Project Preposal 110 Final Print

Intercept Program Evaluation
Produced By: David J Pelz

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Table of Contents
Criteria..............................................................................................................2
Introduction.................................................................................................2
Organization Overview................................................................................3
Purpose Statement..................................................................................... 3
Evaluation Objectives..................................................................................4
Timing for the Evaluation............................................................................ 4
Area of Evaluation ...................................................................................... 4
Sample Population...................................................................................... 4
Stakeholders ...............................................................................................5
Evaluators....................................................................................................5
Literature Review............................................................................................. 6
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………… 6
Needs for Wilderness Therapy Programs…………………………………………..…… 6
Wilderness Programs Change Behavior……………………………………………..…… 7
Outcomes and Benefits of Wilderness Therapy……………………………...……….8
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………...……8
Methods........................................................................................................... 10
Method……………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 10
Additional Methods.....................................................................................10
Sampling Technique.................................................................................... 11
Administration of Survey ............................................................................11
Survey...............................................................................................................12
Results.............................................................................................................. 14
Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................. 19
Conclusion .................................................................................................. 19
Recommendations...................................................................................... 20
References........................................................................................................22

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Criteria
Introduction
 Name of Organization: Outward Bound
 Type of Organization: Outward Bound is a non-profit international organization
that facilitates outdoor wilderness and adventure programs.
 Types of Service: Outward Bound is an organization that facilitates outdoor
adventure programs with backpacking, canoeing, dogsledding, mountaineering,
rafting, rock climbing, sailing, sea kayaking, service, snowboarding, and skiing with
so much more.
 Population served: Outward Bound is an international organization that serves
children, teenagers, and young adults all the way up to the elderly community.
They have specific program departments for wilderness expeditions, Intercept
programs for struggling teenagers, and veterans’ programs for those who have
served in the military.
 Position with the Organization: Managing supervisor for the Intercept Programs.
Position requires supervising the employees working with at-risk teenagers and
young adults.
 Responsibilities in this position: To train, teach, and lead employees on how to
lead or facilitate groups of teenagers and young adults on successful wilderness
expeditions. Responsibilities also include supervising group participation with the
Outward Bound team and the participants. Other responsibilities are to hire,
schedule, and organize upcoming trips for future program participants.

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Organization Overview and Evaluation
Outward Bound is an international non-profit organization that facilitates outdoor wilderness
adventure programs to a wide variety of people with different life experiences. Their mission
statement is, “To inspire character development and self-discovery in people of all ages and
walks of life through challenge and adventure, and to compel them to achieve more than they
ever thought possible, to show compassion for others and to actively engage in creating a
better world.” Outward Bound is an organization that facilitates programs such as backpacking,
canoeing, dogsledding, mountaineering, rafting, rock climbing, sailing, sea kayaking, service,
snowboarding and skiing with so much more. Outward Bound is implementing a survey for the
Intercept Programs to have a clear understanding of the outcomes the teenagers and young
adult have by participating in those programs.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this evaluation is to determine what impacts the Outward Bound struggling
youth Intercept Program had on the students that participated in those programs.

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Objectives
1. To identify the psychological improvements the student’s gained from participation in
the Outward Bound Intercept Program.
2. To identify the social skills the student’s developed from participation in the Outward
Bound Intercept Program.
3. To identify the valuable life skills students received from participating in the Outward
Bound Intercept Program.
Timing for the Evaluation
The evaluation for the Outward Bound Intercept Program is going to be a summative
evaluation. For all the Intercept courses the parents join their teenager or young adult at the
conclusion of the program for the last three days. On the last day during the debriefing of the
program the summative evaluation will take place. It is important to know that the survey will
be conducted without the assistance of the parents to avoid any biased answers. It will be
announced to the participants that complete honesty is important and that the parents should
not influence the opinion of the teenager or young adult in any way. By having the survey at
the completion of the program it allows the participant to have a clear picture of the program
and its effects on their life because the experience.
Area of Evaluation
The summative evaluation is focused on the participants of the program. The purpose is to
understand the effects that the Intercept programs have on its participants from the beginning
of the program to the end. By having the evaluation focus on the participant it will allow the
Intercept program to improve and adapt according to the needs or wants of the participants.
This will allow future programs to become more effective and this survey will allow the
participants to have the privilege of being a part of that change.
Sample Population
The population for the survey will be for all the participants that completed the Intercept
course. The survey will be administered to all future Intercept participants in a form of
convenience sampling. The survey will not be mandatory for all participants to take but it will
be encouraged with an allotted time during debriefing of the Intercept Program to allow plenty
of time for honest and appropriate answers to be written.

