Even
though the chill of autumn is well upon us, it’s always a great time to enjoy
the outdoors—and it’s also important for a youth’s development to keep their
connection to our natural world.
With
teens so immersed in texting and video games and other tech-focused pursuits, they often lose both the connection
to each other and to the world around them. That’s why North Shore Child & Family
Guidance Center designed our Wilderness Respite Program, which provides a
unique opportunity for at-risk adolescents to participate in nature activities
that foster individual growth, leadership skills, self-esteem and friendships
while also promoting environmental stewardship.
Following
is a “slice of life” from the program:
During
one of the planning meetings for an upcoming hike, a few of the boys tried to
take control of the situation by dominating the other group members through
physical posturing and verbal banter. That all changed once the teens drove to
the state park and departed from the van. We found ourselves immersed in the
forest, with no pavement, stores, traffic lights or any of the usual trappings
of the home neighborhood—the kind of pure, natural environment many of the
teens had rarely if ever experienced.
To
our surprise, the boys did not volunteer to lead the way. Instead, they followed
the girls, who became models of leadership. Little by little, all of the teens learned
to work together, decoding the trail markers located on trees and rocks.
Relying on their growing awareness of themselves and the direction of the staff,
the teens gradually learned to hike at a controlled, measured pace, rather than
starting out in a sprint and tiring as the day wore on. Although this was emphasized
during preparation meetings, it was in the “doing” that this learning was
integrated by the hikers, who soon learned how easy it was to get worn out.
The
hike was a challenging one, lengthy and with rough terrain. It was an
experience most of the teens felt was beyond their capabilities, but once they
realized they could overcome these perceived limitations, they felt
exhilarated. They also developed a noticeable respect, admiration and affection
for each other. Tired and done-in, the group gathered around some rocks,
leaning on one another for support, warmth and belonging.
Self-discovery
took another turn on a canoeing trip by the same group. The teens were faced
with strong winds and an unfriendly current as they attempted to learn basic
canoeing skills on Long Island Sound. All of the teens experienced a great deal
of frustration, disappointment and anger as they struggled in teams to control
the direction and progress of their canoes. They learned that the elements and
obstacles proved too formidable on that day for us to reach our destination,
when after three hours of tiresome paddling, we needed to turn around and
paddle back to our starting point, rather than continue to our original
destination six miles away.
But
the trip wasn’t by any means a failure, because learning how to handle disappointment
is just as valuable as experiencing success. The group learned that when the
challenges of the wilderness became tiring and weather conditions on the water became burdensome and oppressive, they had to reach inside
themselves to summon up additional strength to overcome frustration, anger and
fear. So, even though the trip had more than its share of disappointments, the
teens were able to carry over the feeling that they could handle it when things
don’t go smoothly.
These
wilderness outings to excursions on both land and sea were successful because
they all serve to prepare the teens for unknown challenges ahead.
Bio: Andrew Malekoff
is the Executive Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center,
which provides comprehensive mental health services for children from birth
through 24 and their families. To find out more, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org.
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