January 20, 2004
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Topic: OUTWARD BOUND
“Outward Bound is an international, non-profit experiential educatoin organization. The organization uses the outdoors and adventure activities as metphors through which to promote individual growth and community transformation.
Outward Bound’s aim is to play a role in changing the lives of the youth. The program started in Britain in 1941 as a sea education school for young sailors. The founder, a German Jew named Kurt Hahn, realized that the formal schol system was failing the young people to prepare them for the harsh realities of life.
He felt that qualities listed below were lacking in the youth of the day:
-Perseverance
-Compassion
-Initiative
-Fitness
-Life experience
-Enthusiasm
-Care
-Skill
-Adventurours spirit
-Motivation to make a positive difference in society
This motivated Hahn to start a school where young pepole could learn from experience, hardships, overcome challenges and through all of these develop compassoin for others by being more prepared to be of service to them.
Currently, there are more than 50 schools in 40 countries. The basic philosophy is still the same. Students are put into groups and put into situations where they share with others their personal limitations, and they go beyond these limits, showing themselves and others, that they are capable of doing more than they thought they could do. In the process students learn more about themselves, about others and they learn to rely more on themselves and to begin to trust others. They also learn to find solutions to problems that at first seem impossible to overcome. The process teaches them to persevere, to push their own limits, to strive for excellence and to never give up. The students also learn that we need people around and that we are only human because we recognize the humanity of others. This also teaches that the strength of the team lies in the cooperation of all the people involved in the team. I nessence, the students learn to deal with success, failure and they develop empathy for others, and they learn that they can make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of others.”
This information is provided by an independent research company that did assessments and the value of Outward Bound South Africa on the lives of S. African youth, specifically on their Chrysalis programs (which I will be assistant instructing on starting next week).
Also interesting, Kurt Hahn was arrested in Germany during WWII for protesting Hitler after seeing a Nazi soldier kick a communist to death. After his release, he was then sent to England, where he began a school called the Gordounston school, which was the model for the first Outward Bound school founded in Wales. The funding for that school came from a rich shipowner, who donated boats to the school, and wanted to help seaman who were not prepared for the hardships of the North Atlantic waters.
Let me tell you, that’s the most history I’ve leanred since I can remember, which shows that having just an ounce of investment in the topic goes a long way.
That’s all for now. Keep the posts coming.
Special thanks for Dara for her post, and Marla for her e-mail!!!
-Dan
