Embracing environmentally sustainable business practices can have a number of significant benefits. Sustainable businesses are often the most innovative because they are constantly reviewing processes to find new solutions. In contrast, other organisations are more likely to simply stick with the processes that have worked in the past, without considering better and greener alternatives. Eco-conscious businesses also generally have employees who are more invested in the business culture, which provides more fulfilling jobs. The focus on ensuring sustainability also builds a culture of accountability throughout the organisation.

Adventure Alternatives has purposely built an Outdoor Education business on strong, environmental sustainability principles. It is based on the three key Permaculture principles:

• Care for the Environment,
• Care for People and
• Fair Share.

Each principle, when combined with the next, has allowed the business to develop TWO centres, which is easy to manage, beautiful aesthetically and provides a sense of place for all. The design and layout of the centres uses the principle of minimal environmental impact: no trees removed, solar orientation, use of recycled materials and low embodied energy of labour, machinery and resources, function and form with the secondary function to educate participants of viable environmentally sensitive alternatives.

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Talking to them about attending can help you find out more about their feelings about it. For many children, the fun of camp is overshadowed by concerns. Whilst some may bound off to camp without worry, many will need some extra support to see past their worries, to the fun that lies beyond.

So, what practical steps can you take to prepare your child for camp, so they too can benefit from all that camp has to offer?

1. Browse through the website, Find out as much as you can about the camp. At Adventure Alternatives we have created personalised websites for every program we facilitate. These websites have videos and all of the information necessary to prepare you and your child for camp with us. Familiarity builds confidence.

2. Practice independent skills at home. Build your child’s confidence in their ability to care for themselves by practicing self-care skills. Like applying sunscreen and doing their own hair.

3. Make packing fun! Let your child be responsible for planning, gathering and checking off items that are needed for camp. Having your child pack their own bag also ensures they know what is in it and where to find things.

4. Practice sleepovers. Your child is much more likely to feel positively about sleeping away from home if they have had success doing so in the past.  Arrange sleepovers at a friend or relatives home in the lead up to camp.

Maybe it is not your Child that is scared!

Maybe it isn’t your child that is anxious, but it is YOU! Remain Positive! Parental instincts urge you to reassure your child that if something goes wrong, you will be there in a heartbeat. Rather than focusing on worries, focus on how much fun they will have and how exciting it will be. Try avoiding negative thoughts and phrases.

Let them experience the good, the bad and the somewhat scary situations for themself to help them develop their own independence and problem-solving skills. At Adventure Alternatives camp is not learning about how to mountain bike or climb the highest obstacle. Camp is about independence, self-confidence, cooperation, positive attitudes, connection with nature, resilience, leadership and a healthy mind and body!

Help set your child up for success by helping prepare them for a fantastic experience!

School Camps are memorable occasions that will create memories forever. 

Prepare your child so they can have the time of their lives!

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Take for instance the student who is about participate on a high ropes course for the first time. The situation is safe because the staff are qualified and have planned the experience but the perception for the students is that it is dangerous and they feel some degree of fear and anxiety. In this scenario, the student completes the challenge successfully with the help of staff and friends and in the process discovers not only that they enjoy the experience but also their ability is better than they imagined. They also discover that they have a new mate who is very impressive in the challenge– they learn interdependence.

In this example, the student has also become aware of the beauty of the surroundings and develops a sense of their insignificance at one level and at the same time the intense nature of their own existence. This student is now better equipped to assist and support others not only because they have completed the challenge but now they have a heightened sense of empathy towards others and feels empowered to take the lead if called upon – they understands what it is like to feel vulnerable and the need to be dependable.

The many experiences available through Outdoor Education potentially give students a new appreciation for life that may include things like:

• The way that we view the passage of time and the way we use it
• Respect for the natural world with all its complexity
• Differing priorities in relationships
• Sense of compassion, empathy an increased sense of personal responsibility

Our aim at Adventure Alternatives is to inspire individuals to drive their own learning, to challenge their concept of the norm, their comfort zone, their beliefs of others and their own ability. We want individuals to explore, discover the marvel at the environment we adventure in and find comfort in the unknown.

