NCOBS TRANSFERENCE KIT A resource for applying your NCOBS experience
Outward Bound is more than just a course – It is a philosophy of education and life, a movement for a better world, and an organization leading the way in many respects. In learning the history of Outward Bound and its founder Kurt Hahn, I soon became aware of the wide range of schools and programs that exist across the US, and internationally, and the research and intellectual weight that goes into these schools. Perhaps more than anything, this knowledge is what keeps me connected to and inspired by Outward Bound after so many years.
DANIEL LILIENTHAL, Outdoor Educator Course, 2003
Congrats Alumni! WELCOME TO THE NCOBS ALUMNI COMMUNITY: Welcome to the North Carolina Outward Bound Alumni Community and congratulations on completing your Outward Bound course! You are now one of over 170,000 students to successfully complete your course. Completing an Outward Bound course is an accomplishment to be proud of and one that you are unlikely ever to forget.
WHAT NOW? Now that you have gone Outward Bound, you know what it’s like to sleep out under the stars, away from all that’s familiar. You took on challenges designed to push you outside of your comfort zone, and may have come to realize that you are capable of accomplishing more than you ever thought possible. Your instructors might have said as you were departing, “now you really are going Outward Bound! Now it’s up to you to take all that you learned from your course and apply it to your life at home.” This might seem exciting, rejuvenating and stressful, and you might not totally know where to begin. Don’t worry, we’re here to help, and we want you to use this book as a resource to guide you along the process of taking your experience further.
BRIEFING FOR ENTRY INTO A MORE HARSH ENVIRONMENT by Morgan Hite, 1989 People always talk about what you can’t take home with you after a wilderness course. Your backpack and your tarp have no place in your daily life. You can leave behind your mosquito head net and your mole skin. Granola and powdered milk will probably remain a less than pleasant memory. You can’t take home the mountains, the rivers, the trees, or the peace and quiet of a forest after rain. It seems that we must leave behind all our connections to this place and our experiences here. But take a minute to recall what we’ve done. We’ve been organized: we lived out of our backpacks the whole time, and mostly we knew where everything was. We’ve been thorough: we counted every little contour line on the map and put every little bit of trash in a bag. We’ve been prepared: at this moment every one of us knows where his or her rain gear is. We’ve taken care of ourselves, been in touch with basic survival tasks, taken chances with each other and, at times, entrusted each other with our lives. We’ve persevered and put our minds to things that never seemed to end, learned to use new tools and techniques, and taken care of the things we have with us. These are the skills you’ve really learned out here, and they will serve you in good stead in any environment in the world. They are habits to live by. If anyone asks you what your course was like, you can tell them: “We were organized, thorough and prepared. We took care of ourselves in basic ways. We learned to do without and to persevere through difficult times. We learned to use new tools and we took care of what we had with us. We lived simply.” And if they are perceptive, they will say, “You don’t need the mountains to do that.”
IDEAS TO HELP NAVIGATE YOUR POST OUTWARD BOUND EXPERIENCE AND A FEW REFRESHERS ON SOME LESSONS YOU LEARNED
THE FOUR PILLARS The Four Pillars represent the foundation of Outward Bound and are at the core of every course we deliver. We also incorporate these additional principles that complement the four pillars: Safety, Service, Courage, Leadership, Diversity, Environmental Stewardship.
PHYSICAL FITNESS Building the physical and emotional stamina to meet challenges.
CRAFTSMANSHIP Modelling quality and intention in one’s actions.
SELF-RELIANCE Being resourceful; recognizing and applying personal strengths.
COMPASSION Selflessly engaging in the welfare and dignity of others.
Reflection Questions: What are your pillars? Can you define them?
TRAINING, MAIN, AND FINAL During your course, your instructors talked about the Training, Main and Final phases of course. They may have helped relay these phases through an activity called Circles of Responsibility. Whether you did this activity or not, here is a quick refresher. ADULTHOOD YOUTH INFANCY
CIRCLES OF RESPONSIBILITY
…relate them to your life.