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Stakeholders
Outward Bound was first established in 1941. Since then it has positively affected thousands of
lives through its life changing programs that use wilderness to help participants with self-
discovery and building self-confidence. The stakeholders of this survey and proposal are all of
those that are affiliated with the company. The owners of the company have an interest in this
evaluation process for understanding the effects that the programs have on its participants. All
those that have participated in an Outward Bound Program are considered alumni and are an
important part of the organizations income with donations given and the precious volunteer
time that is served because of their passion and love for the organization. Outward Bound is a
non-profit organization and is supplemented by the government this survey provides important
information for continued support from the government agencies. The employees are also an
important part of Outward bound and they are the driving force behind the success of the
organization and this survey will contribute to understanding the shifts the employees might
need to take to make Outward Bound Intercept program even better.
Evaluators
The primary evaluators of this survey are the instructors that work directly with the teenagers
and the young adults that go through the intercept programs. It is important that they
implement the survey because of the connections and trust that was built up from the different
Intercept Programs.

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Literature review
Introduction
The are many problems with our society that lead to teenage crime and behavior problems and
those issues either lead to therapy for behavioral adjustments or in some cases the
consequences can lead to prison. The need for therapy is crucial for suffering teens and some
of those problems can be associated with unfit living environments, sudden trauma, neglect or
bad parenting. There are so many symptoms that could cause behavioral problems and this is a
wide spread issue across the US and also internationally. Outdoor Wilderness Organizations
have been around for decades now and many organizations have found ways to use the beauty,
and challenge of nature as a beneficial tool for creating experiences that are life changing to all
those who participate. Wilderness therapy is an alternate method to the “traditional
approach” to therapy. An example of the alternate solution is Outward Bound. “The
challenging expedition "airlifts" your teen out of what may be unhealthy routines or negative
environments into awe-inspiring surroundings where he or she can gain a fresh perspective on
life” (Outward Bound, 2013). The need for Wilderness programs is important to recognize.
There are elements about wilderness that naturally change a person’s behavior. The new
behaviors and characteristics developed bring lasting change with a better outlook on life; this
creates positive life skills that would not have otherwise been achieved.
Needs for Wilderness Therapy Programs
Wilderness therapy was created recently but in many ways it has always been around. When
friends go camping or a family sets off on a hiking trip there is always rejuvenation and healing
that takes place in the soul. Wilderness therapy groups have received a lot of attention for
their ability to help at-risk teenagers and young adults that have many issues including alcohol
and drug abuse, and all sorts of criminal behavior. Wilderness therapy is still in its beginning
stages but it is becoming well established in many therapy schools (Gillis and Gass, 1993).
There is a need for these programs because no other therapy offers the dynamic aspect of the
wilderness which has a great impact on the participants in those programs. To an increasing
degree, wilderness therapy is being used by parents as a last resort treatment option for
seriously troubled adolescents not being reached by traditional therapeutic interventions
(Keith, John and Dianne, 1999). Traditional methods for teenagers that are seriously troubled
do not offer the needed time for positive change to take place. More time is needed than
having short staggered therapy sessions.
Wilderness programs offer and experience of a lifetime that takes the participants out of there
comfort zone and into an unknown environment for long periods of time. “There are two types
of Wilderness therapy programs which are labeled expedition and base camp” (Keith, John and
Dianne, 1999, pg.6). Expedition programs stay out in the field for the entire experience the
participants are in the program and base camp programs common place to come back to after a

