Case
Studies

Case Studies

Outward Bound Canada is grateful for opportunities to partner with schools and community groups in the Metro Vancouver Regional Area, Calgary, the Greater Toronto Area and Halton Region to provide a wide range of programs so that youth from diverse backgrounds can explore nature with the support of highly skilled instructors who ensure that these authentic adventures happen in a safe, challenging and supportive manner. Here are a few case studies that outline the benefits of schools and groups partnering with Outward Bound Canada.

Haskayne Case Study

About Haskayne
The Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary was founded in 1967 and is one of the top business schools in Canada, and top 100 in the world. Haskayne Adventure Leadership Education, offered through the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business, depends on Outward Bound Canada, a leader in Outdoor Adventure Education since 1969 to deliver this key component of their program. It is offered for credit through Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources (OBHR 559.01).

Why Haskayne chose Outward Bound Canada
Haskayne recognizes that putting students into groups that tackle real-life, unpredictable situations without a definitive solution on a wilderness expedition is an accelerated way to put into practice the leadership skills they read and learn about in class.

In the words of Dr. Julian Norris, Faculty at Haskayne and former Associate Director of Outward Bound Canada: “You can read a lot of books about it but it won’t make you a better leader – it’s only by leading and reflecting on those experiences that we really develop ourselves, and this is an opportunity to accelerate that development. It’s through the way that we work with challenge, that we can discover the courage, determination and depths of character that we can draw on for a lifetime as a leader. When you live leadership, you can develop skills and capacities you probably didn’t even know you had.”

What is the Haskayne Leadership Expedition?
The 5-day backpacking expedition takes students into the spectacular high mountain terrain in the Kananaskis region of the Rocky Mountains. Students are immediately immersed into learning to lead through every aspect of the course. Instructors facilitate this learning by providing the ‘safety net’ of their expertise and experience, while stretching the students’ ability, allowing them to take responsibility for the group as they navigate problem-solving challenges, unpredictable conditions and challenging wilderness terrain. The students complete leadership assignments, small group work and structured personal reflection. Taken together, these elements are used as a foundation for developing and practicing the fundamentals of advanced leadership.

To get a sense of the expedition, check out these videos about the 2014 and 2015 programs. And here’s a video from Dr. Julian Norris, in which he describes the Leadership Expedition.

What were the outcomes:
Outcomes were analyzed using a pre- post- retro-active survey, and growth was seen in all 5 categories (in particular, Social Competence and Environmental Responsibility):

In the words of Haskayne students:
“You’re out there running the outcome and the future of your day – you’re in charge and you learn a lot from it.”

“We all left with questions answered that we never thought to ask ourselves.”

“By digging deep you’ll find resources that will serve you in your professional and personal life for years to come.” – Dr. Julian Norris, Haskayne Faculty

Case Study #2

Coming.

Case Study #3

Coming.