Outdoor Rec. - the tool for change in Wirral.
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>View discussions about this entry Country: United Kingdom
Organization: Positive Futures
Sport - Other
Year the initative began (yyyy) - 2007
Project URL: http://communitysports@wirral.gov.uk
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? - To engage various groups of young people with challenging behaviour, using outdoor education as an alternative diversion and to help them reach their full potential.< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/uk/7102616.stm >
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? - The idea is to use a series of structured outdoor activities to get the young people away from their 'normal' community setting, where they would normally 'hang out,' (if you like - "take them away and out of their comfort zones") This will not only be physically demanding for the young people, but will need a positive mental approach and positive attitude, which helps towards character building.
The end outcome will be a link towards the duke of edinburgh award scheme. What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change? - My role is funded by Positive Futures, I am employed by Wirral Leisure Services and therefore any funding applications have previously been unsuccesful ie: youth opportunity funding, due to the fact that although the local authority and mainstream funders are unable to financially support this work. Therefore i have to source external funding opportunities in order 'to make things happen.'
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? - My role as an activity mentor challenges anti-social behaviour, using sport and exercise as an alternative and a focus in young peoples lives, However, there is only so much i can offer.
Outdoor education gives me something different to offer my young people and challenges them to their limits of mind and body, I normally get young people with lots of issues but i find, this in turn builds confidence and raises their self esteem,which i often find is very low. The emphasis is to tackle the reasons why certain behaviour has become unacceptable and what provisions we can put in place for decisions or alternatives that can be lifechanging. Outdoor education gives me that extra option, its about setting goals, rising to a challenge and gives a long term commitment to personal development. How do you plan to grow your innovation? - In partnership with Oaklands Outdoor education centre, the aim is to offer a program of outdoor activities in a multi-activity environment. Activities will include gorge walking, canoeing, orienteering, climbing and mountaineering as well as taking part in an environmental project.
All these activities will be aimed at satisfying requirements for the duke of edinburgh scheme, thus starting the process of a valued award, using this as a tool for team building and project development. Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. - To give targeted groups of young people greater life opportunities through the provision of outdoor activities, leading to the duke of edinburgh award qualification.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries? - The impact it has on the young peoples lives is difficult to measure, however on a recent Oaklands residential 22nd to 26th October, the 8 young people who attended this all stated that the experience had been invaluable to the point of life-changing. This is evidenced on personal testimonies and in their duke of edinburgh log book'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">log book'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">log book diaries, this has also been posted on the Oakland's website web blogs by the young people themselves. This shows not only the positive effects that this week had on the young people, but more importantly what they learned about themselves during the week.
The whole experience was an exciting activity based journey and the young people were often taken out of their normal comfort zones. I believe this experience will stay with them for many years to come and in no small way has taught them values of life skills and that in their 'normal' lives it would be impossible to make these changes happen.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation? - On 28th of September 4 young people were filmed on BBC National 1pm and 6 pm News and the impact of our interventions demonstrated that their lives had been changed positively.
Reports on the Home Office Substance system can demonstrate examples of best practice and this can be evidenced with 121 case study's and schemes that have been succesful in challenging young people with problematic anti-social behavioural issues. The most succesful baseline is with substance and alcohol mis-use abuse, which is regulated by DAAT. What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact? - Limited funding and lack of finances to enable me to put my plans into action. The groups of young people we work with are challenging, with short attention spans and easily distracted.
Therefore it is our priority to keep them focused! How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - Core funding comes from Positive Futures. The project work has grown significantly and highlighted the need for this new direction using outdoor education as a tool.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization. - Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff. The project is managed from the Sport Development Unit of Wirral Council. Positive Futures under the management of Crime Concern, fund 2 posts, an activity mentor post and a Tier 2 substance mis-use worker with £50k. The Wirral Drug and Alcohol Action Team fund £2k for activities that i may undertake ie;gym leisure passes etc. These posts are both subject to funding.
