Healthy Communities • YMCA Camps and Outdoor Education • YMCA Youth Programs
Outdoor Experiential Education changes lives
21 March 2016 - by Gord Dunlop
YMCA Outdoor Education programs offer experiential activities and focused reflections that foster personal growth and build stronger school communities. In 2015, nearly 400 high school students, age 14 to 18, completed a participant impact survey following their school’s field trip to YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre or YMCA Camp Pine Crest. The results illuminated the impacts of the YMCA's programs:
Day and overnight field trips away from school provides an opportunity for students to build their peer group and connect with teachers outside of the classroom. The experiences of group activities or coming together around a campfire creates a common experience that strengthens the school community.
Whether it’s conquering the high ropes challenge course or successfully completing cooperative group initiatives, experiential programs are effective tools for students to increase confidence and self-esteem by challenging them to expand their comfort zone and succeed in a positive and respectful environment. A debriefing facilitated by YMCA staff assists students in examining topics like communication or teamwork and then plan how to apply their experience to other situations in life.
Programs focus on the development of both soft skills, such as leadership and teamwork, as well as hard skills such as map and compass orienteering or fire building techniques. Many outdoor education programs include opportunities to connect with elementary or secondary school curriculum.
Students are encouraged to leave electronics at home and enjoy a screen-free stay where they can appreciate the natural environment and focus on an active and healthy experience.
YMCA Outdoor Centres are located at Cedar Glen, just 45 minutes north of Toronto, and at Camp Pine Crest in Muskoka. We offer customized outdoor education, team building and leadership development programs.
Outdoor Education Builds Community
- 69% of students felt increased belonging in their school
- 64% of students said it helped school become a more comfortable place to be
- 71% of students became better at trusting friends
Day and overnight field trips away from school provides an opportunity for students to build their peer group and connect with teachers outside of the classroom. The experiences of group activities or coming together around a campfire creates a common experience that strengthens the school community.
Outdoor Education Builds Character
- 79% of students became better at listening to friends
- 69% of students felt increased confidence
- 74% of students reported increased cooperation with others
Whether it’s conquering the high ropes challenge course or successfully completing cooperative group initiatives, experiential programs are effective tools for students to increase confidence and self-esteem by challenging them to expand their comfort zone and succeed in a positive and respectful environment. A debriefing facilitated by YMCA staff assists students in examining topics like communication or teamwork and then plan how to apply their experience to other situations in life.
Outdoor Education Builds Skills
- 93% of students reported improvement at activities
Programs focus on the development of both soft skills, such as leadership and teamwork, as well as hard skills such as map and compass orienteering or fire building techniques. Many outdoor education programs include opportunities to connect with elementary or secondary school curriculum.
Outdoor Education Gets Students Outdoors
Students are encouraged to leave electronics at home and enjoy a screen-free stay where they can appreciate the natural environment and focus on an active and healthy experience.
YMCA Outdoor Centres are located at Cedar Glen, just 45 minutes north of Toronto, and at Camp Pine Crest in Muskoka. We offer customized outdoor education, team building and leadership development programs.
