Research and Development is an important part of Outward Bound Australia's work. Over its fifty year history, Outward Bound has contributed widely to developments in the outdoor education and personal development fields. This section of our site provides a portal into some of our past research activities and current projects. Partnering with researchers and education institutions is integral to our approach. If you are interested in partnering with Outward Bound Australia to conduct research, please contact us.
The marketing, the stories, the instructors and the theories all give the impression that Outward Bound works. From one small idea in the 1940's there are now over 40 schools and thousands of people doing Outward Bound programs around the world every day. This remarkable growth of an 'alternative', non-for-profit approach to education and training is testimony to the success of Outward Bound programs.
For many people this sort of evidence speaks for itself......the renewed sparkle in someone's eyes, the excitement when people realise that their potential is more than they'd previously dreamt, the close sense of community experienced by people who were once strangers......and so the list goes on. For many people, what can be seen, heard, felt, and the stories that are told, is what Outward Bound is really about.
For many people, what can be seen, heard, felt....is what Outward Bound is really about. For other people more tangible evidence is necessary.
The Life Effectiveness Questionnaire was developed by James Neill and Garry Richards of Outward Bound Australia in the 1980's. Since that time, it has become one of the leading tools to measure growth and outcomes in outdoor adventure education programs. Outward Bound Australia uses LEQ to measure the growth in student self-perceptions on its programs. A number of versions of this tool exist and are adapted to specific client groups.
