Outdoor programs have been used to support disadvantaged youth for decades, but there has been less experience using outdoor experiences to work with families. This research focuses on a pilot program in England in which resiliency training and outdoor activities were combined in a program intended to improve the well-being of families with at-risk children.
Schools participating in a targeted mental health program were asked to identify families that had one or more children that had emotional well-being needs and may benefit from participating in the Thurston Family Project. Seven families, which included 17 children, participated in the project. The families cane from the most deprived communities in England and were all single-parent households. Participation in the project began with a week-long residential course at an outdoor education center and concluded with another weekend at the center. Outdoor activities at the center provided the opportunity for families to learn new skills, gain comfort managing risk in a controlled setting, give the youth an opportunity to play and the adults the chance to engage other parents in conversation, and give both the parents and children the opportunity to see their family members in a different, more positive light. The outdoor center served as an “anchor providing a stable base for the work with the families. It provided time and space, both physical and emotional, away from the stresses of everyday life and hence freed up energy to be directed into learning new skills.” In the six months between these residential components mental health professionals worked with families in different capacities.
The project was primarily evaluated through surveys administered to participating parents and children (and their teachers) before the first residential course and two months after the concluding residential weekend. Additional data were also gathered in the form of reports from the student's schools, observations during the residential courses and interviews with participants and project staff. Project evaluation found that many of the participating children had more positive attitudes towards school and their home environment and their teachers observed reductions in anxiety, less disruptive behavior, and higher levels of pro-social behaviors. The participating parents reported making positive changes in their family life, with some showing greater engagement with personal development opportunities.
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