2024 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Since 2019, there have been regular WRMC presentations and pre-conference sessions devoted to the principles of Safety II (or Safety Differently), but until now, we have talked more about the theory than the practice. This session will provide a very brief introduction to the concepts behind Safety II, but primarily focus on practical applications and lessons learned by programs that are implementing a Safety II approach. We will use case studies, practical examples of success stories, share pitfalls to avoid, and offer action steps for participants to apply Safety II concepts to their own organization. Participants will also be invited to recognize how they may already have many components of a Safety II approach existing within their current policies, practices, or organizational culture - even if they aren't calling it that (yet).

How do journalists and the public know the difference between good programs and a harmful one? Do you understand what the term “troubled teen industry” means and where your program is positioned in the outdoor programming marketplace? Negative press in any outdoor sector impacts all outdoor programs. As the adventure therapy field and therapeutic programs navigate public criticism around ethical care, this session covers understanding and working with a journalist’s perspective and strategies for proactive PR. The session aims to give practitioners tools and strategies to help clarify programmatic purpose, common or inherent practices, who regulates programs, and how standards are determined. Join Sarah Hoye, a past recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award for her work in journalism, and Denise Mitten, Ph.D., a thought leader and ethicist specializing in mental health counseling, in this thought-provoking session. Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of how to work with media, a positive press release about their program, and the importance of and how to write ethical standards applicable to their programmatic context.

This session will focus on how to prepare your organization to receive and investigate reports of unwelcome behaviors. We will identify the increased harm and impact of unwelcome behaviors as they become more egregious, identify the best practices for taking a report and what an investigation should entail.

In the realm of risk management, our approach to a given situation varies depending on whether we are vacationing with friends, operating within the confines of our professional roles, or collaborating with a professional partner. In the context of outdoor or experiential education, risk can be particularly valuable as it presents opportunities for students to challenge their assumptions and develop essential problem-solving skills. It is through navigating the inherent risks in the learning process that students foster resilience, creativity, and adaptability. These varying perspectives illuminate the complex dynamics and trade-offs inherent in effective risk management. This workshop explores how we define a shared organizational understanding of risk tolerance as it pertains to student learning and the student experience, and offers tools for how we communicate a unified vision of risk appetite to our staff. We will share a risk continuum that can be applied personally and organizationally, and offer a framework for undertaking an organizational assessment of acceptable risk. Additionally, we will provide tools to support and train staff in upholding organizational risk thresholds that may differ greatly from their own personal risk tolerance.