Project Preposal 110 Final Print

Intercept Program Evaluation

Produced By: David J Pelz


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Table of Contents

Criteria.............................................................................................................. 2

Introduction................................................................................................. 2

Organization Overview................................................................................ 3

Purpose Statement..................................................................................... 3

Evaluation Objectives.................................................................................. 4

Timing for the Evaluation............................................................................ 4

Area of Evaluation ...................................................................................... 4

Sample Population...................................................................................... 4

Stakeholders ............................................................................................... 5

Evaluators.................................................................................................... 5

Literature Review............................................................................................. 6

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

Needs for Wilderness Therapy Programs…………………………………………..…… 6

Wilderness Programs Change Behavior……………………………………………..…… 7

Outcomes and Benefits of Wilderness Therapy……………………………...………. 8

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………...…… 8

Methods........................................................................................................... 10

Method……………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 10

Additional Methods..................................................................................... 10

Sampling Technique.................................................................................... 11

Administration of Survey ............................................................................ 11

Survey............................................................................................................... 12

Results.............................................................................................................. 14

Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................. 19

Conclusion .................................................................................................. 19

Recommendations...................................................................................... 20

References........................................................................................................ 22


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Criteria

Introduction

Name of Organization: Outward Bound

Type of Organization: Outward Bound is a non-profit international organization that facilitates outdoor wilderness and adventure programs.

Types of Service: Outward Bound is an organization that facilitates outdoor adventure programs with backpacking, canoeing, dogsledding, mountaineering, rafting, rock climbing, sailing, sea kayaking, service, snowboarding, and skiing with so much more.

Population served: Outward Bound is an international organization that serves children, teenagers, and young adults all the way up to the elderly community. They have specific program departments for wilderness expeditions, Intercept programs for struggling teenagers, and veterans’ programs for those who have served in the military.

Position with the Organization: Managing supervisor for the Intercept Programs. Position requires supervising the employees working with at-risk teenagers and young adults.

Responsibilities in this position: To train, teach, and lead employees on how to lead or facilitate groups of teenagers and young adults on successful wilderness expeditions. Responsibilities also include supervising group participation with the Outward Bound team and the participants. Other responsibilities are to hire, schedule, and organize upcoming trips for future program participants.


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Organization Overview and Evaluation

Outward Bound is an international non-profit organization that facilitates outdoor wilderness adventure programs to a wide variety of people with different life experiences. Their mission statement is, “To inspire character development and self-discovery in people of all ages and walks of life through challenge and adventure, and to compel them to achieve more than they ever thought possible, to show compassion for others and to actively engage in creating a better world.” Outward Bound is an organization that facilitates programs such as backpacking, canoeing, dogsledding, mountaineering, rafting, rock climbing, sailing, sea kayaking, service, snowboarding and skiing with so much more. Outward Bound is implementing a survey for the Intercept Programs to have a clear understanding of the outcomes the teenagers and young adult have by participating in those programs.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this evaluation is to determine what impacts the Outward Bound struggling youth Intercept Program had on the students that participated in those programs.


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Objectives

1. To identify the psychological improvements the student’s gained from participation in the Outward Bound Intercept Program.

2. To identify the social skills the student’s developed from participation in the Outward Bound Intercept Program.

3. To identify the valuable life skills students received from participating in the Outward Bound Intercept Program.

Timing for the Evaluation

The evaluation for the Outward Bound Intercept Program is going to be a summative evaluation. For all the Intercept courses the parents join their teenager or young adult at the conclusion of the program for the last three days. On the last day during the debriefing of the program the summative evaluation will take place. It is important to know that the survey will be conducted without the assistance of the parents to avoid any biased answers. It will be announced to the participants that complete honesty is important and that the parents should not influence the opinion of the teenager or young adult in any way. By having the survey at the completion of the program it allows the participant to have a clear picture of the program and its effects on their life because the experience.

Area of Evaluation

The summative evaluation is focused on the participants of the program. The purpose is to understand the effects that the Intercept programs have on its participants from the beginning of the program to the end. By having the evaluation focus on the participant it will allow the Intercept program to improve and adapt according to the needs or wants of the participants. This will allow future programs to become more effective and this survey will allow the participants to have the privilege of being a part of that change.

