The End of an Era: Welcome to the Outdoor Council of Australia

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes the establishment of a united voice amongst outdoor educators and outdoor recreators through the establishment of the Outdoor Council of Australia. This new organization will replace the Australian Outdoor Education Council (AOEC) and the Outdoor Recreation Council of Australia (ORCA), both of which will cease to exist. Whilst the new organization is based on the many commonalities that exist amongst outdoor recreators and outdoor educators, potential conflict also exists between these groups through perceived differences in philosophical outlook. The first part of this paper describes the Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA), as well as the instructor registration process that has been developed by ORCA and will be adopted by OCA. The second part examines the philosophy that underpins outdoor recreation, and suggests that its similarities with outdoor education are stronger than its differences. ********** At the 12th National Outdoor Education Conference (held at La Trobe University, Bendigo, 2001), a number of issues were identified for outdoor education, in particular the Australian Outdoor Education Council (AOEC), to adopt as priority areas for focus.1 This paper reviews two of these priority areas and reflects on the progress that has been made: * Governing body of the profession: forming an alliance between the Australian Outdoor Education Council (AOEC) and the Outdoor Recreation Council of Australia (ORCA) * Accreditation of programs and/or certification of leaders in Australia Amalgamation between AOEC and ORCA: The Outdoor Council of Australia The amalgamation of the AOEC with ORCA has been the major initiative that has been undertaken by the AOEC during the past two years, and has certainly taken up most of its energy. As part of this process, we have needed to find out what the two organizations have in common, what differences may exist, and how to combine resources without losing touch with the values that the AOEC represents. A major difference, of course, is that the AOEC is about outdoor education, whilst ORCA is about outdoor recreation--with consequent differences in philosophy--a point which will be revisited. The Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA) is, like the AOEC, a council made up of organisational members. In other words, its members are organizations, rather than individuals. The members of OCA are, in the first instance, the state based outdoor education and outdoor recreation organizations. These organizations vary from state to state. For example, in Victoria, two organizations exist, the Victorian Outdoor Education Association and the Outdoor Recreation Council, whilst in New Australian Journal of Outdoor Education Vol 7 No 2 2003 South Wales, only one organization exists--the Outdoor Recreation Industry Council--to represent both education and recreation. Other members of OCA are national outdoor education or outdoor recreation organizations, such as the Australian Canoe Federation and Guides Australia. The OCA will be governed by a Board of elected individuals. Whilst voting will be carried out by members (that is, by the state or national organizations), nominees for the Board will be nominated by individuals--that is, individuals who are members of the state or national organizations. For example, any individual member of the Outdoor Education Association of Queensland can nominate any other individual member to stand for election on the Board. Once elected, however, this individual will not be a delegate for his or her particular association--individuals will not represent their affiliated state-based association or their national organization. The first elections for the first OCA board took place in early April 2003--after the incorporation of the OCA as an association, but before the AOEC and ORCA officially dissolved. In February 2003, the national delegates from each state outdoor education association (provided this state association was a financial member of the AOEC) were asked to ensure that nomination forms and advice were distributed amongst all their membership. …