel anxious. Over a third do not feel they have control over their lives, despite having strong ambitions for the future.
These anxieties, combined with socio-economic disadvantage, poor mental health and the fact that young people are at a critical transition point in their lives,
means we have a situation where our young people may now be struggling to cope with their everyday lives.
At Outward Bound, we focus on developing individuals’ social and emotional skills which can act as protective factors in times of difficulty or change. The stories included here are from participants for whom their Outward Bound experience has been instrumental in them changing their approach to life and in taking steps to help them manage their own mental health and well being.
Relationships
Our capacity to form and maintain relationships is key to our mental health, well-being and how we function in society.
Secure, healthy relationships help us to better manage our own feelings and behaviours and enable us to better relate to others. Ultimately, this benefits our families, friends and the communities in which we live.
Relationships and working with others are central to our courses. Whilst overcoming social and emotional challenges in the wild, young people develop trust, patience, listening and communication skills.
They develop an awareness of the needs and opinions of others and understand how they themselves may be viewed by others.
Here are some stories that illustrate how developing these social skills on an Outward Bound course has helped young people better deal with social situations in their life back at home.
Attainment
With a significant focus on exams, qualifications and grades at school, the subject of attainment is constantly at the forefront of young people’s minds.
At Outward Bound we develop skills in young people that help them fulfil their potential back in the classroom. After their course young people feel more confident and able to manage the pressures they face in their learning. Here are some stories from individuals for whom their Outward Bound course has changed their attitudes to their studies and their engagement in the classroom.
Hear their words
Young people speak about how their Outward Bound experience has impacted them.