Just like on course, you can get to main or final, make a few mistakes, go back to training, readjust, practice, and then get back to main or final. This is similar to life, no matter which circle you’re in—youth or adulthood—there are going to be times in your life where you fall back or jump forward.
CIRCLE ONE: This is training. In life, we relate this to infancy. You really don’t have much freedom. You can’t do things on your own and someone is always there to show you the steps and teach you the ins and outs.
CIRCLE TWO: This is main. You can equate this to youth. You have a little more freedom but still have teachers, parents, and other adults as part of your circle. You might be able to drive, go out without adult supervision, get a job.
CIRCLE THREE: Lastly, this is final. You can equate this to adulthood. Lots of freedom and lots of responsibility. You are fully responsible for your actions.
COMFORT ZONES O
PT
NGER ZONE
IM
R A L P E F ORM
ZO N E
AN CE
One of the first lessons you likely learned on course, and probably heard over and over again, was Comfort Zones! At times you might have felt like you were enjoying moments in your comfort zone, and then other times you might have felt really uncomfortable and are more in your stretch zone. Those are the times where you likely learned the most about yourself, where your perceived limitations were and how you handle new experiences. Hopefully, now that you are back home and have resumed your day to day life, you remember to continue to put yourself in your stretch zone.
DA
COMFOR T ZONE
When you step out of your comfort zone you can respond in two ways: 1. You can get back to where you feel safe and at ease, or
Reflection Questions: What was your most confronting experience on course?
2. You can adjust to your environment and allow yourself to take in the experience. Whenever we start to move to the edge of a comfort zone, we may start to feel negative physical and emotional feedback. We can’t think as clearly when the internal conversation gets louder with self-limiting beliefs; “I can’t do this”; “I’ll fail”; “What will others think of me?” However, when you deliberately take yourself out of a comfort zone safely, (into the stretch zone and not dangerously into the panic zone) life becomes an adventure—this is where the magic happens.
What did you learn from this experience? Is there something you have been wanting to do in your life at home that you have been hesitant to because it might seem uncomfortable? What would help you get over the hurdle and just go for it? If you find yourself in your panic zone, what can you do to get out of it?
THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CYCLE The Experiential Learning Cycle (Kolb) has four phases: 1. Plan - develop a decisive plan of action. 2. Do/Experience - implement the plan and experience the outcomes and consequences.
“Experience is not what happens to you, it is what you make of what happens to you.” - ALDOUS HUXLEY
3. Review - review the experience to identify effective strategies and possible improvements that can be incorporated into following activities. 4. Concluding – Learning from the experience and having take-aways.
ACTIVE EXPERIMENTATION (Planning)
ABSTRACT CONCEPTUALIZATION (concluding, learning from the experience)
CONCRETE EXPERIENCE (Doing/Experiencing)
REFLECTIVE OBSERVATION (review)
THE DECIDE METHOD OF DECISION MAKING Throughout your course, you and your group were constantly making decisions: what’s the navigation plan for the day?, when do we take rest stops and eat?, how is the group holding up?, etc. Through experiential learning and following the “plan-do-review cycle”, your group probably became better and better at making decisions. As you head home, you’ll continue to make decisions every day. Some will be small and simple, yet others will take time and require input or help from others.
Follow one of the simplest methods, the DECIDE method, when processing a problem or making a decision:
DEFINE THE ISSUE
D
• What is the issue? • Why should anything be done to fix the issue? • What should or could be happening?
E
• What criteria are desirable? • What do you want to achieve in your decision? • What do you want to preserve? • What do you want to avoid as problems?
C I D E
ESTABLISH THE CRITERIA
CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVES • What are the possible choices that meet the criteria? • Consider all the factors that affect the alternatives.
IDENTIFY THE BEST ALTERNATIVE DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT A PLAN OF ACTION • How is the plan of action going to be implemented? • What are the resources used in the actual implementation process?
EVALUATE & MONITOR THE DECISION • Troubleshoot your decision. • What could go wrong? • What can be done to correct the problem? • Give feedback.
