Program Description

Project D.A.R.E. is a therapeutic adventure residential program for youth-at-risk operated by Wendigo Lake Expeditions Inc. Project D.A.R.E. (Development through Adventure, Responsibility and Education) is a nationally respected program with over thirty years of continuous service. The Project D.A.R.E. facility is located approximately 3 hours north of Toronto, Ontario, on the edge of Algonquin Park.

The Project D.A.R.E. program is designed to promote the development of the attitudes and skills necessary to lead a pro-social life as a responsible and accountable citizen. These outcomes are promoted through five core values continuously reinforced throughout the program:
Responsibility, Effort, Attitude, Community, Honour – R.E.A.C.H.

Project D.A.R.E. is designed for male youth aged 14-17 who present a range of difficult to manage anti-social behaviours. Candidates for referral may have a history of defying rules, anger management concerns, truancy, drug dependency, and conflict with the law. Diagnostic assessments may include reference to ADHD, ADD, Conduct Disorder, or Oppositional-Defiant Disorder. Low self esteem, low academic success, poor social skills, difficulty problem-solving and a need to learn self-care and independent living skills are common areas of need.

The program is usually not appropriate for individuals who have a psychosis, are suicidal, have a history of predatory sexual assault, arson, or serious assaultive behaviour or who have a significant development disability or a physical disability such as anaphylaxis, musculo-skeletal defects/injuries or other health risk which contraindicates extensive outdoor physical activity.

The program continuously challenges students through four inter-related and integrated activity components - wilderness expedition, challenge activities, community service and school.

A day at the facility begins with a 6:45 wake-up, feet on the floor by 7:00; morning chores, then breakfast at 8:00 followed by kitchen clean-up, morning activity from 9:30 to 12:00, lunch and clean-up at 12:15, afternoon program from 1:30 to 4:45, supper and clean-up at 5:15, evening program from 6:45 to 9:00, followed by an hour for phone calls to family, letter-writing, reading and homework before dorm lights out at 10:00, bunk lights out at 10:30 with all quiet.

Program activities are experienced within the context of belonging to a ‘crew’ composed of ten youth. For the duration of their placement, this is the student’s community or family. The crew becomes the context within which the student learns experientially that life is about inter-dependency - the fact that each of our actions whether positive or negative, affects the quality of our life together. The crew provides the context for a ‘therapy of no escape’ where behavioural issues are addressed immediately, in a reality-based format, reinforcing social learning.

The program is organized into four developmental stages (Grey Jay, Otter, Wolf, Bear). Each stage sets increasingly high standards, the achievement of which is formally recognized and rewarded by increasing levels of autonomy and personal choice. There are no extrinsic motivators/rewards for achieving Bear stage, for at that point in the program, it is time for the student to look within himself for reasons to practice pro-social behaviour, in preparation for his return to his home community.

All students begin their placement as a Gray Jay. As a Gray Jay, the student will learn the basic expectations of the program, including performance goals related to the core values (R.E.A.C.H.) and skills required to participate in the adventure and expedition activities that are a central element of our experiential education program. Once the student has achieved these skills he will move to the next stage in the program, Otter, at which point new privileges are matched with increased performance expectations related to the core values (R.E.A.C.H.), challenge activities and expeditions. As the student progresses through the Wolf and Bear levels the emphasis shifts from extrinsic motivators (program privileges) to encouraging the development in the student of the intrinsic motivation to achieve, in preparation for his return to his home community.

Throughout the program, the learning opportunities are concrete, and the challenges can be solved when group members draw on their mental, emotional and physical resources. The group is large enough for the natural emergence of conflict, but small enough to allow constructive resolution. The group provides the social context for learning important skills such as communication, negotiation, cooperation, mutual respect and support while engaged in activities which are both challenging and fun.

It is our belief that addressing issues as soon as they occur and the application of logical consequences are the best way to teach and reinforce pro-social skills. As in the community, many things in the Project D.A.R.E. program are a privilege, the continued enjoyment of which require an acceptable level of socially appropriate behaviour. Every privilege comes with responsibilities. When a privilege is abused, it is lost until responsibility is again demonstrated.

A key feature of the group process is the use of a technique we call “discussion”. Any member of the crew is encouraged to call a discussion to address any issue, positive or negative. For example, if a negative behaviour by one of the youth is the reason for the discussion, each member of the crew is encouraged to contribute, to define the issue, to indicate the impact of the behaviour, to propose solutions and to accept appropriate responsibility and consequences. Developing an awareness of what they specifically did, thought, and felt prior to a breakthrough or setback is emphasized.

Every crew discussion involves the students in defining the presenting issue and identifying the impact on the crew and involved individuals. Typically a student is asked to summarize as a wrap-up to the discussion. The Instructors always retain ultimate responsibility for the resolution of the discussion while seeking to optimize the crew’s participation in practicing these essential problem-solving, communication and conflict-resolution skills.

