A conference series exploring the importance of adventure to wellbeing and mental health. Adventure Mind is open to anyone who is interested in understanding the connection between adventure and wellbeing including outdoor professionals, health & wellbeing practitioners, researchers, educators, policy makers & all adventurers.
The next conference is Adventure Mind 2024: Accessible Adventure
The following conferences have taken place
Adventure Mind 2023: Small Adventures, Big Impact
Adventure Mind 2022: Recovery From The Pandemic
Adventure Mind 2020: Evidence For Adventure For Wellbeing
The aim of the first conference was to inspire the international research community to carry out more investigation into the benefits of adventuring on wellbeing and mental health. It was so successful in igniting a new wave of research in this area that all subsequent #AdventureMind conferences have focused on supporting those delivering adventure for mental health. Helping outdoor professionals, health & wellbeing practitioners, educators, policy makers and more connect to the latest research, funding, evidence based practice and opportunities.
Read Belinda’s article about what led her to create Adventure Mind here and how Adventure Mind can help you on YouTube If you'd like to know more about the conference please email enquiries@explorersconnect.com
AdventureMind 2024
Hosted by Beyond Bendrigg, in partnership with The University of Central Lancashire
21st & 22nd November 2024
AdventureMind is a conference series exploring the importance of adventure to wellbeing and mental health. It is for everyone who is interested in in understanding the connection between adventure and wellbeing, including outdoor professionals, wellbeing practitioners, researchers, health professionals & all adventurers.
This year’s theme is ‘Accessible Adventure’ and is hosted by Beyond Bendrigg, in partnership with The University of Central Lancashire.
We will examine the importance of adventure for mental health of those who face the most significant barriers to accessing challenges in the outdoors. Barriers might include poor mental health, disability, gender identity, race, and socio-economic factors. These groups stand to benefit the most - so we will also explore how to deliver accessible and inclusive adventures for all and design them to maximise the power of adventure for everyone.
It is recognised as CPD by The Mountain Training Association, Association of Mountaineering Instructors and British Association of International Mountain Leaders.
This 2024 event will be hosted by Beyond Bendrigg, part of the Bendrigg Trust – an accessible outdoor centre for disabled and disadvantaged children and adults near Kendal in Cumbria. Delegates will have the chance to see how Bendrigg designs and delivers accessible and inclusive adventures with opportunities to discuss ideas with Bendrigg staff and tour the facilities.
Information on previous AdventureMind conferences
Who is AdventureMind for?
The AdventureMind conference brings together over one hundred adventure practitioners, health & wellbeing professionals, researchers, policy makers and all adventurers to better understand how adventurous activity can positively affect mental health and wellbeing in the UK.
The conference is designed for any outdoor organisation or practitioner that works to improve the wellbeing of their participants and for individuals who are interested in how adventure can affect them. Attendees benefit from learning about new research, smarter ways to deliver adventure, how to best assess impact and how to win funding.
Researchers benefit from sharing their results with those that can action them and building collaborations for future work.
Policy makers have the opportunity to work with high profile practitioners and researchers to examine ways of bringing outdoor adventure into mental health planning.
The event incorporates indoor and outdoor workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, presentations of case studies by practitioners and the latest evidence by leading scientists.
Full line up coming soon!
Interested in presenting your work?
We invite you to submit your abstracts for presentation about your research or practice around the theme of Accessible Adventure or a short proposal for a seminar/ practical workshop.
Research and abstracts about practice-based submissions are welcome with content connecting any form of adventure for positive mental health to accessibility, inclusion, belonging, health equity, outdoors, outdoor learning, outdoor education, nature connection, and social prescribing. Authors from a practice background with no research experience are welcome to submit, please get in touch with us if you would like further information or support with your submission.
Presentation submissions are invited in the form of a 300- word summary using the guidance below. Proposals for seminar/practical workshops are limited to 150-words. Referencing is not required in the abstract. Full information and how to submit your abstract here
Location
Adventure Mind 2024 will take place at The Bendrigg Trust – an accessible outdoor centre just outside Kendal in Cumbria.
Just of Junction 37 of the M6 motorway, nestled between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. Postcode: LA8 0NR Grid Ref: 581892
The nearest train station is Oxenholme Lake District, approximately 4 miles away. There is no public transport to Bendrigg Lodge however pick up can be arranged with Bendrigg or taxis are available outside the station building.
Please note, parking is extremely limited at Bendrigg, so we are encouraging travel by train or car-sharing wherever possible.
What’s included:
Eary Bird Price is £165 per person including:
All presentations, indoor and outdoor workshops, panel discussions and networking sessions
1 x two-course networking dinner on Thursday evening
2 x cooked lunches
Two servings of tea/coffee/biscuits each day
Please note, the price will increase to £190 after July.
Please let us know about any accessibility or additional needs you might have on the booking form or contact Bendrigg direct to chat through how we can make sure you can fully participate in the event.
