Learning the Ropes: Exploring the Meaning and Value of Experiential Education for Girls at Risk

Abstract

Experiential education activities, such as ropes courses and hiking trips, are increasing in popularity in a variety of settings. Youth-at-risk have responded positively to the “learning-by-doing” activities incorporated within experiential education. Little has been provided about the meanings these activities have for the participants. The purpose of this interpretive study was to examine the influence experiential education had upon a group of girls with emotional and behavioral disorders who resided in a long-term wilderness camp. The three themes that emerged from the perceptions the girls voiced evolved as a progression of attitudes, success, trust, and the incorporation of treatment into the experiential activities. This progression, referred to in this paper as the ropes course process, is discussed along with implications for practice.