Your right we have in the past considered almost extensively physical risk
and risk is an essential part of all the sub-domains. If you consider the
Adventure Paradigm the model holds for all categoeies of risk. Management
development involves risk in these less thought about domains.
So there is a need to be more explicit in stating the type of risks people
might be exposed to.
Simplistic thoughts at this stage.
Pete.
Peter Bunyan 01243 816317
Adventure Education Component Leader
School of Physical Education
University College Chichester
Chichester PO19 4PE
>>> Tracey J Dickson <[log in to unmask]> 07-Mar-00 11:45:53 PM >>>
In recent attempt to explore the meaning of risk a few of us asked some
young twenty-something people (all who had participated in various
outdoor pursuits as participants and instructors) what their greatest
risk had been. The responses included comments such as running away
from home, dropping out of uni and making some bad decisions while
caving.
What was clear was the very different ways people perceive risk. One
problem we face in the outdoors is we tend to focus on physical risk
(through accident and incident stats and most risk management plans) and
forget the other forms of risk that people take (social, psychological,
spiritual etc...). For some the greatest risk may be what colour shirt
to wear or what their backside looks like when they go climbing. The
actually outdoor activity could be the easy part.
Over the last couple of years I have begun to learn a new sport. My
first experience was in front of a very experienced friend and colleague
- I felt like a bumbling fool. My comment after was that for me it is
easier to talk about learning and taking risks by trying something new,
but incredibly difficult for me to actually do it myself.
Maybe as skilled, experienced etc.... facilitators we should take more
time to stand in our participants' shoes to refresh our memories of what
taking risks is all about.
Maybe we should learn a musical instrument, go back to uni, take up
singing, learn to type (properly), learn a new language, build a boat -
anything that we are not good at. To feel what it is like to try, to
fail, to risk, to succeed. Maybe then our debates on what is risk would
take another new turn where we find new words, new depths, new meanings.
Just a suggestion!!
Tracey Dickson
PS I plan to continue to take risks this year to learn this new
sport...
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