We’re all about adventure, challenge, and helping people unlock their full potential. But we don’t just teach outdoor skills—we create spaces where everyone feels welcome, seen, and empowered. In 2024, we made big moves to make our programs even more welcoming, and we’re just getting started.
LGBTQ+ Outdoor Summit 2024 Outward Bounders Group Photo
2024: A Year of Bold Steps & Big Wins
Leveling Up Learning
At Outward Bound, we never stop learning—especially when it comes to inclusion and access. Last year, we created the opportunity for staff to engage in multiple conversations and ways of learning more about themselves and the world around them. With in-person workshops, online chats, and self-paced learning modules, we made sure everyone had the chance to learn and grow.
Our Schools on a Mission
One of our proudest moments in 2024? Seven out of nine of our Regional Schools rolled out three-year Action Plans to make fairness a permanent part of their operations. These aren’t just feel-good documents—they’re real, actionable roadmaps that will increase access and representation for years to come.
Five Power Moves That Drove Change
We focused on five big strategies to turn fairness and access from a goal into a reality:
- Becoming a Learning Organization: We defined our Theory of Change and partnered with Listen4Good to improve our client feedback systems.
- Becoming a Connected Network: We kept transparency high with monthly updates and quarterly reports.
- Becoming a Talent Magnet: We supported staff-led Employee (‘Network’) Resource Groups and funded staff to attend industry events.
- Future-Proofing Our Work: We helped shape marketing strategies, governance policies, and school operations to keep fairness at the forefront.
- Building Strategic Partnerships: We launched a values assessment for vendors and strengthened partnerships with groups like Latino Outdoors.
Putting Our Money Where Our Mission Is
We don’t just talk about access and fairness—we invest in it. In 2024, we poured $173,980 into national fairness initiatives, covering school visits and staff development. We also invested in training to help instructors meet the emotional needs of their students, as well as data collection to make sure we’re tackling issues head-on.
Challenges? Bring ‘Em On!
Real change isn’t easy, and we faced our fair share of hurdles. Internally, we’re still working on improving communication across all levels. Externally, the cultural and political landscape keeps shifting. But here’s the deal: we’ve always focused on fairness and access and that isn’t changing—because every student and staff member deserves to feel like they belong.
Fall 2024 Workshop at Voyageur Outward Bound School
2025: Bigger Goals, Bigger Impact!
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Turning Action Plans into Action: Helping Schools bring their fairness and access strategies to life.
- Expanding Network Resource Groups: Strengthening communities for all staff.
- Keeping the Conversation Going: More learning opportunities.
- Choosing Vendors with Intention: Making sure the partners we work with share our values.
- Finding & Keeping Top Talent: Launching a national recruitment and retention strategy to bring in rockstar staff who believe in our mission.
The Road Ahead: Full Speed Forward!
At Outward Bound, access and fairness aren’t side projects—they’re who we are. In 2025, we’re taking it to the next level—because outdoor education should truly be for everyone.
We’re in this for the long haul, and we’re so glad to have you along for the ride. Stay tuned—2025 is going to be one for the books.
