Dr Ian Boyle, Outdoor Education Coordinator, The Scots College, Glengarry
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers : Teaching Strategies and Tools to Help Prepare Our Outdoor Education Students in this Uncertain World.
Arguably, mainstream education has been remiss in preparing teenagers for the uncertain world that exists beyond the realm of the school. Sean Covey (1998) in his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers” has attempted to address this void, with practical strategies for handling the myriad of challenges that teenagers face in their lives, that have direct implications for outdoor educators. Ian explores the underlying concepts of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens in a pilot program for secondary school students, with particular emphasis placed on the implementation into the unique learning environment of the outdoors. An overview of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers, along with a top up in your teaching facilitation tool bag in order to deliver this content in the outdoor/expedition setting is what you can expect.

Ian, the outdoor education coordinator at Scots College Glengarry for the past 16 years, has academic interests in the fields of sport and positive psychology and the synergy these fields have with outdoor education. He completed his doctorate degree in 2002 where he studied the impact of adventure based training on the team cohesion and psychological skills development of elite athletes. His present interests lie in teaching and developing experiences for high school students to learn to become “highly effective teenagers”. In his spare time he loves to climb, paddle, ride his bike and rumble with his kids! Oh yeah, and spend quality time with his wife Sue!

Lt.Col. Patrick Cullinan, SC, OAM
Evaluation of Adventure Training, and Safety including Injury Prevention - Where we stand and the way ahead.
Often the very adventurous programs implemented to enhance individual and team capabilities are sometimes (due to safety/injury issues) the very programs that negatively impact these capabilities. What is the answer? To curtail adventurous activities lowers the level of safety across an organisation from 'a high tide' to a 'low tide' and effectively transfer risk into the future onto new leaders caught in this new 'safety low tide'. While this scenario often results, it is not the answer. This presentation looks at some approaches to continue challenging adventurous activities while at the same time satisfying safety and injury prevention requirements.

A Duntroon Royal Military College graduate, Patrick’s military service includes service with the UN in Kashmir, the Commonwealth Training Team in Uganda, Officer Commanding the 145 strong Parachute Company Group in 6RAR in Brisbane, and 12 years in Special Forces holding senior appointments in intelligence, operations, personnel and logistics, and for two years 21C SASR.  Patrick is currently posted to the Portfolio Evaluation and Review Directorate of the Inspector General Division in Canberra, recently conducting corporate-level evaluations in Adventurous Training, Safety and Injury Prevention.  Mountaineering wise, Patrick was the first Australian to climb two 8,000 metre high mountains-Broad Peak Pakistan, 8047m,1986 and Mount Everest Nepal, 8,850m,1988 from the Nepalese side for the 1st time without high altitude Sherpa help. His awards include; the Star of Courage for the rescue of a German mountaineer stranded near the summit of Broad Peak in 1986, the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1989 for services to mountaineering, Chief of the Defence Force and Chief of the General Staff Commendations.

Zac Zaharias, Director, Peak Learning
Take me to the Top – The Commercialisation of Mountaineering.
Zac looks at the evolution in Himalayan climbing, particularly over the last 30 years, with it's professionalisation where private or national expeditions have been overtaken by large scale commercial operations. He looks at the impact from a perspective of the changes in attitude, risk taking, economic benefits, media interest and reporting, environmental concerns and ethical dilemmas such as that widely reported in the media last year with the death of David Sharp on Mt Everest.  There are many parallels to the changes in adventure tourism in the Himalayas with what is occurring in Australia. The question is posed whether the challenge of mountaineering (and the outdoor experience in general) is diminished by money, easy access and risk aversion. The presentation draws heavily on reflections from Zac’s own experiences on 15 major expeditions to the Himalayas over the last 26 years (many as an Expedition Leader) including two to Mt Everest.

Attending the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Zac was a commissioned regular officer, Royal Australian Engineers, with various regimental, staff and training appointments, and operational services with the United Nations Military Observer Group, and for several years was Officer Commanding a Cadet Squadron, Australian Defence Force Academy (ADF). Zac has a BSc (Mil), a BA and MSc (Instructional Systems), and is currently a self-employed Training Consultant, and Outdoor Education Leader. A seasoned and experienced climber, he has undertaken 14 Himalayan/Alaskan expeditions and reached the summit of 8 major peaks including 5 of the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. He developed and advised on Adventurous Training policy within the ADF, has developed an Army Adventurous Training Manual, been a Risk Management instructor to ADF military staff and developed over 50 Risk Management plans for a range of outdoor activities. Zac was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal in the 1998 Australia Day Honours List for the promotion and development of adventurous training within the ADF.

Ross Bowey, Principal, The Highlands School
Bullying and behavioural issues – How to deal with the Inappropriate.
Ross holds the position of Principal at Highlands School, a Department of Education and Training facility that caters exclusively to students who are unable to access mainstream education as a result of severe behavioural issues.  Ross will give us the benefit of his understanding as to what drives adolescents and how best to respond to them in the field.

Ross began his teaching career in the Mt Druitt area, where his fascination with teaching the most difficult of students began, often electing to take these classes within the school. Aware of his peculiar talents, the Education Department selected Ross to be the “set up” teacher at a specialised unit for conduct disordered adolescents, the North Harbour Unit. During his 5 years he developed an interest in wilderness programs as a means of addressing the needs of challenging students. Consequently he was deployed to establish The Backpack Project on the Central Coast, for secondary students with high level behavioural issues, followed by a posting as Head Teacher to the newly established Umina High School unit for emotionally disturbed students. Outside of education Ross lives a fairly conservative life that revolves around his wife Deb, his children Lissy and Mitch – oh and motorcycles, rugby and fast food too. Ross shares his wisdom, compassion and understanding of young people with us, as he helps us accept the challenge adolescents can throw.

John Wells, Director, Adventist Outdoors
Pastoral Care in the Outdoor Setting.
Pastoral care is the responsibility of all. The practice of looking after the personal and social well-being of children under the care of an adult or teacher can encompass a wide variety of issues including health, social and moral education, behaviour management and emotional support, and involves us all.

John has more than 40 years experience in the outdoors and enjoys sharing the outdoors with young people. He heads Adventist Outdoors training and development for Pathfinder leaders and is involved with the youth for the Adventist Church in the Greater Sydney region, with hands-on involvement in rally field days and major camping events. John chairs the Adventist Outdoors Greater Sydney Conference, is secretary to the national body, has an MA Theology, is a Workplace Trainer and Assessor, and holds NOLRS registration in many competencies.

John Leard
Nature and personal challenge combined can heal and change lives.
As the NSW representative for the Australian Adventure Therapy Network, John will educate and explain what Adventure Therapy is and introduce us to this evolving field.

With over 10 years involvement in the outdoor education/recreation industries, and the past six years as executive director for Xtreme Getaways Australia, responsible for developing, writing and evaluating their programs, as well as training. John has worked with many client groups with an emphasis on working with young people – most predominantly community and youth organisations and schools.  John is very active, believing that adventure, wilderness and the outdoors are the most powerful and effective mediums that an individual can participate in to learn important life skills, develop core values and grow holistically.

Dr Simon Darcy, Assoc. Prof, UTS, Sydney
Developing universal responses to people with disabilities and the outdoors.
Simon investigates organisational responses to accessible tourism, sports management practices and protected area visitor management systems.

Simon Darcy is an Associate Professor and Research Director in the School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism at the University of Technology, Sydney. Simon’s research and teaching expertise is in sport, tourism and diversity management. All Simon's research is industry linked with the private sector, third sector or government organisations. He is actively involved in community advocacy projects and passionately believes in the rights of all people to fully participate in community life.

Pamela O’Brien, Project Manager, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Commercial Tour Operators Licensing Review.
Reforming the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Commercial Tour Operators Licensing System.
The current licensing system is out of step with best practice for managing commercial activities on park and has been criticised by licensees and other stakeholders. This session will describe how the Service aims to develop an efficient and effective licensing system that supports the growth of commercial activities, encourages visitation and ensures community, visitor and operator expectations are better met.

Pamela O’Brien has worked with the NPWS for over 15 years in a variety of roles including Area Manager in Kosciuszko National Park where she works closely with commercial tour operators and activity providers.

Gordon Duff
Australian Activity Standards – national uptake and position of NSW.
Instrumental in facilitating the development of the Victorian Adventure Activity Standards (AAS), Gordon talks on the adoption of these standards nationally and where NSW fits in.

Gordon is Executive Officer with the Outdoor Recreation Centre, Victoria (ORC) and on the Board of the Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA).  He is also an active member of the Standards Australia Committee SF-047 on Artificial Climbing Structures.  His role as Development Manager with the ORC was instrumental in facilitating the development of the Victorian Adventure Activity Standards (AAS).

Rainer Wilton, NSW Project Officer:Sport & Recreation, Service Skills Aust
Training and industry skill needs forum: Outdoor recreation in the context of the broader NSW Sport and Recreation Industry.
This session will provide and overview of the factors that industry perceives as driving the sport and recreation industry in NSW.  An overview of the results of research recently conducted by Service Skills Australia on the skill needs of NSW Sport and Recreation industry will be provided, concluding with a discussion on the broader issues facing outdoor recreation.

Rainer has spent the last two years managing Service Skills Australia’s NSW Sport and Recreation Industry Training Advisory Service. In this role he advises the NSW sport and recreation industry on skill development initiatives and assists industry to implement the Vocational Education and Training system in NSW. Rainer’s role requires him to advise the NSW Department of Education and Training on a range of issues relating to Sport and Recreation, including industry skill development and research, traineeship arrangements, VET in Schools, and the development, review, and implementation of Training Packages. Rainer began his career in Sport and Recreation in 1998 with the Australian Sports Drug Agency, before progressing to Sports Medicine Australia National and NSW Branches. Rainer holds a Bachelor of Science Specialising in Sports Administration, a Graduate Diploma of Business, a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and is in the final semester of a Masters of Business and at the University of Sydney.

Mark Van Der Haar, Director, Phillips Financial Services
Public Liability, Professional Indemnity, 3rd Party Considerations, Contractor Safety, Forms and Requirements.
Recognised amongst insurers as an expert and major stakeholder in insuring businesses in all areas of adventure leisure, tourism, accommodation, sports and like business, Mark will discuss some the important insurance considerations for outdoor recreation organisations.

With a bachelor of business degree, Mark began his career at Commercial Union now CGU Insurance undertaking various underwriting roles including Workers Compensation, moving to Phillips Financial Services P/L in 2000 and completing his Fellowship of Insurance, currently the highest insurance qualification available.  At Phillips, Mark soon established the Affinity Division specialising in partner specific industries, associations and niche markets.  The culture of this division is to partner these groups, understand their industry and concentrate on providing professional advice to assist business in meeting the challenges in their industry from an insurance and risk point of view.  Now a Director of Phillips Financial Services P/L and Manager of the Affinity Department, Mark is recognised amongst insurers as an expert and major stakeholder in insuring businesses in all areas of adventure leisure, tourism, accommodation, sports and like business, key industries in the Affinity Portfolio.

Stuart Clark, Managing Director & Principal Training Officer, All Aid First Aid
The benefits of adding emergency response scenarios into an outdoor education program.
This session is hands-on, roll up your sleeves style.  Don’t expect to sit back…expect to be involved in a mock emergency situation, learning how effective and easy it is to incorporate this style of training into your organisational training. Stuart will facilitate first aid training in Trauma Management whilst providing you with the tools, techniques and ideas to stage mock scenarios.

Stuart began his career in outdoor education in 1995 as a trainee on the Hawkesbury River.  Since then he has worked for a number of outdoor education companies and schools as a guide, and later as a qualified secondary school teacher. His company All Aid First Aid was established with the ideal of offering first aid training that was both effective and fun for all people in all environments, with a particular focus on the provision of remote area and wilderness first aid training programs from2 through to 6 days in length.  Stuart's passions are hiking, mountain bike riding and kayaking.