Wilderness Expedition comprises approximately forty percent of the student’s time at Project D.A.R.E. Expeditions serve as a practical, rather than theoretical, individual and group challenge offering the ultimate in natural consequences. Through involvement in menu planning, care of personal gear, practicing safety, and sharing the multitude of daily tasks required on expedition, the student learns a broad range of skills directly relevant to leading a productive, pro-social life. Students gain new skills and self-confidence, through practice and perseverance achieving more than they thought possible. Working with others to achieve common objectives they further develop skills of cooperation, communication and problem-solving.

Challenge Activities include a progression of activities including Games & Initiatives, Low Ropes Course (14 elements), Trust Falls, Pole Climb, Cargo Net, Flying Fox, Tunnel, Climbing Wall, 14-element Aerial Course, Rock Climbing & Rappelling. These activities are designed to develop the students’ skills for teamwork, planning and perseverance in successfully working through challenges and provide limitless opportunity to adapt or ‘metaphorically frame’ an activity to address the learning and therapeutic needs of students.

Community Service provides students an opportunity to give back to the community and environment from which they have benefited during their placement. The two main areas of community service are maintenance of two sections of the local Forgotten Trails and maintenance of portages and campsites throughout the North section of Algonquin Park.

The School Program is fully integrated into the Expedition, Challenge Activity and Community Service components. Teachers are employees of the Near North Board of Education and function as fully integrated members of the instructor teams, participating in the facilitation of challenge activities and expeditions. Students will work towards earning credits in Physical Education, Individual & Family Living, Science and an Arts & Crafts credit which is taught in a group setting. The student will also work on an Independent Learning Course in a subject of their choice. Students may also have an opportunity to attain their grade ten credits in Physical Education and Individual & Family Living. Because the academic curriculum is an integrated component of daily program, students have the opportunity to earn more credits than a regular school setting would offer during an equivalent period of placement. There are also opportunities for students to participate in on-site vocational work placements, particularly in the Kitchen and Maintenance, where deemed appropriate.

Motivation is designed into the program at multiple levels. The process begins with the admission interview with the prospective student. During the admission interview, the student is engaged in a discussion about D.A.R.E., beginning with a review of what the student can anticipate experiencing in the program, a review of the student’s particular interests and needs, and ending with the setting of some preliminary goals for the student’s placement at D.A.R.E. This process of reviewing interests, risks, needs, and setting program goals continues throughout the youth’s placement.
The group also provides motivation for positive participation as each student’s behavioural contribution either positively or negatively influences the group’s experience of success in program.

In the program, most things are a privilege earned by meeting reasonable performance expectations. Failure to live up to those reasonable standards results in the loss of related privileges until the standard is restored.
Each student has the opportunity to receive formal recognition for his individual achievements. Training in First Aid, CPR, Canoeing, and similar skills will follow standards necessary for accreditation of students by the associated provincial and national organizations. Graduating students receive a certificate in recognition of their participation in the program. Voluntary participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program is encouraged.

One of the key challenges of the staff team is to encourage and facilitate the gradual transition from extrinsic motivators (such as in-program privileges) to intrinsic motivators (such as the personal feeling of accomplishment and self-respect by succeeding at something that has previously been perceived as a source of failure).

The Instructor is a key variable in the success of the program. Each crew’s daily program is designed by a Program Supervisor in consultation with a team composed of Instructors and the Near North Board of Education teacher, with clinical support/supervision provided through contract with a local counselling service. The Instructors are with the students twenty-four hours per day, through disappointments and triumphs, sharing the same weather, food and activities. The instructor must ensure the health and safety of the students, be a catalyst for the teachable moments for individual students and the group, maintain safety and security, and be a role model. One of the extremely important aspects of being an Instructor delivering the program is the building of positive constructive relationships with the students. This positive relationship between instructor and student builds rapport, trust and openness - essential ingredients to engaging the student in the hard work of transforming cognitive errors and negative attitudes and behaviour into pro-social values and conduct.

In the early stages of the program, staff are quite directive as they teach basic skills and expectations. As the students progress, they are given greater autonomy to practice these skills and are encouraged to take increasing initiative and leadership in the functioning of the group. By encouraging autonomy, by treating students with respect while maintaining discipline and accountability, and by listening to them, the instructors become powerful models of the qualities of effective adulthood.

In the role of therapeutic guides, instructors act as translators between the student and the teachable moments of the group and its individual members. They have a crucial responsibility for helping the student to see the daily-life implications of their wilderness expedition, challenge activity, and group living experiences which abound with symbols and metaphors for fundamental truths about life and community.

The rhythm, intensity and depth of the experience are to a major degree engineered by the instructors. Self-discovery and personal growth require the direction of a highly skilled and intuitive instructor who knows when the group is ready for stress and how much it can handle. It will be obvious from all that has been said here about instructors, that they must be exceptional people who possess the maturity and clinical skills to work with youth at risk, while also possessing the technical skills to safely facilitate wilderness expeditions and adventure activities.