‘I climbed a mountain! I can do it!’ Outdoor adventure for female youth resilience

Research suggests that female youth could benefit from outdoor adventure activity (OAA) interventions designed to support their resilience. This paper explores the perceptions of eight youth (between 18 and 20-years-old) who identified as female and participated in a co-designed OAA intervention to promote resilience. The intervention consisted of five weekly sessions in an all-female group. Session activities selected by participants included macro photography, shelter building, map reading, and a fell walking challenge. Participant interviews were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis and five themes were constructed: 1) A Safe and Welcoming Community, 2) Restoration and Regulation, 3) Opening Eyes and Minds, 4) Planting Seeds and Lighting Fires, 5) Ready to be Resilient. Findings emphasized the significance of relationships, nearby nature, and changing perceptions. It is suggested that practitioners should consider using OAA to promote female youth resilience through encouraging growth-fostering relationships, boosting self-belief, and enabling participants to experience themselves as resilient.