Sample Population

The population for the survey will be for all the participants that completed the Intercept course. The survey will be administered to all future Intercept participants in a form of convenience sampling. The survey will not be mandatory for all participants to take but it will be encouraged with an allotted time during debriefing of the Intercept Program to allow plenty of time for honest and appropriate answers to be written.


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Stakeholders

Outward Bound was first established in 1941. Since then it has positively affected thousands of lives through its life changing programs that use wilderness to help participants with self-discovery and building self-confidence. The stakeholders of this survey and proposal are all of those that are affiliated with the company. The owners of the company have an interest in this evaluation process for understanding the effects that the programs have on its participants. All those that have participated in an Outward Bound Program are considered alumni and are an important part of the organizations income with donations given and the precious volunteer time that is served because of their passion and love for the organization. Outward Bound is a non-profit organization and is supplemented by the government this survey provides important information for continued support from the government agencies. The employees are also an important part of Outward bound and they are the driving force behind the success of the organization and this survey will contribute to understanding the shifts the employees might need to take to make Outward Bound Intercept program even better.

Evaluators

The primary evaluators of this survey are the instructors that work directly with the teenagers and the young adults that go through the intercept programs. It is important that they implement the survey because of the connections and trust that was built up from the different Intercept Programs.


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Literature review

Introduction

The are many problems with our society that lead to teenage crime and behavior problems and those issues either lead to therapy for behavioral adjustments or in some cases the consequences can lead to prison. The need for therapy is crucial for suffering teens and some of those problems can be associated with unfit living environments, sudden trauma, neglect or bad parenting. There are so many symptoms that could cause behavioral problems and this is a wide spread issue across the US and also internationally. Outdoor Wilderness Organizations have been around for decades now and many organizations have found ways to use the beauty, and challenge of nature as a beneficial tool for creating experiences that are life changing to all those who participate. Wilderness therapy is an alternate method to the “traditional approach” to therapy. An example of the alternate solution is Outward Bound. “The challenging expedition "airlifts" your teen out of what may be unhealthy routines or negative environments into awe-inspiring surroundings where he or she can gain a fresh perspective on life” (Outward Bound, 2013). The need for Wilderness programs is important to recognize. There are elements about wilderness that naturally change a person’s behavior. The new behaviors and characteristics developed bring lasting change with a better outlook on life; this creates positive life skills that would not have otherwise been achieved.

Needs for Wilderness Therapy Programs

Wilderness therapy was created recently but in many ways it has always been around. When friends go camping or a family sets off on a hiking trip there is always rejuvenation and healing that takes place in the soul. Wilderness therapy groups have received a lot of attention for their ability to help at-risk teenagers and young adults that have many issues including alcohol and drug abuse, and all sorts of criminal behavior. Wilderness therapy is still in its beginning stages but it is becoming well established in many therapy schools (Gillis and Gass, 1993). There is a need for these programs because no other therapy offers the dynamic aspect of the wilderness which has a great impact on the participants in those programs. To an increasing degree, wilderness therapy is being used by parents as a last resort treatment option for seriously troubled adolescents not being reached by traditional therapeutic interventions (Keith, John and Dianne, 1999). Traditional methods for teenagers that are seriously troubled do not offer the needed time for positive change to take place. More time is needed than having short staggered therapy sessions.

Wilderness programs offer and experience of a lifetime that takes the participants out of there comfort zone and into an unknown environment for long periods of time. “There are two types of Wilderness therapy programs which are labeled expedition and base camp” (Keith, John and Dianne, 1999, pg.6). Expedition programs stay out in the field for the entire experience the participants are in the program and base camp programs common place to come back to after a


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shorter adventures and period of time (1999). This is important to know because in comparison to “traditional methods” these programs are a large commitment and also more expensive than other options. The large commitment makes the process for participating in wilderness programs difficult but worth every penny due to the positive outcomes the participants receive. For most wilderness therapy programs days of solitude are scheduled to allow the participants to reflect on the moments of self-discovery and positive shifts in thinking. With that in consideration this author found trends that were revealed through qualitative data analysis showing that it is important to have alone time and the opportunity for reflection and for the staff to have non-confrontational approach allowing the participants to establish a trusting relationship with the staff (Keith, 2000). These ideas were established through data collected from surveys and it shows that it is important for there to be a time of reflection and to develop understanding and trust between the participants and staff.