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shorter adventures and period of time (1999). This is important to know because in
comparison to “traditional methods” these programs are a large commitment and also more
expensive than other options. The large commitment makes the process for participating in
wilderness programs difficult but worth every penny due to the positive outcomes the
participants receive. For most wilderness therapy programs days of solitude are scheduled to
allow the participants to reflect on the moments of self-discovery and positive shifts in thinking.
With that in consideration this author found trends that were revealed through qualitative data
analysis showing that it is important to have alone time and the opportunity for reflection and
for the staff to have non-confrontational approach allowing the participants to establish a
trusting relationship with the staff (Keith, 2000). These ideas were established through data
collected from surveys and it shows that it is important for there to be a time of reflection and
to develop understanding and trust between the participants and staff.
Wilderness Programs Change Behavior
The sudden change of environment is a big factor in the change of attitude and behavior for the
participant in wilderness therapy programs. Most of the clients that participate in the
programs are doing them unwillingly and they have not been prepared for the experience.
Adolescence and teenagers are abruptly sent into wilderness areas with little possessions on
them and it is much different than home. That feeling of vulnerability and the unknown is quite
an experience to an average kid. These three authors shared their opinion about wilderness
therapy with three phases. The first is called this the “Cleansing Phase” of wilderness therapy.
They continue on in introducing the “Responsibility Phase” of wilderness therapy. In this phase
the participants begin to realize how well they had it at home. Different characteristics are
developed because wilderness is limited in its distractions. This creates an opportunity for
there to be reflection on who they are and what is really important in their lives. The authors
suggest that the two factors of appreciation for home life and limited distractions are increased
as time goes by. According to the authors the “After Care phase” is the transition from an
unhealthy lifestyle to one with healthy eating and exercise which builds confidence, strength,
and self-esteem (Keith, John, Dianne, 1999). Having the time to be in a healthy environment
and to stay away from drugs and alcohol is a huge factor in change for the participant’s
behaviors and lifestyles. These are important characteristics to for development and real life
change to take place.
According to Kristen (2008) Participant feedback in wilderness settings showed that these six
principles where large contributors to change. These concepts are developing “immediate
feedback” such as boating with a partner. This builds a partnership that produces a teamwork
atmosphere for the participants. Another principle is “Real verses perceived fear” the risk of
falling off a rock or tripping on the trail. These fears break down barriers for positive change by
taking the participants out of their known environment into the unknown creating a needed
trust between the participants. There are forms of positive stress that can build a sense of
confidence when achieved and that principle called “eustress”. The concept of “eustress” is

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important in developing the ability to handle stress when day to day life comes back to its
participants. Another is “Trust” and example is when climbers build confidence with one
another as they belay each other up the rock. The next is “Gender Equality” which is brought up
through everyone experiencing the wilderness together as a team and where everyone is
important. The last principle is “physiological empathy” in which a person is placed in danger,
feelings of empathy or action of helping them takes place. These are important principles
wilderness provides and with proper facilitation and it has the ability bring change unlike any
other therapy program. “The breakdown of defense mechanisms has generally led to more
rapid change in participants than one would expect to see in a more traditional therapeutic
setting. Physical fatigue, coupled with a renewed openness to new experiences, appears to
facilitate change and risk taking in this setting” (Berman and Davis-Berman, 1989, p.73). By
providing the participants the opportunity to go through wilderness therapy programs it breaks
down the barriers that would usually there in their environment at home. Wilderness therapy
is more effective than standard therapy because of this reason.
Outcomes and Benefits of Wilderness Therapy
The Outcomes of Wilderness therapy are described well by (Keith, John, Dianne, 1999). The
authors describe the “Development of Self Concept”, which is found in the wilderness through
hiking, climbing, kayaking and many other activities that develop a confidence in and what their
capabilities are. A sense of accomplishment is formed and the participant realizes that they can
do more than they thought. They describe the many skills that are attained. There are a
number of personal skills that are developed along with realizing how they affect the world
around them. Through the wilderness programs the participants receive drug and alcohol
awareness and mental strength dealing with stress. In developing these skills the clients
develop the ability to make better choices at home because of their development of character
and life experiences. Through these changes in character the participants have an
understanding that their past behaviors do not reflect their future decisions. They are given a
new start to their lives through these programs and this gives them the ability to make positive
changes in their decision making. In regard to the better outcomes of decision making and the
positive skills developed, participants and families are affected in a positive way. “After
completing a 21 day survival expedition… both parents and adolescents reported improved
communication, relationship skills, and enhanced adolescent self-concept. At follow up which
occurred after an unspecified time period), they also reported reduced problem behavior and
delinquency in the adolescents.” (Kristen, 2008, p.7)
Summary
When the “traditional approach” to therapy fails wilderness therapy steps in. Wilderness
therapy allows a fresh start and new outlook on life that the adolescents need for good decision
making in the future. The cost of the programs is high but the benefits of changing lives are
priceless. Although these programs are still in the beginning stages for many organizations they

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are having a great impact on the participants that are involved. Participants are thrown into
the unknown and are put into situations that stretch them mentally and physically which brings
positive outcomes. Wilderness therapy programs are an important option and solution for
parents to have for their child with behavior problems or even criminal offenses that do not
work with the standard therapy practices. The Wilderness Therapy programs bring life skills
that help the adolescent and teenage participants to develop confidence, self-esteem, and so
many more good qualities. The developed character can bring an understanding that they can
resist negative influences and to use the valuable lesions and skills learned to live a better life.

