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This is an unusual article in that it brings together the perspectives of many on this journal's editorial board, around the issue of contending with COVID-19. Twenty statements showcase a range of thoughts and experiences, highlighting the differences and similarities in the way the pandemic is impacting on the educational practice of outdoor and environmental education. The future is not yet written, of course, so it is worth thinking about how the current moment may impact on the months and years to come. The aim of this article is to influence and support such thinking. [Author abstract]

In Australia, when a person wants to work in the outdoor education or recreation field, they can follow a number of different pathways to gain the required knowledge, skills and experience. Typically, this involves the completion of a formal program with either a training organisation or a university, depending on the qualification sought. Programs delivered by training organisations typically use a national training package to define the specific competencies (knowledge and skills) and the curriculum and outcomes of these programs are clearly defined, and qualifications are usually transferable around the country. Outdoor education programs delivered by universities in Australia, however, have no such clarity. This paper describes a research study that used the Delphi research method to consult with academics working in university outdoor education programs across Australia. The research set out to establish a set of threshold concepts that articulate what a student who completes at least a major in outdoor education knows and is able to do. Over two rounds of consultation the six authors of this paper formed the Delphi facilitation team, which solicited input and feedback from an expert panel. Nineteen different university academics participated in the research and produced seven threshold concepts, which are shared in this paper to encourage discussion and invite feedback from a wider range of stakeholders. More research is required to ascertain the efficacy of these threshold concepts in describing what graduates of university outdoor education programs know and can do. [Author abstract]

The role, place, and often invisible contributions of women working in the outdoor learning profession have become an area for increased scrutiny. Alarmingly, there is an underrepresentation of women cited in research and practice, yet women make up approximately half those involved in outdoor education and outdoor recreation. A male-dominated narrative seems to prevail. The intention of this paper is to serve as a focal point for critical analysis and discourse about the status of women in the outdoor learning profession. We investigate the prevalence of females presenting keynotes at Australian national and state outdoor education conferences, complemented by dialogical engagement with women working in the outdoor learning profession regarding the opportunities for their voices to be heard. Our analysis clarifies some of the key issues and identifies constructive ways to recognise and support women's contributions with the aim of enabling both women and men to be valued for their unique and shared involvements in the outdoor learning profession. [Author abstract]

Throughout our collective experiences in the outdoors, defining moments have helped ignite innovation and provided inspiration for women and men in the outdoor profession. Women's representation among the ranks of the senior leaders and researchers in the outdoor field is disproportionately low. As such, women in outdoor education today still face challenges being recognized and accessing the upper echelons of the profession and academy. An incident at the 6th International Outdoor Education Research Conference in 2013, where women donned an invisibility cloak provided the impetus for our paper. Significant progress has been made in the past three decades; however an imbalance and gender asymmetry still exists today. At the core of our profession is the development of leadership and individual potential; it is therefore imperative that we examine our indiscernible footprint within the profession. The paper aims to generate practical solutions and strategies for those grappling with ways to improve their leadership impact and attain gender equity in their career goals.

This paper presents the findings of a recent preliminary study into the effects of a wilderness therapy program on the resilience of male youth at-risk. The study focused on participants who completed a wilderness therapy program at Typo Station. The residential program involved a five-week stay at the Typo Station property in north east Victoria, during which young men participated in hands-on group and one-on-one activities, community involvement, wilderness experiences including a 10-day hike, and simple pioneer-style living. The program is designed to build the life skills and resilience of male adolescents who are considered at-risk of future negative life outcomes. The study used two questionnaires to evaluate 19 participants before, during, and after the program. The questionnaires measured resilience and protective factors of resilience. Results showed that the participants’ resilience and protective factors both significantly increased following the program. Results also showed that from pre-test to post-test there was a moderate-to-large effect size for participants’ resilience and protective factor scores. The results of the resilience and protective factors suggest that Typo Station’s program can help at-risk participants build upon skills and factors that may help them develop resilience to overcome risks and avoid negative outcomes in the future. The paper concludes that this study gives strong preliminary support for the use of wilderness therapy as an intervention to help strengthen protective factors and increase resilience in male adolescents considered at-risk.

In this paper we examine the effect an outdoor and experiential education program on the life effectiveness skills of its participants. A private boys school in Melbourne focused on the challenging time of year nine to implement a program they hoped would enable the boys to develop life effectiveness skills in the areas of time management, social competence, achievement motivation, intellectual flexibility, task leadership, emotional control, active initiative and self confidence. The program involved a progression through a variety of curriculum areas including a number of outdoor education components and trips. We specifically considered two major areas of the program. The first, an examination of the boys life effectiveness skills after the program; and secondly whether participation in the outdoor education component had a more significant impact on life effectiveness skills compared to the other programs. Results showed the life effectiveness skills of the boys increased after each aspect of the program, with a significant difference found between the life effectiveness skills of the boys who participated in two outdoor education programs compared to only one. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The initial online publication contained several typesetting errors. The original article has been corrected.

The aim of this research is to investigate remuneration packages and working conditions of the Victorian Outdoor Education profession. A varying range of Outdoor Educators working in a diverse range of programs and conditions were surveyed at the Victorian Outdoor Education Association's (V.O.E.A.) state wide 'Conference 2000'. The results reflect variability within remuneration packages and working conditions, however, some clear trends were evident. These included the majority of participants receiving such benefits as public liability insurance, superannuation and workcover. However, no participants indicated that they received overtime; rather they received time off in lieu of additional hours worked. The majority of participants received a benefit such as a company vehicle, meals, accommodation and usage of a mobile phone whilst physically working on programs, however, the data indicated that these benefits were not continued for the majority of participants for personal use. When the results are compared to data obtained in similar research that was carried out in South Australia, the average remuneration for the Victorian outdoor educator is generally higher than that of South Australian colleague. This research attempts to provide a more in-depth examination of what remuneration and working conditions exist for the Victorian outdoor educator, however, for a more comprehensive reflection of the industry standards a greater cross section of participants may be useful. Further investigation on not only a state wide level, but perhaps more importantly, a national level is recommended to obtain greater insight and understanding of remuneration and working conditions for Victorian and Australian outdoor educators [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]