“New challenges, new people and new places lead to more agile, resilient and adaptable young employees”
A Clear Trend
In the last few years, the team at Lindley has experienced the reality of what academic research tells us is happening; incidents of poor mental health and wellbeing are on the increase amongst young people. (Health Foundation/Resolution Foundation report 2024)
In preparing for outdoor personal development programmes with early careers employers, we find ourselves listening carefully to our client’s learning and development staff as they describe the challenges their young employees are grappling with. It’s clear to us that employers value the role an outdoor learning residential can play.
We thought it might be helpful to link the guidance provided by the NHS and Mind to the outcomes achieved by such programmes delivered by Lindley.
Established Guidance
A quick reminder of the guidance described as 5-ways to mental wellbeing:
- Connect with others to help build a sense of belonging and self-worth, provide opportunities to share positive experiences, provide emotional support and enable the supporting of others.
- Get physically active to raise self-esteem, help to set goals or challenges and achieve them and cause chemical changes in the brain which can help to positively change moods.
- Learn new skills to boost self-confidence, raise self-esteem, help to build a sense of purpose and develop deeper connections with others.
- Give to others to create positive feelings, a sense of reward, a feeling of purpose and self-worth, as well as helping to connect with other people.
- Pay attention to the present (mindfulness) to better understand your thoughts, feelings and body as well as the world around you, positively changing approaches to future challenges and feelings about life.
It is not hard to see how spending time on an early careers residential programme with peers can draw on these 5 principle approaches to developing better mental health and wellbeing.
There is so much more to a Lindley event than rock climbing, caving and canoeing, we use these activities to help people recognise the value of support and encouragement
The Role of Nature
Developing mental health and wellbeing is enhanced by using time together on a residential to engage in personal development exercises based in the natural environment. There is a wealth of research evidence pointing to the role engaging with nature plays in strengthening mental health.
At Lindley we are clear that spending time in and truly appreciating inspirational natural environments has a tremendously positive impact on wellbeing. We consciously build into our programmes opportunities to engage with and appreciate nature. Some of the most affective experiences that young employees cite when reflecting on their time on a Lindley programme are moments when they were able to appreciate the natural settings they found themselves sharing with their peers. Such experiences are particularly impactful and act as catalysts in their mental health journey.
“Deep inside a cave it was a real struggle at first, but my smile at the end says it all! The reward was not just a wonderful memory but a reminder that growth lies just beyond discomfort.”
Level 4 IT apprentice
A Developed Approach
The Lindley team have refined the design of Outdoor Learning interventions and approaches to delivering programmes. Here are just some things we can see make a difference:
- Developing positive Self-Esteem
We have a structured approach to helping individuals feel Welcome, Comfortable and Safe in their new environment. This approach enables learning outcomes to be achieved through full engagement with a programme of activity that is often new and stretching; intellectually and emotionally.
- A sense of belonging
Feeling part of a community is key to healthy wellbeing. Carefully selecting the make-up of learning groups with a view to building a strong and accessible network, enables relationships based on mutual learning experiences. It also provides a strong basis for the young person to fully contribute and problem solve in their new role, by reaching out to others.
- Building reflective capabilities
Effective reflective practice alone and in groups drives self-awareness and learning; crucial skills and knowledge for maintaining wellbeing in the workplace. It also supports the wider learning culture of an employing organisation.
- Developing intrinsic motivation through challenge, collaboration and curiosity
Well-designed outdoor learning exercises combined with skilful facilitation of reflection drive levels of self-autonomy and deeper understanding of self and one’s real potential.
- Developing skills that enable behaviour consistent with organisation values
Work with meaning is important, so understanding why explicit organisation values exist is a crucial step in any early careers programme. We have adapted our outdoor learning interventions to both build understanding and develop skills consistent with working to an organisation’s values.
An Invitation
If you want to explore how best to engage nature and outdoor residentials to bring forward the return on your investment in early careers whilst supporting the development of more resilient young people, please get in touch.
A visit to our base in the Peak District is good for your mental health!
