Outward Bound offers programs for individuals and families to build relationships, and develop confidence and resilience by taking them out of their comfort zones into the wilderness.

 
Craig Standing (farthest to the right) and son Brad (tallest at rear with brown shirt).
Jim Young (second from left) and daughters Stephanie (next to Jim) and Rachael (fifth from right).

The Boral Scholarship program provides employees’ families with the opportunity to gain these same benefits. These scholarships are open to parents or guardians to bring their son or daughter aged between 13 and 16.

The Family Course, run over nine days in a bush setting, encourages participants to step outside their comfort zone so they can gain new skills and a better understanding of their strengths and limits. It also teaches them how to work effectively in a group and on their own.

Craig Standing, Sales Manager (Northern Region) of Boral Country NSW, took his 16-year-old son on the course in January. “My son and I haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, so I wanted to see how our relationship could improve by spending time together on the course.

“As a father you go to work and lead other workers but at home you probably don’t recognise that you are leading your child in the rest of their life. Taking my son on this course made me realise that is what I am doing, and it gave me the chance to show him the values I would like him to live by,” says Craig.

Over nine days, participants navigate from one base camp to another and do a variety of activities on the way. “I did things I would never normally do, like abseiling, rock climbing, caving and rafting. These activities are designed to push you outside your comfort zone. I believe you won’t grow as a person if you don’t live on the edge of that zone. But if you push yourself around the edges then you will learn and become more comfortable with what’s outside that zone,” says Craig.

For Jim Young, General Manager for Blue Circle Southern Cement in Victoria, the course presented a chance for him to spend some quality time with his daughters, 13 year old Stephanie and 16 year old Rachael. They are in boarding school away from home in Queensland and he wanted to take the opportunity to improve communications between them and to share a life-changing experience.

“It was a great chance for the three of us to see how we operate in a challenging environment. Watching my daughters push themselves over the edge of a cliff for rappelling was something I will never forget. There was that psychological moment you reach when you have to go over the edge, and I was proud to see how they dealt with it,” recalls Jim.

“Everyone is encouraged to participate in the activities. Instructors reinforce the belief that it’s not about whether you fail or you’re good at something. It’s about encouraging and supporting each other so you can learn as a group. I think most people would be surprised that they end up doing all the activities on the course,” says Jim.

“During the course you spend 24 hours separated from the group. Those 24 hours were amazing. Some stuff came out (from my son) that I wasn’t expecting and it was really good for him to get it out in the open. It changed our relationship. I now speak to my son as an adult, not as a child. I think he appreciates that,” says Craig.

“I can’t imagine anyone who has a 13-16 year-old child who wouldn’t get something out of the course. It’s a truly memorable experience,” says Jim.

For more information on Outward Bound's Family Programs please Click Here.