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Fact Sheet Table of Contents

• How it All Began
• Engage in a Life Changing Experience in 32 Countries
• Outward Bound Serves the World
• Self-Development Through Challenge and Adventure
• Outward Bound Uses the Outdoor as a Classroom
• Outward Bound's Safety Record is Exemplary
• Guest Expeditions Contribute to the Cause

How it All Began

Outward Bound is the pioneer of adventure education. Founded in 1941, it considerably preceeded the current adventure travel boom. Kurt Hahn’s model was created as a way to help teach young British Sailors the vital survival skills necessary during World War II. However, it soon became apparent that people who were put in challenging, adventurous outdoor situations gained confidence, redefined their own perceptions of their personal possibilities, demonstrated compassion, and developed a spirit of camaraderie with their peers. It took only a few years for this groundbreaking educational program to begin its international expansion.

Outward Bound is a nautical term used to describe a ship leaving the safety of its harbor and heading for the open seas. Likewise, with more than 60 years of experience in organizational training Outward Bound has become a leader in the team-building industry. Today, it’s the largest organization in the world that uses the outdoors as a medium for personal and team development. With schools in over thirty countries on six continents and with a wide variety of programs catering to the particular populations of these countries culture, the future of Outward Bound International looks very promising.

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Engage in a Life Changing Experience in 32 Countries

Outward Bound, a not-for-profit organization, is unique among similar organizations, in that it always assuresthat no one is turned away for financial reasons. Many of the programs are subsidized to help out those in need.

80% of participants in Outward Bound programs are young people. The other 20% of participants are corporate groups and adults. Microsoft, Allianz, and INSEAD have used Outward Bound to help make their employees better workers, and adults up to 80 years old have enrolled in courses for all types of reasons.

Team bonding is the key to all of these experiences. That’s one reason why Outward Bound has been so successful in opening up the minds of young and old alike. Their programs teach people to work in a groups and take initiative as a team leader if need be. Right now participates can choose an experience in 32 countries, but the company is actively working to reach soul-seekers in 37 countries. The programs follow Outward Bound’s internationally recognized core values: courage, trust, integrity, compassion and cooperation. These values are what allow participants to enter the program as one person and leave with a part of them they didn’t know existed.

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Outward Bound Serves the World

With Outward Bound schools on six continents, approximately 200,000 people participate in an Outward Bound program each year. There are courses available for groups made up of a few individuals, larger groups and even entire organizations. Some courses are open to enrollment by anyone and others are customized to meet the goals of special groups, but all Outward Bound trips focus on the main values of character development, adventure and challenge, compassion, service, learning through experience and social and environmental responsibility. Regardless of the country where the courses are offered, participants can be assured a wide variety of outdoor tasks and challenges, whether they choose a pre-designed or custom program. Outward Bound International has an international reputation for safety, and is the Global Leader in Outdoor Experiential Education. Increasing numbers of participants attend Outward Bound programs in countries other than their own. Multi-national companies use Outward Bound for training and team building exercises.

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Self-Development Through Challenge and Adventure

Self-development is a very difficult, lifetime goal for many people. An Outward Bound course can help at every step of the way - from those just starting out to those who are wondering if they've lost their way. With programs offering challenging experiences and using the outdoors as a classroom, Outward Bound provides exciting adventure combined with service projects which are very satisfying to participants as they discover their hidden capacities of mind, body and spirit, and a better understanding of themselves and how they relate to others and community. Every Outward Bound educational trip helps participants develop skills that are critical to living a successful life, while building strong relationships with the other team members on the outing.

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Outward Bound Uses the Outdoor as a Classroom

Outward Bound courses center around the great outdoors as well as utilizing some classrooms. They may involve mountaineering, rock climbing, ropes courses, sailing, canoeing, hiking, whitewater rafting, surfing, etc.

As nearly 80% of participants are young people, Outward Bound programs create young leaders through educational programs in the wilderness, urban settings and school classrooms throughout the world. Their Scholarship Program is guided by a single principle: Every young person should be given the opportunity to experience adventure and challenge, develop character and compassion, and learn social and environmental responsibility, regardless of financial ability. They bring together diverse groups of students to instill cultural understanding and teamwork skills that enable them to become principled leaders.

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Outward Bound's Safety Record is Exemplary

At Outward Bound safety is a top priority. The organization has developed and refined their safety procedures and program reviews over the past six decades with more than four million participants. A worldwide system of reviews strives to constantly share and improve operations.

Since each Outward Bound school seeks to have high standards of risk management, it has developed a number of voluntary procedures designed to reduce the likelihood of accidents and incidents.

Every two years each of our member schools are reviewed by a team of experts external to the schoo.In addition, each school trains its staff in skills needed for the environment in which it operates. Outward Bound schools exchange information about current risk management practices through electronic exchanges and at biennial conferences.

Regardless of the school and activities of the course, this experience will harness the mind and body. Participants will be constantly challenged through active, hands-on learning, this journey will help stretch the mind to meet team goals and end in reflection of many wonderful accomplishments.

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Guest Expeditions Contribute to the Cause

Outward Bound International offers Guest Expeditions to selected venues for those who wish to contribute to the cause. Learn about Outward Bound directly by going on a personal expedition and your enrollment will support the mission of this organzation which is: "To help people discover and develop their potential to care for themselves, others and the world around them through challenging experiences in unfamiliar settings."

For Guest Expeditions, in addition to the cost participants make a tax-deductible contribution (usually about US$1,500) to OBI. The total cost is often similar to a commercial expedition.

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