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Method
The survey will administered by the instructors that lead the participants on their Outward
Bound journey and this will be done at the end of the program. It is important to know that the
instructors that lead the participants on their journey will lead and direct them through the
survey process. The survey is designed to evaluate the impacts that the program had on its
participants. Considering that most of the participants are teenagers and young adults that are
coming from various backgrounds, it is going to be exciting to see the changes and differences
that program has made on each participant. The survey is 2 pages and it will evaluate the
physiological, the social skills, and life skills that are received through the Intercept program.
Additional Methods
In addition to the survey it is very important to have follow-up with the participants in the
Intercept Program because of the backgrounds of each teenager and young adult. Most of the
participants developed unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles so the opportunity that Intercept
provides is crucial to positive change in the lives of its participants. This doesn’t only go for
Outward Bounds Intercept Programs but for the whole organization. Lives are changed
regardless of their background because of the beauty and challenge of the wilderness.
Additional methods will include phone calls to the teenagers and young adults to see how their
skills and Outward Bound experiences have increased self-esteem, confidence, and many more
things that were incorporated into their lives.

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Sampling Technique
The survey was created to see the impacts that the Intercept Programs have on its current and
future participants. The survey will not be provided to any past participants because it is meant
to be administered immediately at the end of the program to allow the best quality responses
to provide current information. This will allow Outward Bound to have information to make
possible future changes to the program. The sampling technique used will be a form of
Purposive sampling and it will be a part of the completion of the program for all its current and
future participants. The participants have been selected for the specific reasons of
understanding the effects that the Intercept program has on their lives. The survey is not only
valuable to the organization but creates important information that is crucial to understanding
how to follow up with the participants.
Administration of Survey
The survey will be administered at the base camps of all the featured Intercept courses. Those
courses are at the following locations which are the Gulf Coast canoeing and backpacking,
Maine Backpacking and canoeing, Minnesota Canoeing and Climbing, and the Florida canoeing
Odyssey. The survey will be conducted at the end of the program to allow the participants to
have experienced Intercept in its entirety. All of the Instructors will conduct the survey in the
preferred classroom at the base camp locations. The survey will be conducted with all the
participants from each Intercept program it will be advised that they take it separately and that
their answers are kept confidential. Considering that the age groups vary from ages 14-22 the
instructor will have the choice to review the survey and explain any questions the participants
might have so they will have a clear understanding of what they are to do. To prevent any bias
of answers the instructors will be advised to leave the room and it will be noted to the
participants that their honest opinion is the most important thing for the evaluation to be
effective. There will then be a drop box on the way out of the class room for the participants to
confidentially submit there surveys.

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Survey Number______
Outward bound is conducting a survey to evaluate your personal experience with the Intercept Program.
The survey will take 5-10 minutes and the information you provide will be crucial to our future
development and success. Please fill out the following survey to the best of your ability.
1. Was the program that you participated in a life changing experience?
__ Yes __ No __ Not Sure
2. Thinking about your experiences as a participant with the Outward Bound Intercept Program please
look over and select how you agree with the following statements. Please circle the appropriate
answer. 1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly
Agree
The physical challenge of the program has
improved the confidence in my abilities. 1 2 3 4 5
The constraints of wilderness developed my
appreciation for the things I have at home. 1 2 3 4 5
I developed the ability to recognize feelings
that are being experienced by others. 1 2 3 4 5
My ability to trust others was increased by
working as a team to accomplish goals. 1 2 3 4 5
Being pushed out of my comfort zone showed
me that I am capable of more than I thought. 1 2 3 4 5
The fun or goofy moments of the program
showed me how to enjoy life again. 1 2 3 4 5
I had experiences that brought me new desires
and passions. 1 2 3 4 5
The beauty of the wilderness gave me a new
positive outlook on life. 1 2 3 4 5
3. Now that you have completed your experience in the Outward Bound Intercept program look at the
following list and select the things you think were developed by participating with your fellow
colleagues. Check all that apply.
Communication with others
Good decision making
Working as a team
Including everyone
Compassion for others
Sharing with others
Having fun with others