We want as many people as possible to be able to attend AdventureMind 2024. If your circumstances mean that the cost of the event means you can’t attend, please contact Bendrigg for details of bursaries. Bursaries are designed to support people to attend who otherwise wouldn’t be able to for financial reasons.
Accommodation
Comfortable rooms are available onsite and at a local basic hotel a few minutes’ drive away. Shuttle buses will bring you to and from the hotel to the conference each day.
You can book Wednesday and/or Thursday night and prices include breakfast.
The conference will take place just before the Kendal Mountain Festival – so why not stay on in the area for the weekend and be inspired by all the events taking place during the festival! It may be possible to stay on at Bendrigg during the Mountain Festival, contact Bendrigg direct to discuss your requirements.
If you have any questions please contact Sara Murray sara@bendrigg.org.uk
Adventure Mind 2023
A conference series exploring the importance of adventure to wellbeing and mental health. For outdoor professionals, wellbeing practitioners, researchers, health professionals & all adventurers. This year’s theme is ‘Small Adventures, Big Impact’
Duration: 27th & 28th November 2023 | Location: Near Sheffield, UK
Adventure Mind is open to anyone who is interested in understanding the connection between adventure and wellbeing.
In particular there is a community of outdoor, health and wellbeing practitioners that see the benefit of adventurous activity on people of all ages and backgrounds. This conference is designed to equip you with the latest research, share practice, improve networks and share resources, to increase the impact and effectiveness of your work. It is recognised as CPD by The Mountain Training Association, Association of Mountaineering Instructors and British Association of International Mountain Leaders.
In 2023 the conference theme will be ‘Small Adventures, Big Impact’.
“Small” adventures could include programmes and interventions that are close to home or require little to no resources / funding or are short in duration or particularly accessible. With a cost of living crisis, lack of funding and increased awareness around climate change, discreet ideas & techniques that can be carried out on their own or incorporated into larger expeditions offers an opportunity for all to act.
Who is Adventure Mind for?
Adventure Mind brings together two hundred adventure practitioners, health & wellbeing professionals, researchers, policy makers and all adventurers to better understand how adventurous activity can positively affect mental health in the UK.
The conference is designed for any outdoor organisation or practitioner that works to improve the wellbeing of their participants, or wishes to in the future. Also for individuals who are interested in how adventure can affect them. Attendees benefit from learning about new research, smarter ways to deliver adventure, how to best assess impact and how to win funding.
Researchers benefit from sharing their results with those that can action them and building collaborations for future work.
Policy makers have the opportunity to work with high profile practitioners and researchers to examine ways of bringing outdoor adventure into mental health planning.
(NB For those who attended Adventure Mind 2020 the first conference was designed more for researchers, to ask them to change their view of ‘adventure’ and to ask them to do more research in the area of ‘adventure-for-wellbeing’. We were overwhelmingly successful in this so subsequent conferences are aimed at supporting the practitioners. This is reflected in the new format)
Agenda
The event incorporates indoor and outdoor workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, presentations of case studies by practitioners and the latest evidence by leading scientists.
Presentations will be delivered in plain English suitable for all audiences, so no prior knowledge is required.
Adventure Mind 2023 aims to share specific actionable steps attendees can immediately take with confidence.
Presentations
Israh Goodall explores life’s transitions and thresholds in her work as an expedition leader, rites of passage guide/researcher, coach and midwife. Israh will present “Outdoor adventures as a rite of passage” sharing her 20 yr experience of how rites of passage help in guiding transformative personal and collective change. Her work is focussed on supporting individuals, organisations and communities navigate transitions and reclaim rites of passage in a meaningful way. The presentation will explore why rites of passage are important today and why adventure is the perfect vehicle for delivery.
Dr Susan Houge Mackenzie is an Associate Professor in the University of Otago School of Business (Tourism Department). Her research on how nature-based adventure can foster psychological wellbeing for individuals, organisations, and communities, has been translated into a range of applications for public and private organisations. Susan’s academic work is underpinned by her previous career as an adventure guide, competitive football player and coach. She is currently working alongside New Zealand tourism organisations to facilitate regenerative tourism approaches for operators and destinations. Susan’s presentation will explore a few psychological models that may identify the mechanisms that underpin adventure for wellbeing, especially in smaller adventures. Decoding small local achievable adventure experiences, may improve the accessibility of adventure for more people.
Richard Chapman is a climber, trainee mountain leader and Co-Active Lived Experience Coach who is changing the way trauma is treated in mainstream healthcare. He has lived experience of Post Traumatic Stress following the death of his first child, but found that climbing helped manage his emotions. When he saw the NHS starting to think differently about how to make care more personalised, he started working with the system to help other people access the benefits of climbing for their wellbeing. He is now at the forefront of an NHS-funded social prescribing trial called Climbing Matters, where people living with severe mental illness are offered climbing as a aid to recovery and a source of hope.
