Teen Wilderness Camps And Programs

Wilderness Schools or Wilderness Boarding Schools are exactly what they sound like they are schools that are held in the wilderness. The theory behind these types of schools or camps is that when you take the creature comforts away from a teen they will be more attentive. There was a series on television a few years ago featuring a wilderness school. The program followed several defiant youth as they discovered their own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. Most people fail to appreciate the most basic comforts we enjoy as a people. Things like running water, toilet facilities, a shower, a nice bed to sleep in. When these things are taken away, they have all new meaning when they are restored. The Wilderness Schools operate on this premise. Once the teens realize that they are not in control they become much more teachable.

Wilderness Schools and Education

One downside to the wilderness schools is the education offered. Because of the extreme situation the youth are placed in the educational courses available are usually limited. This is not to say that the value of what they may learn that doesn't come from a school book is not valuable. Many youth have been helped with wilderness schools or wilderness camps. Like any type of youth program wilderness schools are not 100% effective, there really is no silver bullet that will help every teen. When seeking help for a troubled teen it is important to remember that just because a wilderness school works for one child doesn't guarantee it will work for your child.

Wilderness Schools and Safety

Many wilderness schools or wilderness camps have many safe guards in place to assure that the students will be safe. Most have emergency help fairly close by and they are usually in radio contact. It is important to understand that in our opinion there are some extra risks associated with wilderness schools or wilderness camps that do not exist in the more traditional troubled teen boarding schools. One risk that is impossible to manage is the weather. Plans can be made to deal with severe weather but the weather can definitely make things much more difficult deal with. Another factor that has been a problem for wilderness schools and camps is dealing with extreme heat and dehydration. Even trained medical professionals can sometimes be fooled by the symptoms of dehydration in its earliest stages.

Wilderness School Summary

We do not want to disparage or down play the effectiveness of wilderness schools in the troubled teen industry. It would impossible to argue with their effectiveness and to dispute the help they have offered to many families. When selecting a wilderness school it would be wise to ask about their safety record, the safety measures they have in place, and the qualifications of the staff that will accompany the teens.