LEADERSHIP While on your Outward Bound course, you were able to experience the unique way people naturally fall into the leadership roles necessary to the progression of your course as well as see different styles of leadership each of your crewmates possessed. Identifying your own leadership style can be difficult. Start by observing the leadership of those around you. Reflect back on your course. Try to figure out what styles you observed in yourself, your crewmates, and your instructors. Can you identify when the following types of leadership styles were used? Think about which leadership styles you have seen or heard in your peers, teachers, parents, and the public figures that you see/hear on television, through social media, or other communication outlets. As you become adept at identifying the styles you see used by others, you will be more able to identify your own behaviors. You will also be more able to identify which leadership style is most appropriate in a given situation and adapt your style accordingly.
Reflection Questions: You and your leadership style: What style of leadership sounds most like you? What experiences did you have on course that required you to step up a and lead your team? How will you apply your leadership skills to your life today and your future?
LEADERSHIP STYLES VISIONARY LEADERS move people toward a shared vision. Visionary leaders are open to sharing their knowledge and power with others and may tell people where to go, but do not tell them how to get there. Their goal is to motivate the group to struggle forward.
COACHING LEADERS involve the group in finding the strengths and weaknesses of others and challenge them to use these to drive the goal of the group toward success. Coaches are good at delegating and demonstrate faith in the abilities of the group which leads to high levels of loyalty.
AFFIRMATIVE LEADERS create positive connections between people and are very concerned with group harmony. This kind of leader is very collaborative and strives to involve each member of a group in decision making. They often avoid negative feedback and often work well with visionary leaders.
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS value the contributions of each group members and moderate by listening to all ideas for reaching a goal. Democratic leaders like to participate in group-facilitated decision making and appreciate when the group comes to a conclusion.
PACE-SETTING LEADERS lead by setting examples for others, build challenges and exciting goals for people, and are not afraid to identify poor performance and suggest solutions. This leadership style works best with other styles but works poorly next to or with leaders who expect their group to know exactly what they are doing without any guidance.
COMMANDING LEADERS lead by soothing the apprehensions of the group and give clear and concise direction to reach goals. This leadership style is most often used by people in crisis or during times of high stress.
Then they looked at me. I realized that they wanted me to tell them what to do next. I had never been a leader before. I was very proud the next day when the group’s decision was to put me in the lead to get us out of the mess we were in. I took that job very seriously. We leapfrogged our way out. I was thrilled when we finally stepped out onto an old logging trail that I had been aiming for. It was quite a triumph for me. As someone who had never been confident or a leader, I learned the importance of speaking up when things are going wrong – and the importance of having a solution ready. ALLAN BASSLER, 28-day Blue Ridge Mountains Backpacking Course, 1987
VALUE
val·ue valyoo/ noun 1. the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. 2. a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life. Living in a community can have its ups and downs. While on course, you most likely had some great community experiences and also a few times when it was challenging, and you had to work things out to make the community stronger. You might have started out your course setting up community values—something that, you as a group, were willing to adopt and live by. Now that course is over and you are processing all that you experienced, take a moment to think about your values.
Reflection Questions: What I Value Most: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. How am I living my values?
Below is a list of core values. This list is not exhaustive, but it will give you an idea of some common core values. While many of these may resonate with you, try to pick just five core values to focus on. Because if everything is a core value then nothing is really a core.
Authenticity Achievement Adventure Authority Autonomy Balance Beauty Boldness Compassion Challenge Citizenship Community Competency Contribution Creativity Curiosity Determination Fairness Faith Fame Friendships Fun
Growth Happiness Honesty Humor Influence Inner Harmony Justice Kindness Knowledge Leadership Learning Love Loyalty Meaningful Work Openness Optimism Peace Pleasure Poise Popularity Recognition Religion
Reputation Respect Responsibility Security Self-Respect Service Spirituality Stability Success Status Trustworthiness Wealth Wisdom
GOAL SETTING
WHY SET GOALS? We set goals to help ourselves reach the payoff. We all want to achieve, and setting goals allows us to envision where we want to go and what we want to achieve. Harvard Business School did a study on their graduates, and only three percent of Harvard MBA graduates have written goals. They expanded this study to the general population and found that this percentage was true of all adults—only three percent of all adults have written out their goals. The three percent with written goals were found to have earned more money than the other 97% combined.