Anita Grant has been the Chair of Play England since 2019 and was the CEO of Islington Play Association for 15 years. During this time she has championed the benefits of adventure playgrounds where children are free to be with each other, try things out and interact with their environments. Anita believes that freedom, time and space are fundamentally important for growth, connection and joy. Anita also believes that adventures, exploring the unknown and taking risks is what makes the world fun. Anita will talk about the importance of having play at the heart of children’s lives and how to support the everyday adventures open to us all, child or adult, if we are willing to take the risk.
Belinda Kirk is an explorer, mum and leading campaigner promoting the benefits of adventure on wellbeing, performance and mental health. In 2009, Belinda established Explorers Connect to spread the word about the life-changing impact of adventure and encouraged 30,000 ordinary people to engage in transformational outdoor challenges. In 2019 she launched Adventure Mind and will host this year’s event. She wrote “Adventure Revolution: The life-changing power of choosing challenge”, the first book to explain the psychology of why adventure is essential to our wellbeing. She has led dozens of international expeditions over the last twenty-seven years, crossing continents on foot and gaining a Guinness World Record for rowing unsupported around Britain. She has led numerous youth development challenges, pioneered inclusive expeditions for people with disabilities and managed scientific research missions in the Amazon, Sinai and Alaska.
WORKSHOPS
Andrew Telfer is Head Coach at WildStrong. He is a public health professional and is passionate about health promotion and creating achievable exercise for longevity. Andrew holds a Master in Public Health and has over 15 year’s experience of coaching, personal training and course development. “I think the fitness industry took a wrong turn when it adopted a top down model of fitness education. I also feel there is too much emphasis on working out alone and the collection of arbitrary data. WildStrong is the opportunity to embed movement in a community setting, with tangible benefits, creating a peer-lead, distributed model of health practice.” Andrew will lead an “Explore and Play” experience including taking part in small challenges and talking about the importance of practicing falling, the Fear of Falling Cycle and the danger of Avoidance Behavior.
Gill Erskine is Director of WildStrong. Gill is passionate about making the outdoors and movement accessible to all. A natural community builder, Gill started WildStrong as she wanted to create space for people to spend more time outdoors and meet others who lived very locally. In 2023, Gill was recognised as one of the UK’s most inspirational and dynamic female entrepreneurs by the f:Entrepreneur 100 campaign. “I just love watching all of our members’ journeys. They start out full of doubt and are fairly convinced that they can’t do anything. Within weeks they are up at the front, helping other members and making new friends and trying to jump over a log. It makes my heart sing when I see all the support networks that are created through one group.” Andrew will lead an “Explore and Play” experience including taking part in small challenges and talking about the importance of practicing falling, the Fear of Falling Cycle and the danger of Avoidance Behavior.
Associate Professor Delane Lim is the Co-founder for FutuReady Asia, the managing partner for Global Outdoor Education Consulting Group and the secretary-general of Outdoor Learning & Adventure Education Association. He is also a certified challenge course manager under ACCT and a certified youth counsellor and suicide prevention specialist. Delane will deliver a workshop focusing on how to ‘Facilitate Coping Mechanisms’ and how we prepare our youths and ourselves for the future using experiential and outdoor learning. This session will uncover different activities for different learning groups, designing and facilitating a good experiential learning programme to help our youth who may at risk (social risk, behavioural risk or emotional risk) to be “FutuReady”
Martin ‘Murph’ Murphy’s adventures began with escaping from a dysfunctional childhood, joining the military and being selected as a walk leader on an expedition to the Himalayas. Today he is a resilience coach and helps people become effective and resilient leaders and team members. Murph will be leading Resilience Walkshops based on the theories and philosophies supporting the benefits of voluntary challenge and nature.
Dave Gallagher is a Chartered Psychologist and Cognitive Neuroscientist, affiliated with University of Central Lancashire. His research in adventure neuropsychology focuses on how the brain adapts and thrives in challenging environments: from psychological benefits of tall ship voyages in young people, to measuring brains at high altitude, and doing a BASE jump in the name of science. Dave is a Mountain Leader, RYA Day Skipper and technical SCUBA diver, also certified in stress management and performance coaching. Dave will be running a workshop to help participants understand the stress response during a Leap of Faith challenge on the high ropes course. Participants will engage in interactive exercises designed to progressively build their mindset, including visualization, partner work and paced breathing.
Dr Chris Kay is the British representative of the BOSS Project (Benefits of Outdoors Sports for Society). There is no agreed mechanism for comparing the social benefits of outdoor sport in economic terms. The project is trying to change this inorder to support investment in health enhancing physical activity in the outdoors. Chris is also a Senior Research Fellow working predominantly with wounded, injured and sick military personnel at The Battle Back Centre.
