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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 3:12 am
Time: 3:12 am
Results for wilderness programs (u.k.)
1 results foundAuthor: Peacock, Jo Title: The TurnAround 2007 Project Summary: There are approximately 6.7 million young people aged 15-24 in England and a disproportionate number of these live in deprived, urban areas. The prevalence of adolescent problem behaviour has steadily increased with drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse, aggressive and anti-social behaviour, violence, teenage pregnancy and suicide rates becoming growing problems. Adolescents commonly face choices requiring pressurised decisions about gang involvement, violence, alcohol, drugs, sex and pregnancy, that potentially place them ‘at risk’. This cohort of ‘youth at risk’ are also subjected to other interactive environmental stressors, such as domestic violence, parental drug and alcohol abuse, physical and sexual abuse, family stress/poorly parented, divorced/single parent families, neglect or school failure. A lack of informed choice often leads to poor decision making and these youth at risk become labelled as underachievers, disadvantaged, marginal, underprivileged and remedial. They become socially inept, lack trust and teamwork skills, have poor emotional regulation and have low self esteem. Unless this issue is actively and positively addressed the number of out of work and unmotivated young people will increase along with a concomitant rise in drug and alcohol abuse, criminal activity and general anti-social behaviour, leading to social and economic problems in the community and diversion of police, court, social benefits and social worker resources to deal with the problem. A wide range of international research has evidenced key health benefits experienced for many people after spending time in the natural environment and a link between nature and health seems to be clearly emerging. Health benefits include reduced stress levels, improved mood; enhanced psychological wellbeing and improved attention and concentration. Natural places facilitate stress recovery, encourage exercise participation, stimulate development in children and provide opportunities for personal development and sense of purpose in adults. Partaking in physical activity in natural surroundings - “green exercise”- may also have therapeutic properties and collectively, such therapeutic approaches have been referred to as “green care”. Many different organisations and services are starting to show an interest in green care including: healthcare professionals; social services providers; Local Authorities; offender management teams; probation services, youth services; education authorities and farmers. Although the area of green care is very diverse, the common linking ethos is the contact with nature, which generates the health, social or educational benefits. Wilderness therapy is an emerging green care intervention which uses a systematic approach to work with adolescents with behavioural problems. Although this is not the only cohort that can benefit from the outdoors, wilderness therapy is most often used with youth at risk to help them address any emotional, adjustment, addiction or psychological problems. Wilderness therapy programmes typically provide healthy exercise and diet through hiking and physical activity, individual and group therapy sessions, educational curricula, primitive skills, group-living with peers, opportunities for solo time and reflection leadership training and challenges resulting from ‘back-to basics’ living. The rationale for these interventions involves separating disaffected young people from daily negative influences and placing them in safe outdoor environments. Spending time in a natural setting enables participants to access those aspects of their self that may elude them in more conventional personal development or therapeutic settings. The Wilderness Foundation UK, initiated a pilot social project called ‘The TurnAround 2007 Project’, which was designed to help vulnerable young people in social care in Chelmsford and the mid-Essex area. The Wilderness Foundation UK is a registered charity which raises awareness of the need to preserve and restore wilderness areas, offers wilderness experiences and is involved in various social programmes to demonstrate how wilderness exposure facilitates the education and health of both individuals and the wider society. The Turnaround 2007 project, a pilot stage of a longer 3 year project, targeted youths aged 15-18 years old who were considered to be ‘at risk’ and were in danger of drifting into a life of petty crime, drug & alcohol abuse and general anti-social behaviour. Details: Colchester, UK: Centre for Environment and Society, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex,, 2008. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2013 at: http://www.essex.ac.uk/ces/occasionalpapers/Kerry/TurnAround%202007%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.essex.ac.uk/ces/occasionalpapers/Kerry/TurnAround%202007%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128204 Keywords: Anti-Social BehaviorAt-risk YouthDelinquency PreventionWilderness Programs (U.K.) |