What is the potential demand for your innovation? - Many young people will respond to the usual menu of 'diversionary activities' but there are those that don't engage. It is those young people that this project is aimed at.
The current demand for this service far outweighs our provision. What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? - Limited resources and no firm commitment to funding post March 2008?, therefore there is no guarantee to funding after this.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. - Following on from a succesful Duke of Edinburgh Residential trip, on the 22nd to 26th October 2007, we took a group of 8 young people, 5 female and 3 male, who were engaged with a Sunday Night running club project. The incentive was that if the young people regularly attended the session and were committed to 12 weeks we would take them away in the school half term break to Oaklands outdoor education centre in North Wales. This trip was proof that there is only so much we can give them using sport as an alternative to causing annoyance to their local community. The positive results demonstrated an approach not used before and was a first for the project.
The idea of using a series of outdoor education activities planned to get the chosen young people away from their local communities where they would normally 'hang out', giving them a chance to get away from their normal environment and test their limits of mind and body. At times they were taken out of their comfort zones and put into situations that they would normally not feel comfortable with. The group worked well as a team, and due to the fact that other young people were on the course, some from very priveleged backgrounds, it also gave 'our' young people an opportunity to mix with others that normally they wouldn't come into contact with. The outcomes resulted in personal experience's which will last for many years to come. Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material. - 9 years of experience working in the field of youth engagement within a sports development background, working as a youth sports co-ordinator. During the past 4 years employed by Positive Futures, working with the most challenging cases of dis-engaged young people aged between 11 and 19 years of age, using sport and exercise as an alternative to drug, alcohol and substance mis-use. Often at a crossroads in there lives and it is about steering them to the right track and beyond.
Contact Information:
Colin Hunt
Activity Manager Positive Futures (Social Inclusion) colinhunt@wirral.gov.uk Caretakers House, Grange Road West Sports Centre, Grange Road West, Birkenhead, Wirral. CH43 4XE United Kingdom Tel: 0151-653-1301 07788-184681 Fax: 0151-653-1302 Website: This field has not been completed Discussions about this entry |
You've zeroed in on a great need especially in the West, Colin. Specifically, we must challenge our youth to get outside and enhance their health physically, socially, and mentally. Fortunately, many of the outdoor activities that you've focused upon--running, hiking, climbing, etc.--can be undertaken individually or in groups. As you've noted, young people who are introduced to these activities now in a group setting will be able to continue them throughout their lives, both with others and by themselves.
I share Kevin Carroll's sentiment that the Outward Bound program in the States has similarities to what you attempt, and both organizations are to complimented for doing so. You do offer fine alternatives to substance abuse and a sedentary lifestyle for an age cohort with which it is difficult to work.
Steve Byars
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California
Hi Steve,
Many thanks for your feedback, I've recently just received a letter from a parent, which i would like to share with you. If you can send me a fax number I will send it by fax. I think you will agree this captures everything that we're about.
Thanks, Colin
Colin,
I´d be interested to learn more about how you approach young people with challenging behavior in the first place. I´d think it´s not that easy to get them to participate in a quite challenging sports program, especially if it takes them away from their comfort zone. What´s the incentive here?
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7102616.stm
Log on to the link above and i hope this will explain fully what the incentive is to me.
Kevin Carroll
Changemakers Featured Commentator
Sport for a Better World Competition
Colin, your entry is a great example of how BIG the offering can be for using sport and physical activity as a vehicle to shift and change a young person's attitude and approach to life. Reading your entry made me think of a program called, Outward Bound - http://www.outwardbound.com. are you familiar with it at all?
This program is actually lobbying political leaders to support the idea that all young people should be required to get outdoors and play. Their political effort/action is called "No Child Left Inside".
I thought you might find the work they are doing and the approach they use of interest. Placing a young person in unfamiliar surroundings and then teaching them how to use resiliency, learn new coping skills, and incorporate new decision-making techniques can definitely be valuable and assist them in their day-to-day surroundings and lives. Keep taking them outside, Colin - it will be a BIG help for them.