SEE YOUR GOAL Setting goals allows us to see what we value in our lives. “What you think about is what you achieve.” Writing, reading, and emotionalizing your goals keeps you on track to achieve them. Think about what you want and not about what you don’t want.
WHY MOST ‘RESOLUTIONS’ DON’T WORK: Most people are not taught in schools or at home how to set goals. Therefore, we don’t have experience with it unless we experiment ourselves. Here are some common goals. • Be less distracted • Make more sales • Lose weight These goals have several things in common. For example, they are non-specific, they have no plan of action, and there is no support or accountability. Setting SMART goals is one way of creating goals to address these issues.
HOW TO MAKE SMART GOALS: SMART is an acronym for: S_pecific M_easurable A_ttainable R_ealistic T_imely
From this point, you can see mile markers. Once you see the finish line, it is all about getting yourself to the next checkpoint. Then, step by step, you get closer to the end goal. These mile markers could be called “promises.”
GET THE VISION If you could envision the “future you” one year from now, what would you have accomplished that would give you the best, happiest and most successful year? What would you have done, seen and gained across all areas of life: business, personal, relationships, spirituality, etc.?
WRITE THE WORDS The sentence structure of your written goals is very important. The tense, person, and whether the goal is stated positively or negatively has an impact on how your brain sees, processes, retains, and manifests your goals. “Your goals must be COMPELLING to you.” Example: “I will train and run a half marathon on Oct. 31st” First Person: Only YOU can achieve your goals. You are responsible. YOU are responsible for your happiness etc. No one else can live your life for you. YOU must DO it. Present Tense: We engage the subconscious and super-conscious mind. Focus on being here now. Stated in the Positive: NOT this or NOT that usually doesn’t work. Be specific about what you do want. Make it tangible.
WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES? Try making a list of 10 to 20 good results of achieving your goal. This will remind you of why you set your goals in the first place. Example: “I will train and run a half marathon on Oct. 31st”
1. I feel good about my fitness. 2. I can spend more time outside. 3. I have more energy. 4. I am healthier and have better body functioning, etc.
NOW WHAT? Break the goal into smaller chunks. Identify steps that will help you move towards your goal. Break it up until there are achievable steps.
Steps:
1. ENVISION 2 WRITE 3. BREAK INTO STEPS 4. ACT 5. ACHIEVE
DETERMINE YOUR MAJOR DEFINITE PURPOSE. As you look at your goals, decide which one will have a positive impact and influence on all the others once you have achieved it. This is your “MAJOR DEFINITE PURPOSE.”
Activity Write one personal and one professional goal using the below as a guide.
Challenge: Write out and read your major definite purpose every day for 30 days.
Goal: S: __________________________________________
Why: We become what we think about most. It keeps us focused. It stirs our passions.
M:__________________________________________ A: __________________________________________ R & T: _______________________________________
Think: “If I could only accomplish one thing today that would help me move toward my most definite purpose, what would that be?” Do this first.
Break each goal into smaller steps:
Results: Habits can be formed in 21 days. You are forming a positive habit of writing, reading, and acting on your goals.
3. Break into steps
Review: “What worked today?” This brings our attention back to your achievements. It celebrates the WIN. You return to that feeling level of emotionalizing our goal and how it feels to succeed. “What would I do differently?” Keep the phrasing positive. Example: You are training to run a half marathon and don’t have much experience running. How do you reach your goal? You do it through small goals that build up to your bigger goal and allowing for corrections and adjustments. Assess what is going well, and what could be done better/differently. AND get an accountability partner to help you assess— someone who is willing to call you on your excuses, but who will also keep you positive. Final Thought: PERSIST.
