Adventure Activities

STATEMENT: ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES IN OUR SCHOOLS

  1. Since its foundation in 1962 by German educationalist Kurt Hahn, the approach within UWC has emphasised student responsibility, student autonomy and personal sense-making. UWC Values emphasize “personal responsibility and integrity”, “personal challenge” as well as “action and personal example”. UWC values also emphasize the collective nature of the students’ and the College’s endeavour: “mutual responsibility and respect”, “compassion and service”, “international and intercultural understanding” and the “celebration of difference”.
  1. The pedagogical method developed within UWC schools / colleges progressively confers (appropriate) responsibility on the student to prepare the student for his or her role as an autonomous adult in society. With that conferring of increased responsibility comes increased risk. The welfare strategies of the schools / colleges are designed to mitigate such risk.
  1. A central feature of the UWC educational experience is action and adventure. Both are experienced through sport and outdoor activities, which are in turn central features of the educational model that makes up a UWC education. The Educational Model is suffused with ideas such as “courageous action”, “outdoor”, “experiential learning”, “selfless leadership”, and “personal example”.
  1. It is understood that to develop these attributes in the young people in our schools / colleges, a central feature of our curriculum is activities such as wall and rock climbing, open course swimming, kayaking, horse-riding, orienteering, camping out, hiking, cycling, trail-running, etc. Many of these activities involve levels of risk-taking not normally associated with schooling. In the pursuit of our educational aims, risk and the management thereof is an essential element of the learning process.
  1. Through activities that challenge and stretch them at a physical and mental level, students develop an appreciation of their physical and mental strengths and weaknesses,
  1. Each school / college is expected to develop its own policies in relation to the norms, standards and applicable regulatory framework of the country within which it is situated.

Adopted by the College Heads Committee: 15 May 2015