Program Design
The design of a Wilderness Program should inspire lasting, positive change
When parents first consider enrolling their children in a wilderness program, they almost certainly think of safety and of putting their kids in touch with nature. But according to C.G. Stephens, Director of Northwaters Wilderness Programs, parents can and should demand more. “Armed with a few fundamental questions, parents can evaluate wilderness programs to make the best possible selection for their kids,” Stephens says.
As a parent, you can begin by asking about the learning environment. “Well-designed programs create a supportive environment for young people,” explains Stephens. “They build a sense of community in which each person feels accepted and safe enough to try new things. We ask participants how they would like to be treated and what elements they believe are crucial to creating a successful community. These kids can be incredibly insightful. They talk about honesty, compassion, tolerance, humor, trust and equality. We agree on some basic tenets and principles, then, later on, when we need to make decisions, face challenges or deal with conflicts, everyone pulls together.”
Parents can also ask how the program draws on wilderness experiences to foster personal growth. “If your child just ends up having a wilderness experience without reflecting on what it means to them or on how their behaviour may have impacted the experience, then that is a missed opportunity,” asserts Stephens. “When we ask kids what was the most important thing they learned on trail, they rarely talk about skills like canoeing. They are more likely to mention things like learning not to give up or accomplishing things they have set their mind to,” he says.
“I learned that you had to get along with everybody,” says Northwaters participant John Jackson. “There’s no way you could make it out there by yourself!”
Parents may want to look into how the program leaders are trained. “Trip leaders should be skilled at working with groups: at building trust, making sure that everyone gets heard and resolving conflicts, for example,” says Stephens. “The leaders need to be able to help kids understand what has happened to them during their wilderness experience on a deeper level. They do this by encouraging the children to talk about their experiences. They listen and recognize the young people for meeting various challenges.”
These trips are rites of passage. Parents may want to ask how children are encouraged to integrate what they’ve learned and accomplished on the trail with who they are at home. “These experiences are metaphors for life,” says Stephens. “You start out as strangers; you end up working with a group of people; you have good days and tough days; you face big challenges; you form friendships; and then you say goodbye,” he explains. “How you ‘do’ these wilderness trips equals how you ‘do’ your life. But it’s amplified on the trail. If you are a procrastinator in real life it may not show up until somewhere down the road when you get a poor grade in a class. But on a wilderness trip you see the consequences of your behaviour immediately (things like not getting your tent up in time for a big rain storm). Good leaders bring this stuff to participants’ attention.”
Parents should know that meticulously designed wilderness programs exist – programs with proven track records for making positive and lasting changes in children’s lives. Vicki Aubin believes she made a good decision in sending her son to Northwaters. “Patrick said he felt that it helped him a lot, mainly the group discussions and listening to what the other people had to say,” says Aubin. “There has been a marked improvement in Patrick’s behavior. He definitely has more respect with other peoples’ feelings.”