Wilderness Programs Change Behavior

The sudden change of environment is a big factor in the change of attitude and behavior for the participant in wilderness therapy programs. Most of the clients that participate in the programs are doing them unwillingly and they have not been prepared for the experience. Adolescence and teenagers are abruptly sent into wilderness areas with little possessions on them and it is much different than home. That feeling of vulnerability and the unknown is quite an experience to an average kid. These three authors shared their opinion about wilderness therapy with three phases. The first is called this the “Cleansing Phase” of wilderness therapy. They continue on in introducing the “Responsibility Phase” of wilderness therapy. In this phase the participants begin to realize how well they had it at home. Different characteristics are developed because wilderness is limited in its distractions. This creates an opportunity for there to be reflection on who they are and what is really important in their lives. The authors suggest that the two factors of appreciation for home life and limited distractions are increased as time goes by. According to the authors the “After Care phase” is the transition from an unhealthy lifestyle to one with healthy eating and exercise which builds confidence, strength, and self-esteem (Keith, John, Dianne, 1999). Having the time to be in a healthy environment and to stay away from drugs and alcohol is a huge factor in change for the participant’s behaviors and lifestyles. These are important characteristics to for development and real life change to take place.

According to Kristen (2008) Participant feedback in wilderness settings showed that these six principles where large contributors to change. These concepts are developing “immediate feedback” such as boating with a partner. This builds a partnership that produces a teamwork atmosphere for the participants. Another principle is “Real verses perceived fear” the risk of falling off a rock or tripping on the trail. These fears break down barriers for positive change by taking the participants out of their known environment into the unknown creating a needed trust between the participants. There are forms of positive stress that can build a sense of confidence when achieved and that principle called “eustress”. The concept of “eustress” is


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important in developing the ability to handle stress when day to day life comes back to its participants. Another is “Trust” and example is when climbers build confidence with one another as they belay each other up the rock. The next is “Gender Equality” which is brought up through everyone experiencing the wilderness together as a team and where everyone is important. The last principle is “physiological empathy” in which a person is placed in danger, feelings of empathy or action of helping them takes place. These are important principles wilderness provides and with proper facilitation and it has the ability bring change unlike any other therapy program. “The breakdown of defense mechanisms has generally led to more rapid change in participants than one would expect to see in a more traditional therapeutic setting. Physical fatigue, coupled with a renewed openness to new experiences, appears to facilitate change and risk taking in this setting” (Berman and Davis-Berman, 1989, p.73). By providing the participants the opportunity to go through wilderness therapy programs it breaks down the barriers that would usually there in their environment at home. Wilderness therapy is more effective than standard therapy because of this reason.

Outcomes and Benefits of Wilderness Therapy

The Outcomes of Wilderness therapy are described well by (Keith, John, Dianne, 1999). The authors describe the “Development of Self Concept”, which is found in the wilderness through hiking, climbing, kayaking and many other activities that develop a confidence in and what their capabilities are. A sense of accomplishment is formed and the participant realizes that they can do more than they thought. They describe the many skills that are attained. There are a number of personal skills that are developed along with realizing how they affect the world around them. Through the wilderness programs the participants receive drug and alcohol awareness and mental strength dealing with stress. In developing these skills the clients develop the ability to make better choices at home because of their development of character and life experiences. Through these changes in character the participants have an understanding that their past behaviors do not reflect their future decisions. They are given a new start to their lives through these programs and this gives them the ability to make positive changes in their decision making. In regard to the better outcomes of decision making and the positive skills developed, participants and families are affected in a positive way. “After completing a 21 day survival expedition… both parents and adolescents reported improved communication, relationship skills, and enhanced adolescent self-concept. At follow up which occurred after an unspecified time period), they also reported reduced problem behavior and delinquency in the adolescents.” (Kristen, 2008, p.7)

Summary

When the “traditional approach” to therapy fails wilderness therapy steps in. Wilderness therapy allows a fresh start and new outlook on life that the adolescents need for good decision making in the future. The cost of the programs is high but the benefits of changing lives are priceless. Although these programs are still in the beginning stages for many organizations they


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are having a great impact on the participants that are involved. Participants are thrown into the unknown and are put into situations that stretch them mentally and physically which brings positive outcomes. Wilderness therapy programs are an important option and solution for parents to have for their child with behavior problems or even criminal offenses that do not work with the standard therapy practices. The Wilderness Therapy programs bring life skills that help the adolescent and teenage participants to develop confidence, self-esteem, and so many more good qualities. The developed character can bring an understanding that they can resist negative influences and to use the valuable lesions and skills learned to live a better life.