NEW RESEARCH RESULTS SHARED
Charlotte Boenigk is a free running, adventure seeking, chocolate/coffee loving mother of two wild little toddlers. Charlotte founded the charity Free Your Instinct, a charity that offers parkour for those with a recognised mental health need, in 2014 and is currently finished a PhD researching parkour for mental health. Charlotte will present her latest research and run a workshop
Helen Dodd is a Professor of Child Psychology at the University of Exeter Medical School. She is an expert in child mental health. She has received awards for her research, most recently from the British Psychology Society for her outstanding contribution to developmental psychology. She has also received funding from a range of organisations including the Royal Society and British Academy. She currently holds a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, which funds a program of work examining the relationship between children's adventurous play and mental health. This ongoing research was introduced at Adventure Mind 2022 and the final results will be shared in the Meet The Author’s session.
Dr John Allan is the Head of Learning and Impact at Inspiring Learning. He will share Inspiring Learning’s commitment to unlock potential in every individual by building positive, adaptive skill sets through adventure education which supports wellbeing, enabling employability and social mobility. John will share the IL’s latest impact report including data from bespoke adventure residential programmes with vulnerable Year 8 & 9 school children referred to as the ‘forgotten middle’ and the Skills 4 Life programme
FUNDRAISING ADVICE PRESENTATIONS AND PANEL
Other speakers include:
Andrew Higson is the Director of Blackdog Outdoors which runs events (mostly guided hikes) that are available to anyone who finds their mental health is acting as a barrier to them getting outdoors. Andy is a qualified Mountain Leader, Climbing Wall Instructor. He is also a qualified Mental Health First Aider and is passionate about promoting the benefits of outdoor activities. Andy will be sharing how he established Blackdog Outdoors with particular emphasis on how it’s funded and how it benefits from Brand Partnerships.
Kelvyn James is the Lead Director of Mental Health North West CIC Ltd who have probably delivered more mental health training to the outdoor sector than any other provider. They list national centres, NGB's and literally hundreds of freelancers amongst their customers. Kelvyn is responsible for the design & delivery of MHNW's Wellness Walks program which uses commercial profits, grant-funding & donations to run totally free to participants with self-reported low mental health days out, walk & walk sessions and skills courses. Kelvyn will discuss Community Partnerships and how this supports longevity in the impact of his work.
PANEL DISCUSSION: “The Importance of Community to Local Adventures”
Other speakers include:
Nadia Weigh is the Director and Community Co-Leader for the Adventure Queens a UK based, not-for-profit women’s adventure community. Nadia’s background is in the international development sector. She’s also an avid flatwater kayaker and race with the Wey Kayak Club in Surrey.
MEET THE AUTHORS
There will be an extended ‘Meet The Authors’ session where small group discussion and Q&A will be possible with a selection of scientists, writers, campaigners and adventure practitioners who have published research in this area in the last 18months. As well as the authors’ listed above we’ll be joined by….
Allie Mason is an autistic author and microadventurer with her first book, The Autistic Guide to Adventure, published in 2023. Allie continues to advocate for autistic access and support needs to be considered and met by practitioners and organisations in those spaces.
Susie Amann is an International Mountain Leader and she also holds an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology. Her Masters dissertation looks at the effect on wellbeing of Long Distance Walking. She’s especially keen to encourage leaders working in the outdoors to use their interactions with clients in the most beneficial ways possible, using the lessons from Positive Psychology.
Nicky Chisholm will run a Adventure for Mental Health Marketing and Communications workshop on how to get others to believe in your work. To find supporters, customers, ambassadors, influencers, patrons and fans. This workshop will ensure you stand out from the crowd.
The agenda and speakers might change due to unforseen circumstances.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Adventure Mind 2023 has been recognised by MTA, AMI and BAIML as CPD for its members
ADVENTURE MIND BURSARIES
We are excited to be able to offer 10 funded places for Adventure Mind 2023 by working together with the University of Exeter.
Funding of up to £450 is available per person to cover the cost of registration (including meals), accommodation and travel to and from the conference.
Bursaries are designed to support people to attend who otherwise wouldn’t be able to for financial reasons.
Entry is now closed.
What’s included
Price is £175 per person including:
All presentations, indoor and outdoor workshops, panel discussions and networking sessions
1 x two-course networking dinner on Monday evening
2 x cooked lunches
Two servings of tea/coffee/biscuits each day
1 x copy of the groundbreaking book Adventure Mind
All tickets are now sold out
“I’ve been taking people on adventures for over 30 years and I’ve seen its positive impact on mental health again and again. There is more research each year supporting the idea that adventurous activity promotes wellbeing. The aim of the conference is to re-brand adventure, empowering health and outdoor professionals and promoting further research. Together we can engage more people in adventure to promote mental health and personal development”
Adventure Mind 2022
A conference series exploring the importance of adventure to wellbeing and mental health. For outdoor professionals, wellbeing practitioners, researchers, brands, policy makers & all adventurers. This year’s theme is ‘Recovery From The Pandemic’
Duration: 7th & 8th November 2022 | Location: Conisbrough near Sheffield
Adventure Mind is open to anyone who is interested in understanding the connection between adventure and wellbeing.