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4. Looking back at your participation in the Outward Bound Intercept Program rank the
following things in how you feel they have prepared you for everyday challenges. Please
rank the items from 1=most important to 6=lease Important.
___ Camp organization and cleanliness
___ Outdoor group challenges and activities
___ Food cooking and preparation
___ Developing good personal hygiene
___ Physical challenge of the wilderness
___ Protecting the environment
5. What was your favorite experience on your Outward Bound adventure?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Did the experience described above impact you in a positive way?
__ Yes __ No
If yes, Please explain how.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Please read and select the appropriate answer to the following questions about yourself.
8. Sex
__ Male __ Female
9. Age
__ 14 – 17 __ 18 – 22 __ Other
10. Ethnicity
__ Caucasian __ Hispanic or Latino
__ African American __ Native American or American Indian
__ Asian or Pacific Islander __ Other
11. Income or Parents Income
__ Under 25,000 __ 25,001 - 49,999 __ 50,000 - 74,999 __ 75,000 and up
12. Did you receive financial aid for the program?
__ Yes __ No
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. Your opinion is very important to us.

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Male
68%
Female
32%
Gender Distribution
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Ages 14-17 Ages 18-22
Age Distribution
Yes
26%
No
74%
Financial Aid
Results
For this survey there were a total of 50
participants. The demographics are very
important to Outward Bound to understand
the possible barriers the participants might
face. In the survey 34 participants were male
and 16 were female which comes out to 68%
male and 32% female. The Intercept Program
has two age groups only allowing ages 14-22
to participate. 66% of the sample population
is ages 14-17 and the remaining 34% are ages
18-22. Financial Aid is crucial for some
participants to be a part of the Intercept
program but for this population the Financial
Aid budget is limited and about 26%. To
better understand if that 26% is a significant
number a question regarding the financial
income of the participants or their parents
was included. It showed that 34% of all the
participants income was under $25,000 a year
showing that a good amount of the Intercept
participants are coming from a lower than
average income bracket. $25,001-49,999
came out to 40% of the population. 16% had
an income of $50,000-74,000 and 10% of the
participants made $74,000 and up. One last
demographic was taken in regards to Race
and Ethnicity.

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0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Under 25,000 25,001-49,000 49,001-74,999 74,000 and Up
Income Distribution
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Caucasian African
American
Asian
Islander
Latino
Hispanic
American
Indain
Other
Ethnic Distribution
The majority of the
Ethnicity in the Intercept
program was Caucasian
with 58%. African
American came in with
12%. Asian or Pacific
Islander and Hispanic or
Latino both showed 10%.
Native American or
American Indian was 6%
and all others filled the
remaining 4%. These
demographics are
important for Outward
Bound to know because of
the Outward Bound non-
profit status.
Immediately after the introduction for the survey asks, “was the program you participated in a
life changing experience?” You can find the figure on the top of the next page.
Overwhelmingly the participants selected yes with 86%. While the others selected no with 6%
and the remaining responses were not sure with 8%. This is good news for Outward Bound and
it shows that the Intercept program is having an impact on its participants. Let’s find what
some of those impacts might be with the following results.

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3.25
4.75
2.98
4.48
4.2
3.86
3
4.62
Confidence in Abilities
Appreciation for Home
Recognize Feelings
Trusting Others
More Capable
Enjoys Life Again
New Desires Passions
Positive outlook
The Pshycological Improvements of Intercepts
Participants
Yes
86%
No
6%
Not
Sure
8%
Life Changing Experience
For the question 2 on the
survey the participants were
asked to look over and
respond to the following
statements in relation to their
experiences in the Intercept
program. The directions asked
the participants to respond to
the statement with answers
ranging from “Strongly
Disagree = 1 to Strongly Agree
= 5.” All the statements
described situations where
there could be emotional and
psychological improvements.
This is important for the
participants because most of
them prior to the program
were exhibiting troubling
behaviors and unhealthy lifestyles. The first result on the graph stated that the beauty of the
wilderness gave them a new positive outlook on life and it received a high result with 4.62 out
of 5. There were some lower results that showed areas that are mostly up to the participants
for a turn in behavior to positive change. The statement for having new desires and passions
from their experiences was a result of 3.0. The next statement regarding if the participants