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Method

The survey will administered by the instructors that lead the participants on their Outward Bound journey and this will be done at the end of the program. It is important to know that the instructors that lead the participants on their journey will lead and direct them through the survey process. The survey is designed to evaluate the impacts that the program had on its participants. Considering that most of the participants are teenagers and young adults that are coming from various backgrounds, it is going to be exciting to see the changes and differences that program has made on each participant. The survey is 2 pages and it will evaluate the physiological, the social skills, and life skills that are received through the Intercept program.

Additional Methods

In addition to the survey it is very important to have follow-up with the participants in the Intercept Program because of the backgrounds of each teenager and young adult. Most of the participants developed unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles so the opportunity that Intercept provides is crucial to positive change in the lives of its participants. This doesn’t only go for Outward Bounds Intercept Programs but for the whole organization. Lives are changed regardless of their background because of the beauty and challenge of the wilderness. Additional methods will include phone calls to the teenagers and young adults to see how their skills and Outward Bound experiences have increased self-esteem, confidence, and many more things that were incorporated into their lives.


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Sampling Technique

The survey was created to see the impacts that the Intercept Programs have on its current and future participants. The survey will not be provided to any past participants because it is meant to be administered immediately at the end of the program to allow the best quality responses to provide current information. This will allow Outward Bound to have information to make possible future changes to the program. The sampling technique used will be a form of Purposive sampling and it will be a part of the completion of the program for all its current and future participants. The participants have been selected for the specific reasons of understanding the effects that the Intercept program has on their lives. The survey is not only valuable to the organization but creates important information that is crucial to understanding how to follow up with the participants.

Administration of Survey

The survey will be administered at the base camps of all the featured Intercept courses. Those courses are at the following locations which are the Gulf Coast canoeing and backpacking, Maine Backpacking and canoeing, Minnesota Canoeing and Climbing, and the Florida canoeing Odyssey. The survey will be conducted at the end of the program to allow the participants to have experienced Intercept in its entirety. All of the Instructors will conduct the survey in the preferred classroom at the base camp locations. The survey will be conducted with all the participants from each Intercept program it will be advised that they take it separately and that their answers are kept confidential. Considering that the age groups vary from ages 14-22 the instructor will have the choice to review the survey and explain any questions the participants might have so they will have a clear understanding of what they are to do. To prevent any bias of answers the instructors will be advised to leave the room and it will be noted to the participants that their honest opinion is the most important thing for the evaluation to be effective. There will then be a drop box on the way out of the class room for the participants to confidentially submit there surveys.


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Survey Number______ Outward bound is conducting a survey to evaluate your personal experience with the Intercept Program. The survey will take 5-10 minutes and the information you provide will be crucial to our future development and success. Please fill out the following survey to the best of your ability. 1. Was the program that you participated in a life changing experience?

__ Yes __ No __ Not Sure 2. Thinking about your experiences as a participant with the Outward Bound Intercept Program please

look over and select how you agree with the following statements. Please circle the appropriate answer. 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

The physical challenge of the program has improved the confidence in my abilities.

1

2

3

4

5

The constraints of wilderness developed my appreciation for the things I have at home.

1

2

3

4

5

I developed the ability to recognize feelings that are being experienced by others.

1

2

3

4

5

My ability to trust others was increased by working as a team to accomplish goals.

1

2

3

4

5

Being pushed out of my comfort zone showed me that I am capable of more than I thought.

1

2

3

4

5

The fun or goofy moments of the program showed me how to enjoy life again.

1

2

3

4

5

I had experiences that brought me new desires and passions.

1

2

3

4

5

The beauty of the wilderness gave me a new positive outlook on life.

