The Outward Bound Trust

The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity dedicated to unlocking the potential in young people between the ages of 9-18 through discovery and adventure in the wild. We give them access to adventurous experiences through which they can learn to achieve more than they ever thought possible.

At Outward Bound, our mission is to inspire young people to realise their potential through learning and adventure in the outdoors.

We work with up to 25,000 young people every year, providing bursary support to over 80% of our course participants, enabling us to work with disadvantaged young people across the UK. Many of our participants have never previously left their own postcodes, let alone slept out under the stars. 

During an Outward Bound course, young people take part in challenging, adventurous activities, such as rock climbing, overnight mountain expeditions and a range of water-based activities including canoeing and gorge walking. All activities are underpinned with specific learning outcomes. We create opportunities for young people to build upon their personal, social and emotional skills through genuine adventure in the wild. Individualised review sessions allow focus on genuine learning for life at home and in school that simply cannot be met in a classroom.

We believe our work has never been more important. Global crises are having a catastrophic effect on young people; their education, mental health, wellbeing and future opportunities. Young people need to develop qualities such as resilience, communication, confidence, leadership, and self-belief, to overcome life’s challenges and achieve their potential. An Outward Bound course empowers young people with these skills.