In particular there is a community of outdoor and wellbeing practitioners that see the benefit of adventurous activity on people of all ages and backgrounds everyday. This conference is designed to equip you with the latest research, share practice, improve networks and share resources, to increase the impact and effectiveness of your work.
In 2022 the conference will focus on providing strategies that answer the issues highlighted by Sport England’s 2021 consultative 10-year strategy Uniting the Movement and The Outdoor Industries Association’s 2021 Great Outdoors Opportunities report. We will work to develop strategies together that outdoor and wellbeing professionals can use that meet requirements for support and create maximum impact.
Adventure Mind 2022 ran from 1030am on Monday 7th November to 4pm on Tuesday 8th November.
PRESENTERS
Presenters include adventure leaders and adventure researchers:
Belinda Kirk, explorer, researcher and author of Adventure Mind, the first book to explain why adventure is essential to wellbeing
Martin Chester, Mountain Guide and Adventure Consultant
Dave Bunting MBE, Expedition Leader, Mountaineer
John Allan, Head of Learning and Impact at Inspiring Learning.
Charlotte Boenigk, Founder of Free Your Instinct, a charity that offers parkour for those with a recognised mental health need and final year PhD candidate
Dave Gallagher, Mountain Leader, Chartered Psychologist and Cognitive Neuroscientist
Chris Kay, Senior Research Fellow working with Carnegie Great Outdoors, predominantly on a project called Battle Back.
Gill Pomfret, Associate Professor in Tourism, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
Dr Manuel Sand, Professor in Outdoor Sports and Adventure Management, University of Applied Management in Treuchtlingen, Germany
Dr Carola May, Professor in Tourism Management, IU International University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany
Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology, University of Exeter, UK. Examining the relationship between children's adventurous play and mental health.
Di Westaway OAM, Founder at Wild Women On Top, Australia, creating life changing adventures that get women walking in nature for good.
Bryan Jones, Head of the School of Sport and Health Sciences at University of Central Lancashire, UK. A sport psychologist and performance coach
AGENDA
The event incorporates indoor and outdoor workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, presentations of case studies by practitioners and the latest evidence by leading scientists. Presentations will be delivered in a jargon-free way with plenty of opportunity for Q&A.
Adventure Mind 2022 aims to find specific actionable steps we can immediately take with confidence and provide better understanding of the following:
How can we design adventure programmes to impact wellbeing?
What new scientific research can help adventure design and delivery?
Where does adventure-for-wellbeing-and mental-health fit into the post-covid adventure industry and community? And how can you/your organisation do things differently to benefit from these changes?
Adventure-for-wellbeing-and-mental-health funding opportunities for individuals, not-for-profts and corporates.
Martin Chester
"Out of adversity comes opportunity - the evolution of the outdoor sector"
Martin has worked in adventure for 30 years. He is an international ski & mountain guide, was the Director of Training at Plas y Brenin and Chief Executive of the National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes. Martin was co-author of the “Getting Active Outdoors” report in 2015; Strategic lead for the "GetOutside - Activity in a time of COVID-19" project and author of the Great Outdoors Opportunities paper as the OIA’s response to Sport England’s new ‘Uniting The Movement’ Strategy. He brings extensive experience of the design and review of numerous outdoor interventions (for the likes of Forestry England, National Trust, and a host of National Governing Bodies etc) as well as an understanding of grass-roots delivery issues.
Martin will run the opening presentation and workshop focussed on how wellbeing has become a central pillar of the adventure industry in recent years and what this means for individuals, small and large organisations. Where does adventure-for-wellbeing fit into the post-covid adventure industry and community? How should we plan, design, communicate and collaborate differently to provide outdoor experiences that are impactful, accessible and relevant?
Dave Bunting MBE and Dr Chris Kay
“How to run a mountain expedition to promote personal development”
Dave is an expedition leader and ex-British Forces mountaineering specialist, who spent many years as the Chief Training Instructor of the Joint Services mountain training centres around the world. In 2006 he led a team of climbers from the British Army on a ground-breaking attempt to become the first British team to climb the formidable West Ridge of Mount Everest.
Chris is a Senior Research Fellow working predominantly with wounded, injured and sick military personnel at The Battle Back Centre. Chris's research concerns the way in which participating in structured adapted adventurous activities helps facilitate recovery, personal growth and aspects of psychological and physiological wellbeing.