We care for the students, we care for the teachers, we care about the outcomes we provide and we care for our staff that deliver amazing experiences for the students because we understand what it takes to develop the child in our care. We have experiential learning techniques, diverse learning environments and structured, sequential programs and ensure a scaffolding approach to student learning whilst on program with us.

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Teachers often feel pressured to deliver a busy curriculum in a certain way and the thought of using the outdoors to achieve their targets can be frightening. Introducing the outdoors into an already busy school curriculum can seem like an impossible challenge, but with the right planning and a whole school approach significant progress can be made that makes a real difference, not only to the health and well-being of the school population, but also to their attainment.

Three benefits for teachers to join in on camp.

1. There is an opportunity for teachers to see students interact and behave outside of the classroom. Some students thrive is a classroom environment, others struggle. For some of the students who struggle they can be challenging for teachers to manage. By seeing these students who struggle in the classroom, outside in an environment that is better suited to their cognitive thinking, we see them excel and demonstrate behaviours that are not typically in the classroom.
2. Teachers are able to build a relationship with students. Participating in a camp program can be hard work and tiring. Spending every minute of the day on camp with the students with no break is a scary thought for most teachers! However there is more opportunity to find teachable moments and potential to build a strong relationship with students, getting to know them on a deeper level that will transfer back into the classroom.
3. Teachers find out more about themself. A lot of the time we focus on the outcomes the students will get out of the camp program, we often forget about the journey the teachers are on also. Teachers that submerce themselves into the programs at Adventure Alternatives find that they also gain a lot out the experience.

Partnering with Adventure Alternatives we provide students with the opportunity to work with their teachers that will nurture experiential education, build intergenerational relationships and result in a different style of learning. Adventure Alternatives staff are equipped to convey teachable moments in a variety of settings whilst also developing and building upon personal competencies. These competencies should help shape a successful future for our youth.

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The 8 Benefits of Outdoor Education

1. Independence

Through Outdoor Education students learn from their own strengths and weaknesses and persist in extending beyond their own self-imposed limitations to bring success in the most challenging of situations. Through successfully facing up to challenges, overcoming their fears and apprehensions students will make major strides in personal achievement and confidence.

2. Self confidence and self esteem

Outdoor Education will release students from the tensions and complexities of modern life and find neutral ground upon which they can develop their own set of values and attitudes. Students will learn about themself to enhance and strengthen their own self concept, self efficiency and improve their own self expression.

3. Cooperation and Team building

Students will become aware of the needs and the contribution of others to sustain effective relationships while on camp and in every aspect of of their life. Students will learn to trust, care, be tolerant and be willing to give and accept support from others as they partake in adventurous activities.

4. Positive attitude

Outdoor education will enable students to learn to enjoy, relax, excite and express themself and their positive thoughts will prevail. Students will gain a positive opt in and can do attitude and will be in control of their own emotions, motivation and have greater connection with their achievements.

5. Connection with nature

Through being in the outdoors students will learn to appreciation, awe, wonder and respect the outdoors and it will bring them closer to nature, themself and others. Familiarity with the outdoors will reduce their fear of the unknown and bring recognition of the part they play in the natural environment.

6. Resilience

Students will tackle new challenges head on and will learn to relished the unknown and not shun away from them. Students will harness the ability to bounce back from setbacks or challenges with confidence and optimism.

7. Leadership

Outdoor Education will teach students to lead others by first leading themselves. Students will learn to be confident of the direction they propose, the action they take, and learn to engendered trust in others. As a leader they will empower and inspire others to unite towards a common goal.

8. Healthy Mind & Body

Being in the outdoors is great for students physical and mental health and wellbeing. Participating in outdoor activities will bring them strength, coordination, balance, and cardiovascular endurance. It will also improve their immunity and overall productivity. Being outdoors and participating in outdoor activities improves students critical thinking and enhances their cognitive skills.

At Adventure Alternatives we want individuals to explore, discover the marvel at the environment we adventure in and find comfort in the unknown. These experiences are delivered in a manner which best matches the needs of the individual groups with carefully sequenced age appropriate activities. During these experiences they will be exposed to an array of experiential adventure based activities which will push their comfort zone, will make them laugh… and cry, will challenge their resilience and will encourage their independence and interdependence.

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