1

2

3

4

5

3. Now that you have completed your experience in the Outward Bound Intercept program look at the

following list and select the things you think were developed by participating with your fellow colleagues. Check all that apply.

Communication with others

Good decision making

Working as a team

Including everyone

Compassion for others

Sharing with others

Having fun with others


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4. Looking back at your participation in the Outward Bound Intercept Program rank the

following things in how you feel they have prepared you for everyday challenges. Please

rank the items from 1=most important to 6=lease Important.

___ Camp organization and cleanliness

___ Outdoor group challenges and activities

___ Food cooking and preparation

___ Developing good personal hygiene

___ Physical challenge of the wilderness

___ Protecting the environment

5. What was your favorite experience on your Outward Bound adventure? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Did the experience described above impact you in a positive way? __ Yes __ No

If yes, Please explain how. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please read and select the appropriate answer to the following questions about yourself.

8. Sex __ Male __ Female 9. Age __ 14 – 17 __ 18 – 22 __ Other 10. Ethnicity

__ Caucasian __ Hispanic or Latino __ African American __ Native American or American Indian __ Asian or Pacific Islander __ Other

11. Income or Parents Income __ Under 25,000 __ 25,001 - 49,999 __ 50,000 - 74,999 __ 75,000 and up 12. Did you receive financial aid for the program? __ Yes __ No

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. Your opinion is very important to us.


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Male 68%

Female 32%

Gender Distribution

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Ages 14-17 Ages 18-22

Age Distribution

Yes 26%

No 74%

Financial Aid

Results

For this survey there were a total of 50 participants. The demographics are very important to Outward Bound to understand the possible barriers the participants might face. In the survey 34 participants were male and 16 were female which comes out to 68% male and 32% female. The Intercept Program has two age groups only allowing ages 14-22 to participate. 66% of the sample population is ages 14-17 and the remaining 34% are ages 18-22. Financial Aid is crucial for some participants to be a part of the Intercept program but for this population the Financial Aid budget is limited and about 26%. To better understand if that 26% is a significant number a question regarding the financial income of the participants or their parents was included. It showed that 34% of all the participants income was under $25,000 a year showing that a good amount of the Intercept participants are coming from a lower than average income bracket. $25,001-49,999 came out to 40% of the population. 16% had an income of $50,000-74,000 and 10% of the participants made $74,000 and up. One last demographic was taken in regards to Race and Ethnicity.


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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Under 25,000 25,001-49,000 49,001-74,999 74,000 and Up

Income Distribution

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Caucasian AfricanAmerican

AsianIslander

LatinoHispanic

AmericanIndain

Other

Ethnic Distribution

The majority of the Ethnicity in the Intercept program was Caucasian with 58%. African American came in with 12%. Asian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic or Latino both showed 10%. Native American or American Indian was 6% and all others filled the remaining 4%. These demographics are important for Outward Bound to know because of the Outward Bound non-profit status.

Immediately after the introduction for the survey asks, “was the program you participated in a life changing experience?” You can find the figure on the top of the next page. Overwhelmingly the participants selected yes with 86%. While the others selected no with 6% and the remaining responses were not sure with 8%. This is good news for Outward Bound and it shows that the Intercept program is having an impact on its participants. Let’s find what some of those impacts might be with the following results.


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3.25

4.75

2.98

4.48

4.2

3.86

3

4.62

Confidence in Abilities

Appreciation for Home

Recognize Feelings

Trusting Others

More Capable

Enjoys Life Again

New Desires Passions

Positive outlook

The Pshycological Improvements of Intercepts Participants

Yes 86%

No 6%

Not Sure 8%

Life Changing Experience For the question 2 on the survey the participants were asked to look over and respond to the following statements in relation to their experiences in the Intercept program. The directions asked the participants to respond to the statement with answers ranging from “Strongly Disagree = 1 to Strongly Agree = 5.” All the statements described situations where there could be emotional and psychological improvements. This is important for the participants because most of them prior to the program were exhibiting troubling behaviors and unhealthy lifestyles. The first result on the graph stated that the beauty of the wilderness gave them a new positive outlook on life and it received a high result with 4.62 out of 5. There were some lower results that showed areas that are mostly up to the participants for a turn in behavior to positive change. The statement for having new desires and passions from their experiences was a result of 3.0. The next statement regarding if the participants


