Recent Projects
Human Nature Adventure Therapy Recre8 Evaluation – Executive Summary
Human Nature Adventure Therapy Recre8 Evaluation – Full Report (Compressed)
Shared Learnings: Proceedings of the “Family Violence Recovery – Research and Practice Forum”
In early 2019 AWA supported the development of a sector wide collaboration designed to share learnings across the 26 family violence, therapeutic demonstration projects. The process brought together some 130 participants from over 40 different organisations who work with people who have experienced family violence.
Regenerate evaluation: executive summary
This exploratory evaluation found Regenerate supports recovery across nine domains, with greatest gains in areas of safety, mental health and wellbeing, empowerment and self-esteem. Results also indicate progress in the area of financial independence, a possible by-product of gains made in other areas.
REGENERATE is delivered by Adventure Works Australia in collaboration with the Good Samaritan Inn. Funded by Family Safety Victoria of the Victorian Government’s Department of Health and Human Services, Regenerate is a demonstration project designed to meet recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Family Violence, including to ‘expand the depth of therapeutic interventions available to victims/survivors of family violence’ and to ‘strengthen the sector’s capability in delivering effective therapeutic interventions’.
Outdoor Adventure Interventions – Young People and Adversity: A Literature Review
This report provides research evidence and practical guidance for organisations intending to use outdoor adventures as an intervention with young people who have experienced adversities. Berry Street commissioned Adventure Works to undertake this literature review as one component of a yearlong formative evaluation of Berry Street’s Gippsland Wilderness Program (GWP), an expedition-style outdoor adventure intervention for high-risk young people living in Eastern Victoria, Australia. Outdoor adventures are used around the world as a form of intervention, and tend to involve small groups of people in out-of-doors adventures for therapeutic benefits. Within this report, these services are called ‘outdoor adventure interventions’ (OAI). The purpose of this report is to help guide GWP program development, and provide information for other organisations choosing to use outdoor adventures as an intervention with this target group. It offers a synthesis and summary of Australian and international literature on uses of outdoor adventures as an intervention with young people aged 13 to 18 who have experienced adversities, including potential or known trauma. Findings offer a summary of OAI in Australia and internationally; a set of evidence- informed principles to inform future enhancements of the GWP model and practices; and practical advice for practitioners, program managers and organisations. The report also provides an extensive library of literature evidence for further use, in the form of an extended bibliography.
A Formative Evaluation of the Gippsland Wilderness Program March 2018
In early 2016, Adventure Works was contracted by Berry Street to develop and implement an evaluation of GWP. The evaluation included three components: a clarificatory evaluation, a process evaluation and participant impact evaluation, together with a literature review.
Bridging the Gap Program Evaluation: ‘Taking off in a good way’. Summary Report (September 2016)
An evaluation of an early intervention adventure-based program for at-risk young people. The evaluation was funded by a Victorian Law Enforcement Drug Fund grant awarded to Victoria Police. The program was delivered by Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) in partnership with the Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS). Contact us for a full copy of the Comprehensive Report.
Wildside Trek Evaluation Report: ‘Change is Possible’. Short Report (May 2016)
Wildside is an innovative intervention engaging students experiencing difficulties at school in high-challenge outdoor experiences to help reach their potential. The evaluation was funded by Leaps and Bounds Student Development Centre (Eastern Metropolitan Region). The program was delivered by Leaps and Bounds in partnership with Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) and Victoria Police. Contact us for a copy of the Short Report.
Research
Adventure Works offers research services to agencies and organisations wishing to examine a particular aspect of their work, including:
- cost-covering fees for research
- support for research grant applications free of charge
- research partnerships with a University, if relevant
- formal ethics applications and approvals via an NHMRC-approved research institution, if needed.
For a conversation about how we can assist with your research aims contact Adventure Works.
Program Evaluation
Adventure Works undertakes program evaluations with agencies and organisations wishing to examine the processes or outcomes of their work. We may choose to partner with a University or larger evaluation team if partnering is considered beneficial to the project. We charge cost-covering fees for program evaluations and are happy to provide research evidence free of charge for grant submissions to undertake program evaluations. For more information on how we can assist with your program evaluation contact Adventure Works.
Program evaluation credentials
Do you need research evidence on Bush Adventure Therapy?
Because Adventure Works wishes to support the development of Bush Adventure Therapy in Australia, when time allows, we are more than happy to provide individuals, agencies and organisations with links to research evidence to help to inform their work and to support funding applications. To begin this process, we offer a summary of research evidence collated by the Adventure Works team.
For more information about research and evaluation relating to Bush Adventure Therapy in Australia, check out AABAT’s Research Page.
For research evidence about the outcomes of bush adventure therapy, wilderness therapy, adventure therapy and outdoor education, check out Daniel Bowen’s Meta Analysis.
For information about all kinds of outdoor education research and evaluation, visit James Neill’s Outdoor Education & Evaluation Centre.
For a basic overview of BAT, check out this paper.
