The Benefits and Motivations of All Women Outdoor Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine and describe the benefits and motivations associat­ ed with all-women outdoor programming. The results of this study can benefit adventure recreation in numerous ways. By determining motivations to partic­ ipate in female specific adventure experiences, this study can assist recreation practitioners in planning and implementing more appropriate programs for women. In addition, skeptics of this approach may be educated as to the uniqueness and benefits of outdoor programs specifically for females. Furthermore, the myths and fears of possible participants might be alle­ viated through increased knowledge regarding all­ women programming. Finally, this study can help determine the particular elements of all-women pro­ gramming that warrant separate consideration from mixed-gender programming. Subjects were 650 female participants during 1995 in programs of Woodswomen, Inc., located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At the time of the study, Woodswomen was a service organization that provided one-day to three-week-long outdoor adventures for women and children. The mailed questionnaire was divided into five sections related to the subjects' participation in the all­ women adventure program. The first section consisted of demographic questions such as age, occupation, and education level and served to profile the type of woman who participated in Woodswomen programs. The second section questioned subjects on the impor