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0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Communication Decision
Making
Teamwork Inclusion Compassion Sharing Fun
Social Skills Developed by the Intercept Participants
recognized the feelings of others was a 2.98. The result that came from an increase in
confidence from physical challenges was a 3.25. Appreciation for home from the constraints of
the wilderness showed a high result of 4.75. Trust is a huge step in building relationships and
the result for building trust by working as a team was 4.48. The Intercept Program strives to
build trust through team activities and challenges which is a valuable for all who participate.
The result for being pushed out of their comfort zone and feeling more capable was a 4.2.
Sometimes life circumstances prohibit the ability to be goofy or to have fun but the result from
the participants showed it to be promising with a 3.86.
The graph below describes the Social Skills developed by the participants in the Intercept
program. Question 3 asked the participants to select from the following social skills they think
they have developed with each other during their participation with Outward Bound. There
were some surprising results and the highest selected skill was having Fun with others which
had 47 selections out of a possible 50. There were some other high results that came close to
one another with the results and they were Communication which came in second with 44
selections followed by Teamwork with 43 selections and compassion with 42 selections out of a
possible 50. These three social skills are important to the development if the Intercept
participants. Unfortunately not all of the results were that high, and the bottom three results
were all in the range of 2O’s. Inclusion receives a result of 20 which was followed by Decision
Making which had a result of 23 and Sharing was right above with a selection of 27.

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Environment
Personal Hygeine
Organization
Food Preporation
Group Activities
Physical Challenge
5.4
4.36
3.78
3.2
2.2
2.06
Q4: Life Skills Obtained by the Particiapants
Question 4 asks the participants look at following skills they have learned from the Intercept
program and rank them on an importance scale according to how the skills have prepared them
for the future. “1=most important to 6=least important.” The graph was purposely reorganized
to show the results as they pertain to the ranking question. The results show that the most
important things to the future of the participants were Physical Challenge of the wilderness
with a result of 2.06 and to the Group Activities 2.2. These two experiences are different from
the rest of the skills because they develop character and social skills that apply directly to
important everyday decisions and challenges. Food Preparation received a result of 3.2 which
was followed by Organization in the campground with a result of 3.78. These two skills are
everyday skills that make life healthier mentally and physically. It is not surprising that Personal
Hygiene received a result of 4.36 with the program having 68% of its participants being male.
Protecting the Environment received a result at the bottom of the range with 5.4.

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Conclusion and Recommendation
Conclusion
Outward Bound has set out on quite a journey to help troubled teens and young adults. The
different backgrounds and unhealthy lifestyles create quite the challenge for the instructors but
the reward of changed lives is all worth it. The program has been successful for many years but
it is always good to evaluate and gain insight from the participants in any organization that
works with people. For this analysis the Outward Bounds Intercept participants were surveyed
and some valuable and interesting data came from it.
The data shows that the Outward Bound Intercept programs are successful in creating
environments for change in these troubled teens. The first question on the survey asked, “Was
the program that you participated in a life changing experience?” Surprisingly 86% said yes and
from the first question Outward Bound revealed that Intercept is having an impact on its
participants. Although the following results vary it is very difficult to have an impact on an
individual across all the bases of positive change because every person is different in how they
react and deal with life’s challenges.
There were many psychological improvements the participants gained from the Intercept
program. All of the statements from the Likert Scale emphasized psychological change that
came from the program and the results showed that there were significant increases in
appreciation for home life, increased trust for others from group activities, a positive outlook
on life, and that they are more capable than they thought because the participants were
pushed out of their comfort zone. This supports the fact that the Outward Bound Intercept
Program works for its participants. There were also things that needed to be improved and
focused on by the instructors in the Intercept program and those things were to encourage the
participant’s confidence, and the ability to understand other participant’s feelings with
empathy. The Instructors do not have the ability to force anyone have confidence or to feel
empathy but they can create an environment for those characteristics to grow and be learned
positive change.
In regards to the social skills that were developed by the participants they were asked to select
from the following things they though were developed by their participation with others in the
Intercept program. The top results for that question regarding developed social skills were
increased compassion for others, working as a team, and increased communication with others.
These are all important social skills that the teens and young adults need in order to have
successful futures with work, school, family and so much more. For most of the participants
the social interaction that was provided through this program was priceless and may never
been acquired without the opportunity the Intercept Program provides. There were some low
results that came from the questions and those were decision making, inclusion, and sharing.
These are deep moral characteristics that are developed over time and shows why it is
important to have follow-up with the participants after the program has passed. It is likely that

