Hi John

In agree with your comments, and that we are attempting to make the lives of
people in everyday life more positive. This can prove difficult depending on
the theoretical approaches we align with in practice. This lends itself to
the notion of social action therapy / social action adventure courses and recognition
that the everday lives of people has a social and politcal framework and that
even though conciousness may be raised during an outdoor programme the greater
difficulty maybe in addressing to maintain these changes in everday life. This
has to lead us to ask how follow on and transfer of learning takes into account
the processes of social changes. I make this point with experience of facilitation
of a therapeutic change process in adventure therapy which had a social and
political agenda only to be faced with the backlash of maintainng theraputic
change in everyday life and integrating both intrapsychic and social change
on the follow on provision

Perhaps the avoidance of that everyday life by returning to those experiences
is an area which fails to get the recognition in what we do ... I wonder how
many of us working in the outdoors have actually experienced this process ourselves,
I certainly have, and when faced with a denied access to these experiences because
of social and politcal circumstances was the when the greatest negative impact
of my mental health occured and when I had to really engage in a process of
personal awareness .. perhaps another backlash of what can be percieved of benefits.


kaye

>Hi Roger and Kaye
>
>I view your comments as an interesting perspective on the transfer issue
>(I hope this is not focusing the discussion too pointedly). The issue of
>context has become an important one for me. The nature of the links (for
>the participant/s) between the "adventure" context and the "normal life"
>context, or the lack of them, seems to be crucial to a person's
>immediate and evolving interpretation of the "adventure".
>
>My initial assumption would be that if the adventure situation offered
>during a course held a particular attraction for an individual, and
>could be accessed fairly readily, then this person may avail themselves
>of this context more regularly in an effort to avoid the return to the
>"normal life" context. This would be the step beyond the "initial
>weekend of the Moonies" to which you referred previously Roger. Issues
>of identity, also associated with issues of belonging, may be important.
>
>I think it is important that our "adventure" courses should make the
>point that we are attempting, through transfer, to improve aspects of
>life in the "normal life" context, and that in criticizing the "normal
>life" context (if we do) we should be looking for positive ways to
>change it, rather than give the message that opting out is the solution.
>
>I must say that I am in no way an expert in any of what I have just said
>- they are opinions not backed up by research.
>
>John Quay
>
>Roger Greenaway wrote:
>
>> Hi Kaye,
>>
>> Nothing came previously - this is the start the thread.
>>
>> I hope it will be a thread that takes us on an interesting
>> journey through parts of the 'cave' that are rarely explored.
>>
>> Which is just a fanciful metaphor about research.
>>
>> It seems, Kaye, that you may have explored this area already -
>> thanks for the references. I think Pete Allison's study of post
>> expedition adjustment is also very relevant to some of these
>> issues e.g. (at the risk of stating the obvious) ... about how
>> people manage to adjust after these powerful experiences.
>>
>> Anyone wanting to respond (or initiate) should write to the new
>> address for the list which (since last weekend) is
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>> You may need to 'reprogramme' your address book and mail filters
>> to adjust to this change. I think this is different to
>> 'deprogramming' - which I thought was about making
>> 'reprogramming' more difficult.
>>
>> Yes, this might take some time to sort out!
>>
>> Roger Greenaway
>> Reviewing Skills Training
>> [log in to unmask]
>> http://reviewing.co.uk
>
>
Kaye Richards
Lecturer in Outdoor Education
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Department of Leisure and Tourism
Wellesbourne Campus
Kingshill Road
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire
HP13 5BB
Tel: 01494 522141 (ext. 4075)
Mobile: 07779 097380
Email: [log in to unmask]

Co-Editor ; Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership
Email: [log in to unmask]
www.adventure-ed.co.uk