Feel the adventure and learn from it

Are you ready?

Do you remember the last time you were really challenged to do something?

Have you ever camped in the wilderness and marveled at the beauty of the stars in the skies above you upon awakening?

Can you imagine to tackle challenges with your classmates, that you alone could never accomplish (e.g. balancing on a log 10 meters above the ground, or navigating your way through the alpine wilderness)- and celebrating your success together?

We want to challenge you!

With your input, we’d like to offer you an exciting and adventurous time together.
We would like to offer you the chance of

• experiencing new things,
• taking on responsibility,
• extending your own limitations,
• seeing yourself and your classmates in a new light,
• refining yourself and
• being proud of who you are!

OUTWARD BOUND: what’s it all about?

OUTWARD BOUND has been changing continually since 1956. Kurt Hahn, the founder of OUTWARD BOUND, supported young people on their way to adulthood, offering guidance and room for self-discovery (more about the history here). But the core ideas and values are still the same and accordingly this is what OUTWARD BOUND stands for:

Empathy

…means looking at the bigger picture, and helping others, not just yourself. It’s about giving something good not only to yourself but to everyone. We like to think about giving and not only taking. Our keywords for this are:

• Helping others, the community, and the environment
• Empathy
• Compassion
• Readiness to assist others

Thoroughness and responsibility

…means you live true to yourself, honoring the results and consequences of the choices you make. It impacts more than just you alone – these ideas also come into play:

• Treating others with respect (taking care verbally)
• Responsibility for others, nature, and property
• Conscientiousness
• Giving 100 % if we want to do something right!

Perseverance

…means not giving up right away if things get tough or unpleasant. It also means „struggeling“. This extends to the following:

• Endurance – both physically and mentally
• Resilience to stress
• Your personal best
• Challenge

Taking the initiative

…means, among other things, standing up and being responsible for your own ideas. Your initiative is required for everything that happens here. We also value the following:

• Passion
• Making responsible decisions
• Courage and willpower
• Authenticity / Originality
• Trust and confidence

Our courses raise the following issues:

• Why is it so important to follow through on agreements? – What happens to emotions and trust when agreements are (not) met?
• Why is taking on responsibility advantageous, even if we have to repress our own immediate needs, and make compromises?
• What kinds of impressions of ourselves and others do we have in our class, and how do we want others to see us?
• How could our class work better together in the near future? What is (not) needed?

Core element of our programs: helping others!

Your responsibilities include waking each other up in the morning, setting the tables, helping with drying the dishes, and bringing out the garbage – all the things you already do at home. It’s important for us to see that we can depend on you – not only when you go climbing, but also when you show up punctually for breakfast or the evening meal.

We wish you a wonderful time at OUTWARD BOUND, and much success for the duration of your stay with us!