Action speaks louder than legal words

Paul Pringle says those with an interest in outdoor education should start young. Photo / Helen Frances

Sea, sun, blue sky and bush make for a work environment most only dream about. Outward Bound instructor Paul Pringle made such a dream reality when he left his office-based work as an HR consultant and employment lawyer to work in outdoor education in the Marlborough Sounds.

"Two years ago I was doing a circumnavigation of South Canterbury and that really opened my eyes to the power of the outdoors in helping you deal with life," said Pringle, a strong advocate of Outward Bound's "learning by doing" approach to education.

The South Canterbury experience took him 17 days mountaineering across Mt Cook and 10 days travelling by raft, sea kayak and cycle. The ups and downs and adventures of that trip reminded him of life itself, and that it was time for change in his own. He applied and was accepted for the five-day selection course at Outward Bound and got the job.

But how does an office-bound lawyer qualify for such a physically rugged job? The outdoors has always held huge appeal for Pringle. He had reached intermediate to advanced levels in all the disciplines required by the school by pursuing his personal passions outside of work, and had already taken a couple of breaks from law to do ski instructing and sea kayak guiding. When it came to the people side of the job the guiding and group facilitation skills he had gained through his legal work also stood him in good stead.

Now halfway through his three-year contract with Outward Bound, Pringle is into the routine of leading courses that cater for teens, adults up to 80 years and people with disabilities. A typical working day goes something like this: Up at 6 am and immediately into 20 minutes of group warm-up exercises followed by a 3.2km run; a swim in the sea; cold shower and breakfast at 7.30am. After assembly at 8.20am it's out into the field - around school on the ropes course or rock climbing; or down the Sound in the cutter for a few days; white-water kayaking on the Pelorus or Rai rivers, tramping in the local hills or seeing the students off for two nights solo in the bush.

Outward Bound school was established in 1962 at Anakiwa, Queen Charlotte Sound, with the aim to "show people their full potential through challenge and adventure in the outdoors". One of the pleasures of the job for Pringle was seeing students grow through the experiences the school offers.

"People who come here are often on the cusp of change. They may have finished school or university or they are an adult who has come back from a career or major life change such as a family break-up or death. People come for all sorts of reasons but they will often come with a bit of a mission or a goal. My role is walking alongside them and helping facilitate that change using the medium of the outdoors."

He is convinced the experiential approach is particularly effective.

"We don't sit inside and use the whiteboard much. It's a lot more engaging for the brain being outside. We give students experiences together as a group and see what they get out of that."

While specific skills are taught, teaching and learning happen as part of the whole experience. And that can be anything. On the last course he taught two girls how to open a can right through to how to sail a boat well in a 60km/h wind.

He believed that being away from the distractions of daily life gave people space to relate differently to each other.

"Within a couple of hours everyone has been rolling in the mud; they are in polar fleece and there is a kind of general understanding they are equals. When you throw 14 people together from various backgrounds and cultures at the end of 21 or eight days they realise they are all the same. What makes them feel good and what they struggle with may be different in a tangible sense but they all have similar needs and desires."

The 28 full-time male and female instructors at Outward Bound come from a variety of backgrounds, bringing as much diversity to the school as the students they lead. Applicants for the selection course, held every year, need to be generalists with skills, experience and qualifications working in the outdoors - bush, sea, kayaking, driving, First Aid. Experience in managing groups in the outdoors is also a prerequisite along with a passion for working with people. Accommodation and meals while working are provided as part of the employment package and Outward Bound has five houses that can accommodate families.

Pringle said the professional development the school offered was second to none, and he based that judgement on years of working in the employment field. Instructors are allocated money and time for additional upskilling. He did NLP Masters training to enhance communication skills. The 30 staff also spend four weeks training together every year.

Pringle, 31, recommended those with a strong interest in outdoor education started around 17 to 19 years old.

"There's a great saying that things are not difficult because we don't do them," said Pringle. "It's because we don't do them that they are difficult. That applies to my [career] change too. You can theorise about it all day but in the end you've got to have a go."

And the future? He is interested in the facilitation, management and leadership options within the organisation and the industry, and is completing a Diploma in Career Counselling through AUT for good measure. But as an educator he is continually learning.

"Some say the students do a three-week course and the instructors do a three-year course. You do feel yourself changing over the months."