Dave and Chris recently led “Mission Himalaya” to explore the impact of a supported high-altitude mountaineering expedition on the wellbeing and personal development of military veterans with longstanding well-being concerns. They discuss their findings but also go into detail to explore how the planning, preparation, training, leadership style, decision-making and post-expedition follow up was designed to specifically promote wellbeing and growth. Including lessons and design that could be used on future expeditions with different client groups in different locations.
Charlotte Boenigk
“Reconnecting to a post covid world through parkour”
Charlotte founded Free Your Instinct, a charity that offers parkour to those with a recognised mental health need, in 2014 and is currently a final year PhD candidate researching parkour for mental health.
Charlotte has found that by physically engaging with the environment, participants are able to re-establish a positive dialogue with themselves and their surroundings, bringing many of the benefits of adventure based activities into the participants' urban home. Charlotte will deliver a 1hour practical parkour workshop focusing on reconnecting with yourself and your environment post covid, offering insight into classes delivered by Free Your Instinct. Charlotte will guide you through the session delivery, exploring a person-centred approach to teaching, how to understand and respond to the needs of individuals. Please attend with comfortable clothes, trainers and a curious mind. These techniques can potentially be used or taught anywhere (urban or wilderness) with little extra training or equipment yet are proving to provide great impact.
Dr John Allan
“How to measure the impact of your adventure activity on wellbeing”
John is an established academic and outdoor practitioner and is currently the Head of Learning and Impact, Inspiring Learning. Inspiring Learning is the UK’s largest provider of adventure education programmes for young people. John’s area of expertise centres on positive psychology, strength-based learning, and resilience building. He led the world’s largest study profiling the psychological resilience of Higher Education students and has developed a range of intervention programmes for enabling the strength-based functioning of elite mountaineers climbing the world’s highest peaks
John will deliver an overview of the ways in which you can measure the impact of any adventurous activity on wellbeing with data (quantitative) and through personal testimony (qualitative). Even small or large, companies or not-for-profit organisations that have a history of producing high quality impact data will have the opportunity to re-examine what’s possible.
Diane Westaway OAM
“The mental health rescue effects of women's outdoor tourism”
Founder of Wild Women On Top, Australia,, a social purpose enterprise which has inspired and empowered over 60,000 women to hike together for fun, fitness, friendship and fundraising since 2001. Her adventures get women walking in nature to create joy and transform lives.
Di has published research on the mental health rescue effects of women's outdoor tourism. Outcomes include psychological transformation, happiness, gratitude, relaxation, clarity and insights, nature appreciation, challenge and capability, and companionship and community effects. Commercial outdoor tourism enterprises can contribute powerfully to the wellbeing of women and families. This will be especially valuable for mental health recovery, following deterioration during COVID-19 coronavirus lockdowns worldwide.
Dave Gallagher
“Excite and delight challenge mindset workshop (abseiling)”
Dave Gallagher is a Chartered Psychologist and Cognitive Neuroscientist, affiliated with Liverpool John Moores University. His research in adventure neuropsychology focuses on how the brain adapts and thrives in challenging environments: from psychological benefits of tall ship voyages in young people, to measuring brains at high altitude, and doing a tandem BASE jump in the name of science. Dave is a Mountain Leader, RYA Day Skipper and technical SCUBA diver, also certified in stress management and performance coaching.
Dave will run the challenge mindset workshop on the abseiling wall. When confronting exposure such as at a cliff edge, it’s natural to experience the ‘stress response’. This can make people want to move hurriedly away from the perceived danger but facing one’s fears and overcoming this stress response can be very empowering. Using insights from psychology and neuroscience, we can encourage people to approach the edge and adopt a mindset that embraces the challenge of being in a stressful situation. The workshop will involve an introduction on the neuropsychology of stress management based on cutting edge research, including demonstration of techniques such as mindfulness and breathing control whilst poised over the edge secured on a rope. With a ‘challenge mindset’ individuals exposed to height become more in control over their stress response (‘excite and delight’ not ‘fright or flight’), abseiling back down to the ground. These techniques and mindset can be taken away and applied to dealing with everyday stress.
Gill Pomfret, Manuel Sand & Carola May
“Exploring the interplay between outdoor adventure, wellbeing and culture”
Dr Gill Pomfret is Associate Professor in Tourism, Sheffield Hallam University, UK. Gill’s latest research examines the role that outdoor activity participation and protected natural environments play in developing individuals’ coping skills, resilience and subjective wellbeing. Dr Manuel Sand is Professor in Outdoor Sports and Adventure Management, University of Applied Management in Treuchtlingen, Germany. Manuel is academic director of the University’s Adventure Campus and course administrator for the degree in Outdoor Sports and Adventure Management. Dr Carola May is Professor in Tourism Management, IU International University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany. Carola’s teaching concentrates on the interrelation of culture, space and tourism, sustainable destination management, tourism practices and trends. Dr Jelena Farkić, Lecturer in Tourism, Breda University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands. Jelena’s research explores the interplay between subjective wellbeing and slow adventure, forestbathing and idleness.
