Lessons on outdoor life

Press, 12 May 1984, Page 26

Lessons on outdoor life

By

NANCY CAWLEY

America is "the crystal ball” showing glimpses of future developments in outdoor education management and related environmental issues, according to a New Zealand man who recently returned from there. Travelling on a Churchill Fellowship, Mr Stu Allan, director of the Outdoor Pursuits Centre, near Turangi, Tongariro National Park, spent a year of study-leave visiting outdoor education schools in Britain and the United States. With him was his wife, Alison, who also works at the centre. Mr Allan said he was “bowled over” by the widespread concern of Americans for their environment. He feels that the American society is the first as a whole to “consider the insecurity of the natural environment” and that New Zealand can learn a lot from it. “Environmental practices in the outdoor programmes I saw were sharp and intelligent,” he said. “Pacific Crest Outward Bound’s method of dealing with unsightly toilet paper, which is slow to degrade, was not to issue any. After all, it’s just a modem convenience, fast but not better. After you get used to it, why not?” New Zealand outdoor schools did not suffer by comparison, in Mr Allan’s estimation, although the scale in America was often larger. “I was amazed, for instance, by the scope of the

National Leadership School in Wyoming. They have 400 staff working during a year, yet still maintain a very personal approach to each student.” Big is not bad, “but the competence of the organisers needs to be outstanding in such cases.” Although he saw much of worth in Britain, Mr Allan visited a large, well financed school there that was “totally disorganised,” confirming his tenet that “the key to a good programme is good staff.” He has decisive views on what makes good outdoor instructors. They should be professionals who can plan their own activities. As well as being able to teach others such skills as canoeing, climbing and survival techniques, they should be learning new skills them-

selves, acquiring new qualifications. “Once you stop learning,” said Mr Allan, “it’s all < over.” In general, Americans are highly skilled as counsellors as well as instructors. “Their ability to articulate the ethics of outdoor •education is impressive.” Mr Allan believes that a good instructor should be there because of his or her enthusiasm, not because of the money. “Stale, long-term instructors stay on becuase they are too well paid,” he said. When it comes to the organisational side, Mr Allan feels his own Outdoor Pursuits Centre has reason for pride. Both O.P.C. and a much larger outdoor school in the United States worked through 10,000 student days a year, yet the American school has an office staff of seven, with 60 to 70 summer instructors — almost four times the number at O.P.C. Mr Allan feels that the Education Department in New Zealand could do more to support and finance the growing outdoor programmes in secondary schools. He believes that New Zealand schools are doing a great job. “I think this is especially commendable because they are working within a context (the New Zealand Education Department) that has, so far, failed to appreciate their efforts or provide any significant support.” -J-

His trip has convinced Mr Allan that “New Zealand has a number of old traditions to erode.” The increasing scope and number of outdoor centres, plus improved school and youth group programmes is partly accomplishing this, but New Zealanders are too hidebound in their approach to outdoor activities. For too long, “outdoor education has meant (1) walking everywhere, all day, (2) knowing the names of all the plants, (3) having a rifle, bush-shirt, a sheath-knife and an axe handy at all times.” Stu Allan’s list is a lot shorter. “Adventure education,” he said, “is about looking it in the face, preferably with a bunch of other people you can (at least afterwards) call your mates.”