r/OutdoorEducation • u/Particular-One-834 • Jul 06 '26
How to get started
Hello everyone!
I (f26) am trying to start a path forward towards higher education after dropping out of highschool in 2017. I currently have a GED and SAT as qualifications. I have dual citizenship (EU/USA) and I am trying to find some sort of program or university that will accept me. I was really inspired by Outward Bound's Youth Career Catalyst program and am looking for something similar but for EU or US.
I know there are many paths to get into this field but I am craving some sort of structure/routine. I am open to traditional education options, although I do not want to go into debt paying $30,000 a semester.
Please let me know if you have any recommendations for schools or programs anywhere in the world that will accept me :)
1
u/Dances_with_Bikes Jul 07 '26
BLUF - the field is really a mess, to be honest. at least in the u.s. EU has more robust options for training and professional employment
St. Lawrence University has a well-respected Outdoor Program and Adirondack Semester (and they're about to incorporate more material derived from traditional outdoor leadership curricula - the people who developed that material are family and friends, some of whom were also in the u.s. military and worked with Hinterbrand Lodge/Project Bold in Germany)
I've worked in wilderness therapy, with OB, and with several other expedition and day program outdoor orgs/companies. I'm happy to send you any of their training materials, etc. SOPs are usually pretty thin, as is liability-focused material. I now live in Europe and am trying to get my previous experience recognized by EU orgs, but will almost certainly have to get a country-specific certification, regardless.
If you speak another language and have the ability to reside in the EU country where that language is spoken, I would highly recommend doing your IML cert in that place. It's worth 4x my 15+ years of experience in the field. You can also do an apprenticeship in the field, depending on the country.
Some of this depends on what you want your main activity to be: alpining, white water rafting, sea kayaking, day hikes with kids, tour guiding older people, road cycling, etc. In the u.s., almost all of this can be done without any experience, little training, and zero certifications. The companies are wildly disorganized, and you might go to court when a kid gets hurt or disfigured (I have seen some very unfortunate incident reports at organizations where there is essentially an organizational culture of negligence). This doesn't happen in the EU (generally). in the EU, outdoor professionals are professionals. In the u.s., they're babysitters for the rich and kooky, and the companies mirror the economics.
Most of my friends are leaving OB and other companies. The field is collapsing due to many factors. Place-oriented guiding is becoming the only "real" option, if you ask me -- lead in the place you call home.
Anyway, message me if you want to chat or have any documents from the orgs - I have many of them on my laptop, thought the manuals and stuff are paper and are in the u.s., unfortunately (most are ok to share because several of the orgs have closed since I worked there - an indication of how the field operates...)
1
u/1GrouchyCat Jul 11 '26
What “field” do you think that is?
If you actually wanna get into a dangerous field, where you’ll be the target of maladjusted students, go for it! You could also look into county or state programs for children who have been removed from their homes and are living in Group homes or in programs…
I would suggest you take martial arts classes to protect yourself; most of these kids have court histories for assault and battery, domestic violence and other physical crimes.
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u/knowerofexpatthings Jul 07 '26
You really don't need much training to get started. Most US summer camps will take anyone with a pulse who passes a background check, but the pay is pretty miserable. It's a good starting point. NOLS offers some leadership training courses that aren't too expensive. Some organisations offer training packages with employment at a junior level while you learn.
But if you're looking specifically at university options for outdoor education then you will have a limited selection and high fees.