Wilderness School: Developing Key Competences through Expeditions

Financial support:

Period: 20th -30th  September 2019.

Location: Sovata -Outward Bound Romania Youth Center, Gurghiului Mountains and Bezid Lake

Participants: 20 young people with different backgrounds and 5 group leaders

Participating countries: Republic of Moldova, Lithuania, Portugal, Hungary, Romania

Partner organizations:

  • AO Asociatia Nicolae Dumitrescu
  • Klaipedos r. Lapiu pagrindine mokykla
  • Associacao CHECK-IN
  • Élményakadémia Egyesület
  • Outward Bound Romania

Co-funded by the: Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union

Our main goal:

The main goal of the project is to support the social inclusion of the 20 young participants by boosting their social and initiative taking skills during a 10 day youth exchange, where they used 8 different types of activities that belong to the outdoor and experiential education.

Specific objectives of the project are:

  • to increase the personal capacity, like self-confidence, responsibility,  cooperation, with the help of 3 types of challenging activities and 2 types of reflection activities
  • to build up the ability of taking initiative by transferring leadership in the hands of the participants and by creating 5 occasions when each national group can teach different skills to the others

The elements of the program: get to know each other activities, team building activities, problem solving activities,  reflection groups and discussion pairs, 3 day hiking expedition in Gurghiului Mountains, 2 day water expedition on Lake Bezid, rock climbing, ropes course activities, initiation of the youngsters, cultural day in Praid, closing.

Results:

The whole program contributed to the development of the young people by improving their personal skills like: self-esteem, responsibility, effective decision making and communication, awareness to their strengths. Their ability of taking initiative was enhanced. These changes help them to find their role and place in their local community easier and many of them become active members in it.

Opinions about the program:

  • I can say that I spent a great and productive period of time here. I had a beautiful experience with new people. We learned new things from each of you.
  • The program met my expectations, I could achieve my goals. It was a great adventure.
  • I became more empathetic, I developed in teamwork and from now one I will observe life and people differently.
  • This was one of the best experiences of my life. The program showed my weaknesses and my strengths.
  • I really improved myself in terms of self-confidence, responsibility and taking initiative.

Photos about the program:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/outwardbound.ro/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2729032467108796

Video about the program: