‘Even with the best
of intentions, erasing
the past can prevent
new generations
from learning
critical lessons
while forever
compromising
opportunities to
build a peaceful
future.’
Professor Brandon Hamber
commonly face peer pressure with
regards to gang involvement, violence,
alcohol, drugs, sex and pregnancy
that potentially place them ‘at
risk’. Wilderness and Start360 both
provide services to young people
including peacebuilding and justice
programmes, personal development
and self-esteem growth.
Anne-Marie McClure MBE,
Director of Start360 and a former
nurse, who helped set up the
organisation in 1993, says, ‘Our aim
is to make a real difference to young
people’s lives and to build a safer
community in Northern Ireland.’ Their
work involves acting as mentors for
young people in custody, and working
with adult prisoners who face drug or
alcohol addiction, amongst their many
services.
Drawing on the Foundation’s
flagship initiative, Roberts outlined
the compelling benefits for wilderness
intervention for the youth at risk,
using examples from their project in
Essex: ‘The TurnAround Project in the
UK is an intensive intervention that
aims to address negative behaviour
in youth at risk. Over the course of a
12-month period, project beneficiaries
engage in wilderness trails; monthly
nature-based activity workshops
and regular mentoring sessions with
community-based volunteers. The
aim or outcome is for youth to return
to education or employment on an
ongoing basis on which they average
an 85 per cent success rate each
cycle.’
Commenting on the psychological
and social benefits that wilderness
can offer participants, she says, ‘It
represents a personal growth process
18
and the majority of participants learn
how to manage their behaviour and
express their emotions (ranging
from anger to ݙH[