Safety is our number one priority. At all levels of our school, we demonstrate our dedication to participant safety by our words, actions and values. Outward Bound has been a national leader in wilderness safety for over 50 years and frequently advises and assists other organizations in outdoor adventure risk management. Living and traveling in a remote wilderness setting exposes you to risks different than those you may encounter in your daily life. We believe that accepting appropriate risks and training and preparing participants to manage those risks, provides invaluable life experience.
Regardless of precautionary measures, risk and uncertainty are central to the concept of challenge and adventure. The intent is not to avoid activities involving risk but to recognize, prepare for and successfully manage risk. In order to identify any potential hazards and update best practices, our programs are regularly reviewed by outdoor professionals from inside and outside the Outward Bound system.
Outward Bound instructors receive regular training in the activities and environments in which we deliver our courses. They are trained to anticipate and manage risks inherent in remote areas. They are also trained in first aid, search and rescue and emergency management. Our instructors are certified Wilderness First Responders; some are Wilderness Emergency Medical Technicians or equivalent. Outward Bound maintains a minimum staff-to-student ratio of approximately 1:6. Instructors work in teams of two or three with six to 12 students. Instructor teams are usually co-ed but balancing skills and teaching styles is our primary staffing focus. One instructor in every team is a lead instructor with multiple seasons of training and experience. The lead instructor has single point accountability for the safety and effectiveness of the course in the field as well as mentoring their staffing team.
For more information on our instructors, please check out our staff profiles page or our careers page for instructor requirements. As a participant, you must take responsibility for yourself by following instructions and practicing the skills taught by your instructors.
Add-on: $1500 (30 days of post-Intercept support)
If you are interested in purchasing this elective post-Intercept transition support package through PRN, please contact your Outward Bound Course Advisor to receive more information.
PRN for Families, Inc. is collaborating with Outward Bound to provide continuing care and support to all students who are transitioning out of Voyageur Outward Bound’s Intercept program, in conjunction with their families to help sustain and further develop the tools and resources they have gained while participating in Intercept. The initial transition support package is offered for a period of thirty days following the transition home from VOBS. Continuing care packages are also available beyond the initial thirty days at the family’s discretion.
PRN's goal is to understand the needs of the whole family system so that they can customize their support services to best meet those needs. As such, the specific services offered within the support package include a degree of flexibility to allow for customization.
Ideally, PRN for Families will begin its engagement with the family a week prior to transition home from VOBS. At inception, one of PRN's Family Consultants will speak with the student, family and all involved professionals in order to ensure a seamless transition back to home life after Intercept.
From that point forward, the PRN Family Consultant, who is a licensed clinician, serves as the primary point of contact and liaison for the family, coordinates all outreach, networking and support services, provides all written and verbal assessment, recommendations and treatment plan updates, and is available for 24/7 crisis management during the course of PRN’s involvement.
Note: There is a possibility that during the initial transition period, the PRN Family Consultant will assess, in collaboration with other involved professionals, that the needs of the student are greater than the resources available at home. In such a case, a written summary will be provided to the family, and any involved referring professionals, that outlines specific therapeutic recommendations for the student and the family
If you are interested in purchasing this elective post-Intercept transition support package through PRN, please complete the short electronic form on the PRN website or contact the PRN Admissions office at: (888) 762-5973
Students on courses that are 14 days or longer can receive mail. Because students are in the wilderness for most of their expedition, mail is not distributed until the last day of the course. If families need to share important information before the last day of the course, they should contact their course director.
Addressing Mail:
Student Name/Course Number
Voyageur Outward Bound School
PO Box 450
Ely, MN 55731
If a student’s family experiences an emergency and needs to contact them while they're on course, the family should use the emergency response number at 218-491-6799 and listen to the voicemail message for instructions. Each student has a designated course director. The course director's contact information is emailed to families of youth courses on Day 1 of the course. The course director becomes the primary contact during the course; however, they may be out in wilderness and not immediately available.
While you do not have to be a gifted athlete or in peak physical condition to attend an Outward Bound course, you do have to prepare for the challenges of Outward Bound.
There are two kinds of strength necessary to complete your course; physical and mental. Your body needs to be strong, but you must also come with an open mind, willing spirit and a cooperative attitude. Whether you paddle a canoe or kayak for six or eight hours, expedition with a 50+ pound pack for 10 miles or mush a dogsled, you will be pushed and rewarded on many levels.
Please familiarize yourself with the policies outlined in the Policies Page. By enrolling in Outward Bound you are accountable for and subject to the information contained on these pages.