Outdoor activities have been a major focus of Endeavour’s work since we were established in 1955. They are a superb tool for personal development. Taking people from the urban and into beautiful outdoor environments immediately creates a liberating and safe environment that allows people to start to open up and view their personal challenges and aspirations from a new perspective.
By introducing fun, exciting and appropriately challenging activities into these visits we create opportunities for people to succeed and grow in ways they may never have thought possible. This in turn creates the opportunity for thinking and talking about challenge and success in their wider lives.
One of our clients recently said the she felt “normal for a day” whilst on an Endeavour outdoor activity session.
Overcoming the challenges inherent in outdoor activities, such as caving and abseiling, helps people to build confidence, self-esteem and resilience.
Outdoor activities such as open canoeing and climbing require close and effective cooperation, team work and communication.
People may explore leadership through outdoor team challenges and raft building.
Personal development in the outdoors is immediately transferable to people’s wider lives. Our staff are extremely skilled at helping people translate what they learn in the outdoors to other areas and at ensuring people integrate the skills that they need to take control of their futures.
Our staff are careful to ensure that they facilitate an appropriate level of challenge in the outdoors such that people are able to grow and develop without crippling anxiety. Furthermore, we recognise that everybody is different with their own unique fears. Accordingly, we always include a wide range of challenges in every programme of outdoor activities – ensuring that every person has an opportunity push their personal boundaries and to succeed.
Spending time in beautiful surroundings tends to inspire love and respect for the environment and the planet. We build on this developing awareness ay offering people the opportunity to take part in environmental improvement activities. This is essential for all of our futures.
Residential trips and expedition have all the benefits of outdoor activities and many others besides. They widen people’s horizons giving them a chance to experience new cultures and new ways of living. They create cross-cultural links and promote intercultural friendship and understanding.
Residentials also create an opportunity for people to experience and develop strategies for effective domestic living. Many of our clients come from chaotic backgrounds and lack the skills necessary to navigate communal living effectively – whether that be an inability to boil an egg or an inability to be assertive. Being on residential allows our staff, and our referral partners, to work with people to help them learn and develop these essential life skills.