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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Communication DecisionMaking

Teamwork Inclusion Compassion Sharing Fun

Social Skills Developed by the Intercept Participants

recognized the feelings of others was a 2.98. The result that came from an increase in confidence from physical challenges was a 3.25. Appreciation for home from the constraints of the wilderness showed a high result of 4.75. Trust is a huge step in building relationships and the result for building trust by working as a team was 4.48. The Intercept Program strives to build trust through team activities and challenges which is a valuable for all who participate. The result for being pushed out of their comfort zone and feeling more capable was a 4.2. Sometimes life circumstances prohibit the ability to be goofy or to have fun but the result from the participants showed it to be promising with a 3.86.

The graph below describes the Social Skills developed by the participants in the Intercept program. Question 3 asked the participants to select from the following social skills they think they have developed with each other during their participation with Outward Bound. There were some surprising results and the highest selected skill was having Fun with others which had 47 selections out of a possible 50. There were some other high results that came close to one another with the results and they were Communication which came in second with 44 selections followed by Teamwork with 43 selections and compassion with 42 selections out of a possible 50. These three social skills are important to the development if the Intercept participants. Unfortunately not all of the results were that high, and the bottom three results were all in the range of 2O’s. Inclusion receives a result of 20 which was followed by Decision Making which had a result of 23 and Sharing was right above with a selection of 27.


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Environment

Personal Hygeine

Organization

Food Preporation

Group Activities

Physical Challenge

5.4

4.36

3.78

3.2

2.2

2.06

Q4: Life Skills Obtained by the Particiapants

Question 4 asks the participants look at following skills they have learned from the Intercept program and rank them on an importance scale according to how the skills have prepared them for the future. “1=most important to 6=least important.” The graph was purposely reorganized to show the results as they pertain to the ranking question. The results show that the most important things to the future of the participants were Physical Challenge of the wilderness with a result of 2.06 and to the Group Activities 2.2. These two experiences are different from the rest of the skills because they develop character and social skills that apply directly to important everyday decisions and challenges. Food Preparation received a result of 3.2 which was followed by Organization in the campground with a result of 3.78. These two skills are everyday skills that make life healthier mentally and physically. It is not surprising that Personal Hygiene received a result of 4.36 with the program having 68% of its participants being male. Protecting the Environment received a result at the bottom of the range with 5.4.


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Conclusion and Recommendation

Conclusion

Outward Bound has set out on quite a journey to help troubled teens and young adults. The different backgrounds and unhealthy lifestyles create quite the challenge for the instructors but the reward of changed lives is all worth it. The program has been successful for many years but it is always good to evaluate and gain insight from the participants in any organization that works with people. For this analysis the Outward Bounds Intercept participants were surveyed and some valuable and interesting data came from it.

The data shows that the Outward Bound Intercept programs are successful in creating environments for change in these troubled teens. The first question on the survey asked, “Was the program that you participated in a life changing experience?” Surprisingly 86% said yes and from the first question Outward Bound revealed that Intercept is having an impact on its participants. Although the following results vary it is very difficult to have an impact on an individual across all the bases of positive change because every person is different in how they react and deal with life’s challenges.

There were many psychological improvements the participants gained from the Intercept program. All of the statements from the Likert Scale emphasized psychological change that came from the program and the results showed that there were significant increases in appreciation for home life, increased trust for others from group activities, a positive outlook on life, and that they are more capable than they thought because the participants were pushed out of their comfort zone. This supports the fact that the Outward Bound Intercept Program works for its participants. There were also things that needed to be improved and focused on by the instructors in the Intercept program and those things were to encourage the participant’s confidence, and the ability to understand other participant’s feelings with empathy. The Instructors do not have the ability to force anyone have confidence or to feel empathy but they can create an environment for those characteristics to grow and be learned positive change.

In regards to the social skills that were developed by the participants they were asked to select from the following things they though were developed by their participation with others in the Intercept program. The top results for that question regarding developed social skills were increased compassion for others, working as a team, and increased communication with others. These are all important social skills that the teens and young adults need in order to have successful futures with work, school, family and so much more. For most of the participants the social interaction that was provided through this program was priceless and may never been acquired without the opportunity the Intercept Program provides. There were some low results that came from the questions and those were decision making, inclusion, and sharing. These are deep moral characteristics that are developed over time and shows why it is important to have follow-up with the participants after the program has passed. It is likely that


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most of them might not have realized the positive changes in their character until they arrive back home to everyday life.