1. Envision 2. Write
4. Act 5. Achieve
When the instructors taught us the SMART method of setting goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound), I announced that I wanted to thru hike the Appalachian Trail within the next three years, a goal that I previously wouldn’t have dared to dream…When I returned home, I bought my own backpacking gear and started venturing out by myself and with friends…And in 2017 (at age 55), I set out on my own to thru hike the Appalachian Trail. On that hike from Georgia to Maine, I had lots of time to reflect on how much my life has changed since those encouraging words from the Outward Bound instructor. The many lessons I learned from Outward Bound gave me everything I needed to finish the 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail in just under five months. DEBORAH COLEMAN, 2016 50-DAY OUTDOOR EDUCATOR COURSE
SOLO Solo is a time for quiet reflection and contemplation. It’s also a great way of making yourself find time to be with just you. While on course, this was probably an easier adjustment because you were already without your daily forms of distraction. Now that you are at home, where can you find your “solo” spot? It might not be realistic to take a full day, let alone three, but you may be able to take an hour away with absolutely no distractions. Consider doing your own solo once a month. Maybe one month, you’re at home on a comfy chair with no TV, no phone, no book— no noises but the usual house noise. Perhaps, the next month you’re outside at a park or in the city people watching. Wherever you are, make the most of your solo and allow yourself to have the time to just be quiet. And remember, don’t nap. Each time you do a solo, take a minute after to write about your experience.
“After a long night of relentless rain, my crew mates and I lowered the bear-hang in the first morning light to share one last breakfast together. “ “The presence of solo was looming in the air. Though it was easy to joke about, there was an unspoken tension, for we knew how strange it would be to be apart… The silence was heavy…After setting up my tarp and cairn, I paced. I stood up and sat down. I did push-ups and yoga and tried my best to calm my busy mind. Eventually, I simply lay down amongst the fallen leaves and pine needles. The sky was blue, cloudless. It was a welcome contrast from the preceding 24 hours of rain. Trees danced around me, and I listened to them creak and groan as the wind whistled and whirred. “ “The air was autumn crisp. My senses were filled, and I was at peace. For the first time in 37 days, I was completely alone…For the first time, I asked myself what I stood for and knew the answer.” TAYLOR SINASON, Outdoor Educator Course, 2016
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. Where was your spot and how long did you take? 2. What did you notice about the space around you? Were there new noises or observations? 3. What did you focus on? Did you make any decisions? 4. What did you feel when your solo time was over? What was the first thing you reached for? 5. Did you find it hard sticking to a specific timeframe?
SERVICE AND COMMUNITY The community you built while on your Outward Bound experience might be unlike any other community you’ve experienced. Outside of your family, what is your community? Are you part of more than one community? You most likely never had a formal discussion about the norms and expectations of those communities like you did on your course, but if you think about them, what are those in your current community? While on course, you probably took turns helping one another out while hiking and setting up camp, took turns making meals together, and shared in cleaning up. How does your community provide services to one another? Here are some ideas for how you can provide service to your community. This is by no means an exhaustive list. The best way you can be successful at “going Outward Bound” is to think about what needs exist in your community and how you can contribute to making a difference and to creating lasting change. • Make environmental stewardship a daily habit: recycle, reuse, choose environmentally friendly products • Share Leave No Trace principles with people you know who participate in outdoor activities. • Participate in a service project at a local park or forest. • Help cook or serve a meal at a local homeless shelter. • Educate yourself about different people and cultures. Read a book or watch a movie about another culture, try a new food from another country, or explore a different part of your community. • Speak up when you hear discrimination. It takes courage to stand up to someone who is using slurs or telling discriminatory jokes, but when you do speak up, you are letting the person know that it isn’t acceptable to make fun or judge others. • Get involved at school. Is there a group or club already existing that you could join, or create a group or club that is focused on service and giving back to your community. Get your schoolmates and teachers involved!
