School Holiday Programs - January 2023 - Outward Bound Australia

Outward Bound Australia new Open Enrolment Programs: Junior & Leadership

January 2023 saw the official launch of both the Junior (12-15 years – formerly known as Young Explorer) and Leadership (16-24 years) programs. Leadership has been designed to meet requirements for the Residential Project of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award and is a great opportunity for school leavers to learn about the leadership styles they’ll encounter at university or in the workplace.

Expedition (15-24 years – previously known as Navigator) will launch in the April School Holidays.

Junior:

The Junior program inherits the success of its’ predecessor, Young Explorer, and increases the upper age to 15-years, giving families more choice in which experience their young person is ready for. The January program welcomed 32 participants across two groups, with siblings and friendship groups mixed with solo adventurers.

As an introduction to remote area adventures, Junior offers a taste of the quintessential Outward Bound experience, while keeping the fun of an exciting holiday adventure. The peak activities in high ropes and overnight hiking are balanced with fundamental camp craft and remote campsite skills.

Leadership:

17 young adults completed the inaugural Outward Bound Leadership program, which is inspired by the professional development programs we offer to the Corporate sector.

Participants engaged in a series of activities to promote higher level thinking about the meaning and intention of leadership positions and how to embody these in their everyday lives. Unlike many traditional Outward Bound programs, this is a predominantly cabin-based experience, making Outward Bound accessible to people who may not yet be ready for the extended expedition styles we are broadly known for.

Experience guided by outcomes:

As part of the Outward Bound International community, OBA have begun including the ‘Outward Bound Outcomes Survey’ (OBOS) as part of our program evaluation process. Participants are asked at the end of their program to compare their current selves with their self-perception from before attending their program. OBOS focuses on five key outcomes that form a part of all Outward Bound programs: