Safety and Risk Management

Outdoor Outreach promotes the physical and emotional well-being of participants, staff, and partners as a vital aspect of the organization’s mission. We believe in the educational benefits of outdoor experiences and that well-managed risk engagement is a key to creating positive spaces for youth to build resilience.

We take a systems approach to risk management with an emphasis on preparation, training, communication, and leadership. In our desire for continuous improvement, Outdoor Outreach regularly invests in professional development for our staff, including risk management training and resources.

Our program instructors specialize in areas such as environmental education and conservation, leadership development, conflict resolution, and more. All instructors maintain, at a minimum, a CPR and First Aid Certification, with a wide range of additional preferred certifications represented on our team including:

Mental Health First Aid
American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Rock Instructor
Wilderness First Aid
Wilderness First Responder
American Canoe Association : Kayak and SUP LVL I/II
Lifeguard
Leave No Trace Trainer/Master Educator

“Outdoor Outreach has over twenty years of experience providing hundreds of meaningful outdoor adventures for thousands of students each year, and still strives to be even better at refining their risk management tools and systems. To that end, they hired Experiential Consulting, LLC in 2019 to conduct an audit of their programs and prepare a comprehensive report, reciting their many strengths and identifying opportunities to refine their systems. We were thoroughly impressed by their proactive desire to build upon their systems and relentlessly pursue risk management goals. We are proud to have Outdoor Outreach as a client.”

~Steve Smith, Experiential Consulting, LLC
www.outdoorrisk.com

RISK MANAGEMENT: PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS

We recognize that risks exist inherently in all aspects of our work, without which our programs would not be possible. While we don’t believe “100% safe” exists in the real world, we also don’t believe any risk is worth taking unless there is a positive outcome to be gained from it. The following goals aim to guide the organization’s engagement with risk to maximize positive outcomes for the youth we engage:

1. Continually seek to understand and anticipate the presence of risk across our work through a systems approach toward risk assessment: considering both likelihood and consequence as key factors that determine risk level

Activities should be considered critically with the following criteria:
What positive outcomes can be accessed through this activity?
What levels of inherent risk exist in the activity?
How equipped are we to effectively manage and minimize the likelihood and consequence of negative outcomes?
Activities with high likelihood and high consequence of negative outcomes (such as significant injury or death) that cannot be effectively managed do not align with the organization’s mission and should be avoided
Staff should approach all risks carefully with preparation, strategy, and sound decision making grounded in knowledge, skill, and experience

2. Prevent fatalities and serious, disabling injuries

3. Reduce all injuries, severe emotional distress, incidents, and near misses

4. Respond effectively to emergency situations with the aim of promoting the health and wellbeing of all people involved

5. Continually improve risk management policies, procedures and practices through staff training and feedback systems of learning

Essential Eligibility Criteria

Outdoor Outreach is a San Diego based youth development non-profit organization that facilitates single-day and multi-day outings focused on building resilience by connecting youth to the transformative power of the outdoors through adventure based programming.

Outdoor Outreach programs and activities are open to individuals who meet the Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) here within. Outdoor Outreach is not intended to be rehabilitative or clinically therapeutic and does not specialize in serving those with special needs including; mental, emotional, social, or behavioral difficulties. If a youth participant is unable to meet some of the criteria relating to their chosen activity/ies, please contact us; we may be able to make reasonable accommodations unless it would alter the fundamental nature of the course, would compromise the participant’s safety, the safety of other participants or staff, or would place an undue financial or administrative burden on Outdoor Outreach.

General outdoor outings eec

(pertains to all Outdoor Outreach activities)

GENERAL OUTDOOR OUTINGS EEC (pertains to all Outdoor Outreach activities)

Breathe independently (i.e., not require medical devices to sustain breathing).
Independently hold head upright without neck / head support.
Manage personal care and personal needs (maintaining adequate nutrition and hydration, dressing appropriately for environmental conditions, maintaining personal hygiene, and managing known medical conditions, etc.) either independently or with assistance of a companion, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors.
Must have the ability to follow visual and/or verbal instruction independently or with the assistance of a companion, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors.
Must have the ability to move about the location of the program, either independently or with the assistance of a companion, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors.
Perceive and comprehend the inherent risks of the activity, including, but not limited to, the ones identified by Outdoor Outreach Instructors and to adhere to safety policies and procedures even when instructors are not present.
Ability to stay alert and reasonably engaged for the duration of the program.
Effectively signal or notify Instructors or other students of personal distress, injury or need for assistance.
Able to refrain from inappropriate physical touch and behavior
Able to refrain from being under the influence or in possession of alcohol, tobacco, controlled substances, and any misuse of prescription or over the counter drugs for the duration of an outing.
Must have the ability to withstand exposure to the outdoors, including but not limited to cold, sun, heat and insects, for the duration of the program
Must have the ability to withstand physical impact, relevant to the potential of each activity, of a minor fall, bump, scrape, etc. with minimal consequence to health or medical condition.
Must be able to adapt to venue terrain, and changes in terrain brought on by inclement weather and changing light conditions.

In order to use Outdoor Outreach transportation: Participants must be able to enter and exit vehicles independently or with the assistance of a companion. Or otherwise use an alternatives means of transportation to travel to the activity location

Activity-Specific OUTINGS EEC

(pertains to participants attending a specific Outdoor Outreach activity)

Yoga

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Must have the ability to perform physical movements and stretch body parts either on a yoga mat or seated in a chair.

Fishing

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Must have the ability to hold and/or monitor a fishing pole independently,with the assistance of a companion, or device, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors.

Hiking

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Must be able to travel over uneven and variable terrain; including but not limited to, uphill and downhill surfaces.
Travel distances at a reasonably sustained pace relevant to the program duration for up to 1-hour between rest breaks.

Backpacking

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Independently travel over and navigate varied terrain for the duration of the program while transporting up to or exceeding 60 pounds or 40%–45% of body weight of personal equipment and shared gear (i.e., pack, gear, shelter).
Travel over uneven and variable terrain; including but not limited to, uphill and downhill surfaces.
Travel distances at a reasonably sustained pace relevant to the program duration for up to 1-hour between rest breaks.
Ability to not have access to advanced medical care facilities for the duration of the backpacking portion of a program.
If using prescription medication, able to follow correct dosage and usage and keep them in good condition between resupplies (up to 8 days) without instructor assistance if over 18 years of age or with instructor assistance if under 18 years of age.
Have the ability to have a third point of contact for balance purposes, such as with hand(s) or to hold a walking stick, for travel through deep rivers, on snow slopes or ascending/descending slopes

Surfing

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Able to enter water either independently or with assistance of a companion, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors
Able to lay face down on surfboard and ability to maintain contact with the surfboard on the water either independently or with assistance of a companion, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors
Able to close mouth and maintain sealed airway passages while under water
Able to maintain a safe body position (head above water) while in up to 5 feet of water or with the aid of a floatation device

Kayaking

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Able to wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD or “life jacket”) correctly, able to maintain a face up position in water while wearing a PFD and make progress through the water to shore or a rescue boat.
Ability to follow instructions immediately upon sudden immersion into cold water, whether the instructions have already been taught or are communicated in the moment.
Ability to exit the vessel in the event of a capsize.
Ability to sit in a kayak and maintain stability.
Ability to control a paddle and pull it through the water to steer and move the kayak either independently or with assistance of a companion, this may also include Outdoor Outreach instructors with pre communication.
Ability to independently re-enter a kayak from the water or re-enter a kayak with assistance from others
Ability to close mouth and maintain sealed airway passages while under water
Ability to get in/out or on/off of a kayak independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Able to wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD or “life jacket”) correctly, able to maintain a face up position in water while wearing a PFD and make progress through the water to shore or a rescue boat.
Ability to get in/out or on/off of a paddle craft independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance
Ability to independently be able to close mouth and maintain sealed airway passages while under water
Ability to re-enter or remount the paddlecraft following deep water capsize independently or cooperate with an assisted rescue
Ability to maintain a safe body position of standing, sitting or kneeling on the stand up paddle board,
Ability to propel the board with the use of a paddle or other adaptive piece of equipment either independently or with assistance of a companion, this may also include Outdoor Outreach instructors with pre communication.
Ability to follow instructions immediately upon sudden immersion into cold water, whether the instructions have already been taught or are communicated in the moment.

Snorkeling

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Must have the ability to keep their head above water while wearing or holding onto a floatation device.
Ability to independently close mouth and maintain sealed airway passages while under water
Ability to follow instructions immediately upon sudden immersion into cold water, whether the instructions have already been taught or are communicated in the moment.

Snowboarding

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Ability to manage personal mobility independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance
Ability to sit, stand or kneel throughout the day with minimal assistance
Ability to independently travel over and visually negotiate varied terrain for the duration of class (i.e., different snow depth and density encountered while snowboarding).

Camping

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Ability to be in outdoor element for an extended period of time without use of electricity

Mountain Biking

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:

Must be able to comprehend commands or instructions from instructor staff while giving lessons but also while on the bike ride

Ability to visually and cognitively identify and understand the main components of the bike and their functions

Ability to wear a properly fitted cycling helmet for the duration of the outing

Ability to independently mount, dismount, sit and balance on the bike for the duration of the route

Ability to independently use brakes and control handlebars

Ability to visually identify routes and potential hazards that could show up at any point along the bike ride.

Rock Climbing

Meet all of the General EEC, listed above, in addition to those listed here:
Ability to wear all required protective equipment, including a climbing harness (seat, chest or full body) and climbing helmet.
Ability to maintain balance on uneven surfaces and keep an upright position independently or with the use of personal adaptive equipment.
Ability to Independently or with minimal assistance,excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors, travel to climb sites, which may include moderate hiking on inclines and down grades.
Ability to communicate necessary climbing signals with or without the assistance of a companion, excluding Outdoor Outreach instructors. These signals may include spoken signals, hand signals or a rope tug to include but not limited to:
- a. Direction from the instructor as to what the student should do, e.g. if the student finds themself off route or in an unexpected area (ie. crevasse from a fall), the instructor and student must communicate and work together to figure out what the problem is and how best to solve it.
- b. Response from the student to the instructor, e.g. if a student falls, or has difficulty with a section of the climb and the instructor has to determine, by asking questions, about the student’s well-being and whether rescue procedures are necessary.
Ability to Independently, or with the assistance of a staff, tie a series of knots and hitches and have the cognitive ability to apply them within the rock climbing system
Ability to keep body weight in a harness or adaptive device.
Ability to maintain/move upwards or downwards one’s position on a climbing wall to attempt ascending and descending.