“I can’t take it!! I HATE IT!! I hate the lights, I hate the streets, I hate the noise, the radio felt like hell in the car, the water in the shower I just took was too clear and not salty at all, I miss eating with everyone, I miss you guys! I miss the hugs and the smiles. I miss the frustration and the impatience in your faces. All that was okay because we knew that in the end we are together, and nobody would ever be left behind. I miss you and it’s been only a couple hours. I miss the smell of nature, I miss the stars!!! I miss the air and the hot sun on my skin, I miss paddling and I miss your voices!! I miss every single one of you! I miss writing with you and sharing everything! I miss the Everglades! I miss my wilderness family!” Everglades Wilderness Writing Expedition, Student
RESOURCES
BOOKS: 12 Life Giving Habits for Life After Outward Bound, by Kevin “Doc” Klein
If you want to become more involved in your community but are not sure where to look for volunteer work, here are a few known organizations that might be active where you are.
Outward Bound USA : Crew Not Passengers, by Joshua Minor and Joe Boldt Leadership the Outward Bound way: Becoming a Better Leader in the Workplace, in the Wilderness, and in Your Community, by Rob Chatfield The Difference a Day Makes, by Karen M. Jones
WEBSITES:
The Better World Handbook: From Good Intentions to Everyday Actions,
www.ncobs.org
by Ellis Jones, Ross Haenfler, Brett Johnson, Brian Klocke
www.dosomething.org
How to Make the World a Better Place: 116 Ways You Can Make a Difference,
www.youthnoise.com www.volunteermatch.org www.tolerance.org
by Jeffrey Hollender and Linda Catling The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice
www.ysa.org
from the Union of Concerned Scientists, by Michael Brower, Warren Leon
www.lnt.org
500 Ways to Change the World, by Global Ideas Bank
www.habitat.org www.unitedway.org www.teachforamerica.org
Half the Sky : Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, by Nikolas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman The Leadership Wheel, by C. Clinton Sidle
Be an Outward Bound Alumni Ambassador As an alum of an Outward Bound course, you have first-hand experience that will excite and motivate others to participate in Outward Bound programs. Alumni Ambassadors help us spread the word about Outward Bound in a variety of ways. For more information about any of these suggestions, please contact us at alumni@ncobs.org or 800.841.0816.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES Distribute Materials: Place brochures and posters in schools, outdoor stores and other places of business to promote NCOBS. We’ll send you materials at your request. Speak Up: Give a presentation at a local outdoor retailer, your school, church, or a local organization. Host a party and invite people you know who you think may be interested in taking an NCOBS course. We can give you suggestions on how you can use our materials (videos, catalogs, power point presentations, etc.) with your experience to make a fun, informative gathering or presentation that helps us attract new students. Events: Is there an event in your area that you think would be a good place for Outward Bound to spread the word? Are you willing to represent us at fairs and festivals in your area? Let us know.
OTHER WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED Explore Online Resources: Visit the alumni section of our website at www.ncobs.org/alumni to send us an impression of your course, request promotional materials from us, and update your contact information. You will also find links to helpful resources including answers to frequently asked questions. Become a Student Sponsor: More than 50 percent of our students receive scholarships to attend Outward Bound. Join the many alumni who contribute to our scholarship fund by sending a check or making a secure donation online at www.ncobs.org/donate. Arrange a Group Program: Arrange an Outward Bound program at your school or business. Customized courses provide opportunities for groups to share the challenges of a wilderness adventure and focus on their goals and objectives. Insight Programs (half or one day programs) can also be held at a location convenient to your business.
Be a Reference: Often prospective students and their parents should be interested in talking with someone like you who has taken an NCOBS course.
Connect with Us on Social Media: Do you use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? So do we! Search for North Carolina Outward Bound School on each of these and follow us.
Write an Article or Blog: Write an article for your high school, college, or hometown newspaper or for your company’s newsletter. Refer to your journal for inspiration! Call us first and we’ll help you with templates, media contacts in your area, and fact sheets about NCOBS.
If you’re on an expedition or doing something you think the NCOBS community would like, go ahead and tag us @outwardboundnc or #ncobsalumnui.
NOTES
NORTH CAROLINA
OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL
2582 Riceville Rd, Asheville, NC 28805 | P: 828.299.3366 | www.NCOBS.org