🚧 Feeling good and functioning well - wellbeing at Outward Bound

feeling good and functioning well

Can learning and adventure in the wild improve wellbeing?

After several years in decline, the wellbeing of many young people has reached a crisis point following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building confidence, resilience and supportive relationships

We define wellbeing as feeling good and functioning well. Young people need both to live healthy lives, thrive at work and contribute well to society.

Read our report

Our report brings together both the external data and our views on how learning and adventure in the wild can improve young people's wellbeing.

Join our webinar

Catch up on our two webinars we hosted on Thursday 28 April, joining young people, teachers and employers in the discussion about wellbeing, nature and learning.

Watch Tori's story

After three lockdowns, 14 year old Tori was scared to leave the house and anxious about going back to school. In this film she tells us what changed.

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Outward Bound has helped me in my everyday life. Like when I don't feel like doing something I'd be like, 'no, let me just do something that will better myself.'
Alice, age 18

Blog: HOW our INSTRUCTOR’S HELP BUILD WELLBEING

Our instructors are at the heart of young people's experience at Outward Bound. They not only provide outdoor technical and safety assistance, they become role models, demonstrating the attitudes and behaviours that they are aiming to nurture in individuals.

Amisha, age 19

"I am less anxious and can cope better because plan for the 'what if' and try to remove as many unknowns as I can... Failure is just part of the process, you can still do it, you just need to find a different way, change your priorities."

Blog: tackling a fear of failure

Like a lot of young people, 16 year old David found lockdown made him feel more anxious and alone than he ever had. David had never tried rock climbing, canoeing and high challenge activities before he came to Outward Bound. He struggled to get over his fear of doing new things.

Thomas

"I feel more confident in myself. Being thrown into a situation where I have had to meet new people and make friends has meant that talking to new people is easier for me"

Blog: Why invest in wellbeing?

Emma Ferris, our Head of Impact Evaluation shares her personal viewpoint on the importance of wellbeing. Emma wrote our report 'Feeling Good and Functioning Well' - and in this blog, she shares her two key takeaways from the paper...

Eva, age 19

"Since coming off the course, it's definitely made me sort of grab life with two hands. To grab at every opportunity that comes my way, regardless of how difficult I think it is. The course has definitely made me ten times stronger."

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Feeling good and functioning well