Inspired by Adventure Mind 2020 this international research team went on to explore the role that outdoor adventure plays in people’s subjective wellbeing. It presents the key findings from interviews with individuals across three cultures, from the UK, Germany, and Serbia. An emerging body of research now investigates how individuals maintain and enhance their subjective wellbeing through partaking in adventure activities although little is known about the influence of culture on these outcomes. Furthermore, researchers find that the way that adventure recreation and tourism are represented is markedly different from one culture to another. The international research team have explored the perceptions that different cultures have of adventure, what adventure means to these individuals, and what subjective wellbeing benefits they gain from engaging with outdoor activities. Their findings can help the adventure industry in these countries to develop product offerings and experiences which fit the needs of their clients.
Professor Helen Dodd
"Adventurous play as a route to decreasing children’s anxiety risk"
Helen is a Professor of Child Psychology in the College of Medicine and Health (CMH), University of Exeter. She is an expert in child mental health with a particular interest in the development of childhood anxiety disorders. She recently received the Margaret Donaldson Award from the British Psychology Society for her outstanding contribution to developmental psychology. Helen’s presentation and discussion will focus on the research program she heads which examines the relationship between children's adventurous play and mental health.
Rates of emotional disorders in 5-15 years olds increased by 49% between 2004 and 2017. Of these, anxiety disorders are the most common. Today, in the UK, approximately half a million children have an anxiety disorder. At the same time as we have seen rates of anxiety increasing, children’s opportunities for outdoor, adventurous play have decreased. Adventurous play is defined as thrilling, exhilarating play where the child experiences a level of fear and takes age-appropriate risks. Common forms of adventurous play in children include climbing trees, riding a bike fast downhill and swinging on a rope swing. Extensive research has examined risk factors for child anxiety and established cognitive factors that underpin anxiety in children. As a result we now have a good understanding of some of the factors that underpin children’s anxiety risk. In this talk I will describe how adventurous play could be used as a mechanism to target these risk factors in children and, in turn, to decrease their anxiety risk. I will describe the existing evidence that supports these ideas and outline a research agenda that will allow us to evidence what children learn when they are given autonomy and space to play in an adventurous way
Bryan Jones
“Where adventure-for-wellbeing fits in the social prescribing network”
Head of the School of Sport and Health Sciences at University of Central Lancashire, UK. Bryan's background is in performance sport, having worked as a sport psychologist, strength and conditioning coach and performance coach in this domain. Bryan has also delivered performance support in large businesses and now provides training to coaches who operate in a performance domain in both sport and business.
We think social prescribing offers a considerable - and underutilised - opportunity for financial support and therefore growth in delivery of adventure-for-wellbeing, to both corporate and not-for-profit organisations, whether you offer small adventures or overseas expeditions. A team from the University of Central Lancashire’s Social Prescribing Unit will present an overview of the support available, the existing community and systems and suggest where adventure and wellbeing organisations and practitioners might fit into this.
Caspian Jamie
“How to adapt bushcraft and climbing programmes to improve wellbeing’’
Caspian is the Lead Outdoor Therapist at The Therapy Adventure and Climbing Calm CIC. His team specialises in the creation of award winning therapeutic outdoor and adventure programmes that have been licensed to more than 200 practitioners worldwide.
Caspian will lead a practical exploration of how we can adapt outdoor and adventure based programmes to enhance the benefits to mental health and wellbeing. This will include understanding how existing sessions can be adapted through demonstrations of examples such as bushcraft for wellbeing for adults with mild to moderate mental health difficulties and, on the climbing wall, how to use climbing as a therapeutic tool for teenagers.
Belinda Kirk
Adventure Mind Host & Adventure-for-Wellbeing campaigner
Belinda is the author of the best-selling, award-nominated book “Adventure Revolution: The life-changing power of choosing challenge” the first book to explain the psychology of why adventure is essential to wellbeing. Belinda has run Explorers Connect since 2009 inorder to promote the message that adventure is beneficial to wellbeing and has encouraged over 30,000 ordinary people to engage in outdoor challenges. An explorer in her own right, Belinda has walked across Nicaragua, searched for camels in China's Desert of Death, discovered ancient rock paintings in Lesotho, pioneered inclusive expeditions for people with disabilities, lead dozens of youth development expeditions around the world and gained a Guinness World Record for rowing unsupported around Britain. Belinda has managed remote trips for, amongst others, Bear Grylls, Ray Mears & Chris Ryan and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and British Exploring Society. She is also an Ambassador for The Youth Adventure Trust.
Meet The Authors
There will be an extended ‘Meet The Authors’ session where small group discussion and Q&A will be possible with a selection of scientists, writers, campaigners and adventure practitioners who have published research in this area in the last 18months.
