It is an interesting, diverse life we lead at Outward Bound Australia. It is definitely more than a job; it is an inspiring lifestyle that provides challenge and adventure along with the opportunity to make life long friends and visit untouched parts of Australia. 

Being employed at Outward Bound means that you are a part of this unique community. Our staff hail from around the world and approximately 25% are non Australians. Americans, Canadians, Europeans and New Zealanders are just some of the nationalities you can expect to work along side. 

Living at Outward Bound 

All full-time operational staff live on site at our National Base, in Tharwa, ACT. From here we travel Australia wide to mobile base camps to run our programs.

Courses are conducted predominantly as continuous expeditions with activities such as ropes courses, rock-climbing, abseiling, rafting, canoeing, caving, initiative games and service to the community held throughout.

Staff can expect to spend up to half of their year living and working in a variety of mobile basecamps in the bush. Close contact with people outside Outward Bound Australia can be difficult due to the remote areas worked in, and busy lifestyle staff members lead. New close friendships can develop between staff with whom you work and live.

Life as a staff member can be like a continuous Outward Bound course. There is always something new to learn, ever increasing challenges and plenty of opportunity for your development. Life is busy, even hectic, and certainly fulfilling.

Working at Outward Bound

It is very difficult to describe a day's work at Outward Bound. Every day is different with a range of duties undertaken. Whilst instructing programs may make up the core of our Instructors' duties, it is by no means the only role they fulfill.

Along with instructing, our operational staff:

• Coordinate mobile areas
• Coordinate programs
• Support programs and activities
• Mentor junior staff
• Build ropes courses
• Set-up and take-down mobile areas
• Repair equipment

And the list goes on...

The remote locations demand that staff be prepared to apply themselves to unknown situations and succeed. Needless to say, Outward Bound staff can turn their hand to almost anything.

As a staff member, considerable demands are placed upon your intellectual, physical and emotional resources and endurance. You will learn from each event and responsibility you encounter. You will be a role model to participants and the wider community and will be expected to attain and uphold our core values of:

• Integrity
• Fostering Human Potential
• Compassion
• Safety
• Service
• Community
• Excellence