If you are lucky enough to have childhood memories of taking part in outdoor adventures, it is very likely that you have experienced the rush that comes with taking a risk, pushing yourself and finding out what you are capable of.

There is a transformational thrill that lies at the heart of every great adventure; one that comes from the growth in confidence and the deepening of self-knowledge that accompany the psychological and physical challenges posed by outdoor pursuits.

Outdoor adventures have long been linked to improvements in self-esteem, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, and increased group bonding. As this list shows, thrill-seeking is about more than just an adrenaline rush, but it is not only through scaling mountains or taking to the waves that these vitally important benefits for young people can be achieved.

Creative pursuits, like outdoor adventures, require risk-evaluation, innovation, perseverance, and originality, and both offer the potential of the unmistakable sense of euphoria that follows the successful completion of a challenging task that takes us out of our comfort zone.   

Creative and Adventurous Experiences

Participation in a summer programme like Marlborough College Open Minds provides a perfect opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zone and take creative and adventurous risks. The unfamiliar setting, the range of new activities on offer and the opportunity to collaborate with classmates combine to create an ideal environment to reap the rewards of an education that incorporates creativity and adventure into daily life at the camp.

Taking the Marlborough College campus as their base, Open Minds students may find themselves climbing a cliff-face in the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, kayaking down the River Wye to build a camp under the stars and taking in ocean views from every angle as they scramble, swim and jump their way around the coastline in a ‘coasteering’ activity.

Open Minds students bring their newly honed skills of collaboration from the outdoors to all other aspects of the course, working together on projects such as film and theatre-making, pursuing the transformational thrill that is at the heart of creative pursuits. 

Student Perspectives

Seeing a shy student go from visible discomfort when speaking in class to confidently delivering a speech as part of class project in the space of two short weeks, or watching a group of friends encourage and support one another to overcome their fears in a day of coasteering, it is clear that courses such as these ones have a profound impact on young people. You can see this for yourselves in this video. Students interviewed at the end of an Open Minds course reflected on this in the following ways:

“I really like everything we do…. Things you would never expect and things I would never usually try” -Elizabet

“I’m a different person now, I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel different. I feel more confident and happier” -Christina

“I’ve changed a lot. I used not to want to do anything, now I try anything, and I used to be scared of everything and now I’m not scared anymore. I’m a much happier person in general now” -Maru 

If you’d like us to give you more information or answer any queries, feel free to contact us on [email protected] or call us on +44 (0)1672 892388