(NB Still updating this list but currently likely to include the team behind a huge study of the impact of camping on wellbeing, family tourism researcher, a researcher who’s been exploring the impact of buddy systems post-expedition, a psychologist who’s developed an adventure therapy programme for traumatised children, a researcher who’s explored the wellbeing outcomes of long distance cycling, a well-known adventure influencer who is using this new research to enable young women, Belinda Kirk author of Adventure Revolution, a business leader who’s incorporating adventure mindset into business in a novel way, several other researchers with publications re adventure-for-wellbeing-and-mental-health.
Guided Netwalking
There will be a guided small group “netwalking” to a view point on the Yorkshire Trans Pennine Trail
WHO IS ADVENTURE MIND FOR?
Adventure Mind brings together adventure practitioners, wellbeing professionals, researchers, policy makers and all adventurers to better understand how adventurous activity can positively affect mental health in the UK.
The conference is designed for any outdoor organisation or practitioner that works to improve the wellbeing of their participants, or wishes to in the future. Also for individuals who are interested in how adventure can affect them. Attendees benefit from learning about new research, smarter ways to deliver adventure, how to best assess impact, how to win funding and from networking with other industry professionals.
Researchers benefit from sharing their results with those that can action them and building collaborations for future work.
Policy makers have the opportunity to work with high profile practitioners and researchers to examine ways of bringing outdoor adventure into mental health planning.
We are delighted to host Adventure Mind 2022 within a unique blend of nature and modern architecture at Kingswood’s most environmentally sustainable centre, Dearne Valley in Conisbrough.
Set in 50 acres of stunning outdoor grounds in the rolling hills of South Yorkshire, the centre has opportunities for interactive activities across grassland, woodland and wetland plus a unique environmentally-designed conference centre. Catering, parking and accommodation is on site.
Dearne Valley is 3 hours drive from Bristol and Bangor. The nearest train station is next door to the venue and called ‘Conisbrough’ which is 2hrs from London and Kendal.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
All presentations, indoor and outdoor workshops, panel discussions and networking sessions
1 x networking dinner on Monday evening
2 x lunches
Two servings of tea and coffee each day
All tickets are sold out
Information on previous AdventureMind conferences
Adventure Mind 2022
It all started when…
The 2020 event was aimed at the international researchers in the fields of Tourism, Adventure Education, Outdoor Education and Psychology. With presentations under the following topics:
The Wellbeing Impacts of Adventure
Transformation
Growth and Post Traumatic Growth
The Hero’s Journey
Enduring Resilience and Performance
Embracing Fear
Embracing Failure
The Adventurer’s Mindset
Belinda used the conference to present these previously unconnected disciplines and ideas together for the first time, in order to ask the international research community to reassess how they are approaching and framing ‘adventure’.
To ask the researchers with help to rebrand and reclaim ‘adventure’. From something that has overwhelmingly been viewed and studied by researchers as something elite or unusual (even practiced only by those with a ‘death wish’). To the way Belinda views adventure, as a way to improve wellbeing and connect with the planet.
Belinda also asked for collaboration and shared the ideas underpinning her upcoming book “Adventure Revolution: the life-changing power of choosing challenge” the first book to finally explain the psychology of why adventure is essential for our wellbeing
ADVENTURE MIND 2020 OVERVIEW REPORT
The first ever conference on the importance of adventure for wellbeing!
The conference was hugely impactful, so much so that future Adventure Mind conferences will now focus on supporting adventure-for-wellbeing practitioners instead of trying to push the need for research in this area. These are just a few of the outcomes:
Researchers and practitioners from eight countries gathered and were presented a new view of adventure, one that promotes adventure-for-wellbeing and the desperate need for more research in this area.
Multiple new adventure-for-wellbeing research projects were begun inspired by the conference, involving researchers from six different countries.
Researchers connected for the first time and agreed to create the first academic textbook about the psychology of adventure and wellbeing. Researchers from the conference are writing this book to be published in 2022.
Multiple connections were made between researchers and adventure practitioners. This will be important over the coming year for improved measuring and recording for impact reporting, essential for organisations. And allow individual outdoor leaders to facilitate adventure activities to be even more beneficial to wellbeing. And give researchers better access to new data.
Adventurers were encouraged to take on further research into this area. Two professional adventurers decided to take on Masters research into resilience as a result of this conference.
A new podcast was launched to spread the word about the importance of adventure to wellbeing.
A collaborative approach to delivering adventure for wellbeing was drafted.
Thank you to all who joined us, who spoke, who volunteered, and who worked hard to make it such a productive and inspiring two days. If you’d like a first-hand account of the conference, this blog from Zoe at HeadRightOut does a great job of bringing it to life.
Here are some photos from the event. Many thanks to Greg Childs, our brilliant photographer.
Information on subsequent AdventureMind conferences