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most of them might not have realized the positive changes in their character until they arrive
back home to everyday life.
There where many life skills that the participants developed through the Intercept program.
There were skills received that the participants might not have seen as being significant or
important for everyday life. For most of the troubled teens and young adults they may never
have experienced the wilderness or understood what it was like to set up camp. This offered an
opportunity for the participants to understand that by their participation in the Intercept
program they have acquired skills and abilities that have better prepared them for everyday
life.
Recommendations
Overall the Outward Bound Intercept programs do an excellent job of creating environments
that bring positive change to its participants. An emphasis on incorporating psychological
improvements could be brought into the current programs by facilitating the need to have
empathy for others. This can be achieved through group challenges that have to do with
understanding one another in the group. There might also be situations that happen during the
programs that might create fear or shock and these situations might serve as an opportunity to
explain what why empathy is important for social development.
Some other recommendations for social development might be to incorporate better decision
making skills into the program through group activities and icebreaker challenges. There are
many games that can be played which develop decision making skills and theses games can
create more opportunities for those skills to form. There were some low responses to the
survey that raised some questions about the social development of the Intercepts participants.
Those results showed there was a lack inclusion among the participants. These are very difficult
social skills to teach a person. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults but
regardless of that factor it should still be emphasized by the instructors that everyone should
have the opportunity to be a part of all the experiences. One example of how project this is to
make a “No Double Parking” policy with all group activities. When groups gather for team
activities and a circle is formed allow plenty of space between each participant to allow
everyone to be a part of the group. This creates an understanding that everyone is equal and a
part of the group.
There was a result In question 4 that was in need of improvement. The question asks the
participants to rank the following items in order of importance. On almost all of the responses
protecting the environment was selected as the least important. It is understandable that this
was ranked at the bottom because age groups that answered the question are ages 14-22. The
main purpose of the program isn’t to teach the participants to properly throw away their trash
in the wilderness setting but by creating an understanding that it is important to protect the
environment, develops important characteristics of integrity and responsibility to protect the
natural resource. The mind change for this concept might not take place immediately but

21
because of the wilderness experience the participants will be more likely to be proactive and
have a heightened sense for protecting and preserving the environment in their future. For
these reasons and for the beautiful natural resource to still be available in the future it would
be good to emphasis more education in the Intercept programs about protecting the
environment.
In regards to the demographics of the survey they showed that the majority of the Intercept
participants are Caucasian or White followed by Black or African American and all other
ethnicities slowly decreased from there. Steps should be made to reach out and increase the
other ethnic demographics. This should be done because no matter the ethnic background
wilderness therapy is an important solution for all teenagers and young adults in need of a
program that promotes change. The financial aid demographic showed that 26% of the
participants received financial aid. In order to reach a greater diversity for Intercept
participants the financial aid needs to increase for the troubled teens and young adults that
might not have been able to afford the program.

22
References
Berman, D.S., & Davis-Berman, J.L. (1989). Wilderness therapy: A therapeutic
adventure for adolescents. Journal of Independent Social Work, 73
Gillis, H.L., & Gass. (1993). Bringing adventure into marriage and family therapy:
An innovative experiential approach. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 19
Keith C. Russel (2000). Journal of Experiential Education: Exploring How the Wilderness Therapy
Process Relates to Outcomes, 1
Keith C. Russell, John c. Hendee, and Dianne Philips-Miller (1999). How wilderness Therapy
Works: An Examination of the Wilderness Therapy Process to treat Adolescents with
Behavioral Problems and Addictions, 2, 6, 17, 18
Kristen Maria O'Shea (2008). Dissertation: Exploring the Benefits of an Outdoor Adventure
Program for Improving Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy and Reducing Problem Behaviors in
Adolescent Girls, 6
Outward Bound (2013). March 15, 2013
Retrieved from: http://www.outwardbound.org/about-outward-bound/philosophy/

Project Preposal 110 Final Print

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