There where many life skills that the participants developed through the Intercept program. There were skills received that the participants might not have seen as being significant or important for everyday life. For most of the troubled teens and young adults they may never have experienced the wilderness or understood what it was like to set up camp. This offered an opportunity for the participants to understand that by their participation in the Intercept program they have acquired skills and abilities that have better prepared them for everyday life.

Recommendations

Overall the Outward Bound Intercept programs do an excellent job of creating environments that bring positive change to its participants. An emphasis on incorporating psychological improvements could be brought into the current programs by facilitating the need to have empathy for others. This can be achieved through group challenges that have to do with understanding one another in the group. There might also be situations that happen during the programs that might create fear or shock and these situations might serve as an opportunity to explain what why empathy is important for social development.

Some other recommendations for social development might be to incorporate better decision making skills into the program through group activities and icebreaker challenges. There are many games that can be played which develop decision making skills and theses games can create more opportunities for those skills to form. There were some low responses to the survey that raised some questions about the social development of the Intercepts participants. Those results showed there was a lack inclusion among the participants. These are very difficult social skills to teach a person. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults but regardless of that factor it should still be emphasized by the instructors that everyone should have the opportunity to be a part of all the experiences. One example of how project this is to make a “No Double Parking” policy with all group activities. When groups gather for team activities and a circle is formed allow plenty of space between each participant to allow everyone to be a part of the group. This creates an understanding that everyone is equal and a part of the group.

There was a result In question 4 that was in need of improvement. The question asks the participants to rank the following items in order of importance. On almost all of the responses protecting the environment was selected as the least important. It is understandable that this was ranked at the bottom because age groups that answered the question are ages 14-22. The main purpose of the program isn’t to teach the participants to properly throw away their trash in the wilderness setting but by creating an understanding that it is important to protect the environment, develops important characteristics of integrity and responsibility to protect the natural resource. The mind change for this concept might not take place immediately but


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because of the wilderness experience the participants will be more likely to be proactive and have a heightened sense for protecting and preserving the environment in their future. For these reasons and for the beautiful natural resource to still be available in the future it would be good to emphasis more education in the Intercept programs about protecting the environment.

In regards to the demographics of the survey they showed that the majority of the Intercept participants are Caucasian or White followed by Black or African American and all other ethnicities slowly decreased from there. Steps should be made to reach out and increase the other ethnic demographics. This should be done because no matter the ethnic background wilderness therapy is an important solution for all teenagers and young adults in need of a program that promotes change. The financial aid demographic showed that 26% of the participants received financial aid. In order to reach a greater diversity for Intercept participants the financial aid needs to increase for the troubled teens and young adults that might not have been able to afford the program.


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References

Berman, D.S., & Davis-Berman, J.L. (1989). Wilderness therapy: A therapeutic

adventure for adolescents. Journal of Independent Social Work, 73

Gillis, H.L., & Gass. (1993). Bringing adventure into marriage and family therapy:

An innovative experiential approach. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 19

Keith C. Russel (2000). Journal of Experiential Education: Exploring How the Wilderness Therapy

Process Relates to Outcomes, 1

Keith C. Russell, John c. Hendee, and Dianne Philips-Miller (1999). How wilderness Therapy

Works: An Examination of the Wilderness Therapy Process to treat Adolescents with

Behavioral Problems and Addictions, 2, 6, 17, 18

Kristen Maria O'Shea (2008). Dissertation: Exploring the Benefits of an Outdoor Adventure

Program for Improving Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy and Reducing Problem Behaviors in

Adolescent Girls, 6

Outward Bound (2013). March 15, 2013

Retrieved from: http://www.outwardbound.org/about-outward-bound/philosophy/

http://www.outwardbound.org/about-outward-bound/philosophy/

Project Preposal 110 Final Print

Documents

wilderness programs

intercept program evaluation

organization overview

evaluation objectives

area of evaluation

wilderness therapy programs

outdoor wilderness

outdoor adventure programs