Strengths

Backpacking, Camping and Endurance Sports by Kerry P

How can outdoor, wilderness, and endurance activities help neurodiverse young adults find (or even regain) their confidence?

When going on primitive hiking and camping trips, one is closer to the natural world. Scientific studies have recently proven that being out in nature is healing, grounding, even enlightening, and not just for the neurodivergent either. All can benefit!

You’ll learn to live and work together as a team with others, hopefully several that share your interests. Also, you gain great physical strength and endurance! Today, just about everyone’s way out of shape, and Covid didn’t do much to help it.

I want to give my own examples, stemming from my own experiences. On my first trip ever hiking over mountains (about a mile away from now hurricane-stricken Asheville!) I could hardly catch my breath at all. I was not accustomed to any of this. But I held out. And by the next summer…I was pretty much ahead of everyone else. Not to brag, but this goes to show how being out in nature, combined with pushing yourself with strenuous physical activity, sleeping outside under tarps, and cooking over fires, can give one a burst of confidence like nothing ever before.

I’m not dissing ordinary team sports. Soccer, basketball, baseball, hockey, etc. are all great, and also terrific confidence boosters. (I will say that even when I was small, my late grandfather would always be in awe of my basketball dribbling skills…AND HE HAD BEEN A COACH…not to mention that I succeeded in landing a three-point shot on only my second ever try.)

However, team sports are not something that neurodiverse people should be pushed into. Sporty parents and family members may have to think out the box, and realize that the talents of the neurodiverse may lie elsewhere…and this is where outdoor and endurance activities, as a matter of fact anything solo, may come into play. Hiking, backpacking, trail running, hunting, fishing, etc. could be way more where it’s at for certain groups and individuals than team sports are.

And yes – in independent outdoor sports, you still socialize, to give society a peace of mind! And you learn to work together as a team…all in less of a forced, pressured way. You’re far from isolated! And as a matter of fact, communication skills are really amped up for many, more so than they would be in team sports. It’s all just more natural, for lack of a better term.

Getting away from the noise and bustle of the cities, and soaking in the natural world. That’s more or less been lauded as a healing balm for many neurodivergent people…more so than loud, crowded, pressured team sports. Team sports are “where it’s at” for much of our society…but solo sports are just as, if not more in many ways, intense and challenging. And they benefit the neurodiverse greatly. I should know. And they even lead to new interests. Thanks to my old camp, I am now involved in search and rescue and wilderness medicine…and hope to open a secondary school to teach neurodiverse young adults outdoor, wilderness, and emergency skills…self-advocacy on the side!

Autistic Youth Program Launches!

Our first ever Autism Self-Advocacy Youth Program for pre-teens and younger teens began this past winter!

The students and facilitators learned so much from each other. We explored our senses, strengths, challenges, interests and more! The journey was full of twist and turns: some smooth and some bumpy.

We look forward to taking what worked really well and what could be improved and applying to our next session in the fall.

Come and join us as we look back on our journey!

Exploring the Senses

Along our voyage, we explored our senses. Together, we examined textures, movement, and body space awareness in addition to hearing, smelling, tasting, sight/vision, and touch. Students scanned the various parts of their senses using a worksheet and various items such as stuffed animals, fidget tools, and weighted objects.

We wanted to create a safe and no pressure environment. Some students choose to share their findings and what they learned about themselves with the group. Others remained quiet but listened intently to their peers. Our exploration of our senses helped to create bonds with each other.

What’s Your Superpower?

Next stop: we dove into some of our strengths and what we might find challenging. Many people find learning about their strengths and challenges hard let along young students on the verge of their teenage years.

We used pop culture references, superpowers and kryptonite (how many of you are thinking of Superman or the 3 Doors Down song in the late 90s?) to capture their attention and make it fun and exciting.

Students were able to either write down or draw their superpowers and kryptonite. Drawing allowed our student superheroes to not only better express themselves but to also helped them process information.

But I Don’t Want to Leave!

Discussing special interests (things that inspires them, what keeps them engaged for a very long amount of time, and/or what they could talk all day about) was the students favorite activity hands down. Students who usually did not speak during discussions opened up with such passion and enthusiasm. Discussions were lively and meaningful to both students and facilitators. Students stated they wished more time could be dedicated to this in future sessions.

All Aboard; Next Stop Home!

Our journey ended with an activity called, “the nest.” Just like birds working to make a nest for themselves and their babies, it is important to create a nest or sensory safe environment.

We discussed how each person’s nest is different and unique because of our different experiences and preferences. This nest should be a place for rest, safety, and comfort.

We asked the students, “what would you put in your nest?”

Students were excited for this activity. Some students used words and others drew pictures to show what they would put in their nest. The thought of creating a “mobile nest” or a nest on the go so that they can carry it with them was shared.

Next time we might have the students create a physical nest in real time!

Looking In the Rearview and Looking Ahead

Our team is currently reviewing the invaluable feedback from students, their families, and facilitators. We will be looking into activities to further increase engagement and bonding. We also want to utilize additional tools to reach students such as videos, pictures, physical activities, games, and role plays.

Many students in the program have individual learning plans (IEP’s). Next time we will find ways to better apply the student’s IEP to the lessons presented.

Our next trip will be planned in the fall of 2024. Click the following link for more information: Aspirations Ohio – Nisonger Center (osu.edu)

Stay tuned for our next journey!

Edited from the original work of Tema Krempley