This course is a 4-week canoe and backpack expedition on the Eastern Shore of Alabama for troubled teens. It is designed for teens exhibiting challenging behaviors at home or school who are ready to make a change. At least one parent must participate in the 3-day parent/guardian seminar at course end. The expedition is an opportunity for teens to learn about themselves and their strengths in a new setting, away from their typical pressures and temptations.
The family component provides a structure for independence with appropriate support and new hope for productive family relationships. Gulf Coast Canoeing & Backpacking - Intercept courses take place in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta of Alabama's East Gulf Coastal Plain. This little-used backcountry area is perfect for a wilderness expedition with a purpose.
Intercept
Intercept is a special program of Outward Bound, one of the oldest wilderness adventure programs in the world. It is designed to serve teens and their families to help them address issues like low motivation, defiance, poor school performance, and risky behaviors. Courses are presented as metaphors for the transition from childhood to adulthood and are designed to help teens connect their desire for more freedom with the reality that they must take on additional responsibility.
Courses are highly structured with explicit wilderness, communication and leadership skills progressions. Courses for ages 14-17 focus on preparing for a parent/guardian conference at course end. The conference is a conversation, facilitated by the instructor, in which parents and teens design a new plan for their household.
Course DescriptioN
"Hard by Mobile is one of the least disturbed and most beautiful of America's wildlands, the delta that lies between the Mobile River on the west and the Tensaw River on the East. Covering more than 500 square miles, this arborescent wetland is one of the largest surviving wildernesses in the eastern United States." "From the Ice Age Red Hills to the north and thence south to the wetlands, estuary and ocean front on the southern rim, the land supports an unsurpassed array of ecosystems." "Fresh water flows through it in countless rivers creeks and streams. Combined with the warm shallow Gulf shore waters, the whole contains the greatest diversity of aquatic organisms in America." E.O. Wilson, Harvard University biologist and two time Pulitzer Prize winner.
The geological and biological heritage of the Mobile Tensaw Delta mirrors that of South America's Amazon River basin. Because of that, locals often lovingly refer to our delta as the "Bamazon".
To apply for this course click the apply button next to the course dates that work for you. The non-refundable application fee of $125 is due at the time of application. For full fee schedule and process, click here. Course tuitions listed do not include our application fee or transportation fee.