Adventure NOT under sail - lessons from non-sail training youth organisations

Sail Training operators can learn many lessons from adventure operations that do not involve sailing, particularly when it comes to integrating youth from a variety of social, economic and other backgrounds. Whether the young people are crossing deserts, skiing in the Artic or sailing oceans, they need to be engaged and encouraged at every step of their journey to ensure a better experience.

Will Taunton-Burnet and Jim Mayer from the British Schools Expedition Society outlined how they have moved from working with privileged young people to developing an outreach programme that includes youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds in adventure expeditions to help them integrate better with society. Their experience showed that the more young people are challenged and inspired, the more they get out of the expedition. Mayer reiterated that inspirational leaders are key to engaging young people and encouraging good leadership skills. Listening to young people and actually acting on their views from time to time is also important to encourage their development and allow their confidence to grow.

Mayer also spoke of the need sometimes to try something completely different and frequently to let young people take over, while the leaders take a careful and watchful step back. It was often this process of allowing young people to take the lead and appear to be in control that led to the greatest moments of growth.

Cal Pifer of American Foundation for Education Under Sail (USA), talked about the Outward Bound programme, reiterating many points made by the speakers from BSES, particularly in the importance of allowing mistakes to happen as it is the process of learning that is so important, rather than the ability to know how to sail. Pifer also suggested it was important to have a 'storm' moment when the young people were taken out of their comfort zone and made to explore how to handle unexpected situations.

Speakers

Jim Mayer, Expedition Leader, British Schools Expedition Society, UK

Will Taunton-Burnet, Executive Director, British Schools Expedition Society, UK

Cal Pifer, President, American Foundation for Education Under Sail, USA