Firstly I must comment the previous email I wrote was one  of the 
very few times I have actually contributed to outres and now I have I 
have the risk of being assumed I am forcing an agenda  ... I reflect 
upon that and consider why I have remained as one of the silent 
lurkers during recent times  and what psychological risks it 
take for me to continue this discussion  as I try and raise issue 
based aspects of our work. 

I hear the assumption that the instructor should beable to create a 
space of empathy.  I also would hope the outdoor adventure space to 
diminish these stereotypes which seem prevalent in wider society and 
great you previous experiences , pete , have achieved the braking 
down of these stereotypes.  I fail to recognise, however, how skills 
are actually developed in training to esnure this process happens 
and does not happen just by default. How many courses In outdoor 
education do you see where Anti-discriminatory practice is integral 
part of training as an outdoor educator.  Perhaps using therapy to 
illustrate the point. Counselors/therapist are extensively trained in 
the skill of empathy yet the issues of dealing with equity issues is 
still recognized  in training. Therapist and training agencies have 
recognised the real need to address these issues and have in the past 
year put anti-discriminatory practice as a core competent of training 
and not as an add on.  This says something about of the need to 
address these as you would expect perhaps counselors in the extensive 
training in skills, such as being non-judgemental to be people 
competent in addressing equity issues thus not requiring such 
training. 

 By saying these issues do not exists I would argue it is naive in 
the approach we take.  Furthermore we need to recognise that people 
who participate in outdoor adventure courses whether, these be in 
recreation, educational, developmental or therapeutic context do not 
forget their experiences of oppression as they walk into the outdoor 
adventure  environment.  So for example women possibly stilll 
adapting themselves to men in groups ???   I also raise the question 
who is deciding what the outcomes of such programming may be... 
surely there is inclusion and exclusion issues there and what would 
anti-discriminatory ethics lool like in developing outdoor adventure 
aims and objectives.  For example only this week we see the 
Government summit on body image in the media and the real need to 
adddress womne's negative body image and not just by addressing 
the media role... now surely negative body could be an important aim 
for outdoor adventure for young women.... yet how many aims do we see 
stated that actively address negative body image. So this suggest to 
me a possible exclusion of real issues which have a gender focus . 
Furthermore do we not recognise the ways in which outdoor adventure 
could be aimed at empowering people to take social action ?? Perhaps 
ref to social action therapy would be a useful link there. 

Last week I attended a conf on community psychology, equity and 
sustainability ... I had to step outside the outdoor adventure world 
to access the debates which I think are fundamental for the 
development of our field.  Interestingly I heard a keynote which 
refered to a project which was working with ethnic minorities in using 
horse-riding in the countryside... and raised the issues of how 
ethnic minority groups may have greater restrictions to the use of 
the countryside as a result of the circumstance in their lives and 
what proccesses are required to address the sustainiability fo their 
particpation. ... which is a political and social agenda. It is how we 
approach our work to ensure these issues are addressed that is 
fundamental in addressing equity issues.. and yes i do think outdoor 
adventure can provide an important link to these areas. 



I would hope that the outdoor adventure space would diminish these 
steretypes and I think it is is an agenda which needs taking 
seriously rather than assuming it happens by simply having such 
experiences.  It alerts me again to the assumption that 
self-estem raises as a result of experiencing outdoor 
adventure ... by understanding the equity issues then we could 
perhaps achieve the rises in self-esteem which i think we at times 
naively justify our provisions on.  Group processes are complex 
processes and perhaps one could argue they become even more complex 
when placed in an outdoor setting.. as for example the power dynamics 
of relationships take a different form. . Also I wonder why very 
little evidence backs up my comments.. probably because limited 
research has been done on this .. and I wonder why that is so ... 
perhaps the issue of gatekeepers to knowledge to research arises 
again here.
 
 
Finally, for me these issues are fundamental if we consider the 
transfer of learning.... so great we have the outdoor adventure 
experience which might be suggested doesn't't have a socail and politcal 
agenda (which I actually disagree with ) but then people return back 
to their environments where it does... surely then these issues of 
equity are fundamental to us if we consider transfer of learning a 
fundamental component of our practice ????

In conclusion ,  I would feel concerned if you feel I was forcing an 
agenda which seems to have the overall goal of celebrating diversity. 
I recognise issue based work comes with it difficulties and have no 
intention of crating an agenda for the mere sake of it.    Perhaps 
it requires us to force agenda's, if that is what it is going to take 
to but important issues on the agenda. Not something I like doing 
because it becomes tiring !! 

We need to ensure outdoor adventure is for all and  create a safe 
place for this to exist .... in addressing this I would hope the 
researchers , whom in many ways become the gatekeepers to knowledge 
and practice , do not discredit an area which would serve to enable 
us to ensure outdoor adventure is for all ... both physically and 
psychologically.

regards

kaye

Kaye Richards
Liverpool John Moores University
School of Education, Community and Social Sciences
I.M.Marsh Campus
Barkhill Road
Aigburth
Liverpool
England. L17 6BD
Tel: 0151 231 5239
EMail: [log in to unmask]


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