The dates for the conference remain the same – September 19-21.  Updated conference information will be available by June 25, 2010.  As always, questions or comments can be directed to Angie Senic Shockely at asenic@eckerd.org or by calling 304-308-1571.

In an effort to relocate the conference, I have spent a good deal of time in Nashville and I have to comment on how impressed I have been with the cooperative efforts of the people and businesses in the Nashville area.  They have worked very closely to help each other recover from the devastating flood, said to be the worst in 100 years.  It only solidified Nashville as a perfect home for the NATWC Conference.  Service to community and caring about our colleagues are at the heart of NATWC, and I don’t know that I’ve seen a better example of these values than Nashville, TN over the past several months.

We are excited for the conference and have several wonderful presentations lined up.  We will once again have international representation at the conference and are excited to be a part of worldwide growth in outdoor and wilderness therapeutic programming.  There will also be ample opportunities for networking and socializing so that the best ideas can be shared!  We look forward to seeing you in Nashville!

Nashville Marriott Vanderbilt

Located on the Vanderbilt University campus, Marriott Nashville is one of the area’s premier hotels. Offering outstanding accommodations on the city’s West End Avenue, guests will enjoy this Nashville luxury hotel’s proximity to Vanderbilt Medical Center Hospital, area universities, downtown Nashville, Centennial Park and the famed Parthenon. In addition, this luxury hotel in Nashville offers a wide array of amenities designed to make the time guests spend with us even better. They include: Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the hotel, 32-inch flat-panel TVs, upgraded bath amenities and sophisticated furnishings. Our Nashville luxury hotel’s two Concierge levels and private lounge provide additional amenities. While at Marriott Nashville, guests can enjoy our indoor pool, savor the tantalizing contemporary American cuisine served in Latitude or host a flawless event at our state-of-the-art conference space. Experience an exceptional luxury hotel in Nashville, TN, and discover all that Music City has to offer.

To submit a proposal, complete and return the form to the address listed in the document by April 30, 2010.  Please download and complete the following form for more information:  Call for Papers and Presenters

Conference details are on the NATWC Conference page here!

Conference details are on the NATWC Conference page here!  As always, you may contact Angie Senic Shockley directly with any questions or comments. And, if you subscribe to the NATWC website you’ll receive the updates via email automatically when they are published.

• The Annual NATWC Challenge is an opportunity for you and your company/program to shine as we compete in running, biking and swimming events.
• The Board of Directors will be hosting a cookout and networking event on Sunday evening.
• Eckerd Division of Private Academies is hosting a Low Country Boil on Tuesday evening – featuring delicious food prepared by “chef in hiding” Tim McMahon.

We will also be honoring one of our founding members on Tuesday afternoon.  Don’t miss this opportunity to thank a legend of outdoor treatment in person!

It’s much the same when wilderness front-line staff works with at-risk adolescents. The staff at wilderness programs uses their skills to reach out and connect with the vulnerable teenager form a trust-bond. It is through this trust-bond that at-risk adolescents are able to develop fundamental skills that they, with the help of front-line staff transfer into everyday life skills. It is through these new life skills that these at-risk adolescents are able to find their self-esteem, self-reliance and self-management. These fundamentals are the building blocks which will carry them through life. I think it is fair to say that, in essence, when at-risk adolescents are in the wilderness the front-line staff teaches them to dance.

That is why the work we do at National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping is so important. NATWC is dedicated to the training and certification of wilderness front-line staff. That means that front-line staff has a golden opportunity to learn from international experts in their field. As a not-for-profit NATWC relies heavily on your donations, membership and attendance at our annual conferences to be able to have funding to provide this certification and training to those who work directly with at-risk adolescents. When you join NATWC you help teach at-risk adolescents to dance the dance of life.

For more information on how to join NATWC contact Rick McClintock, Executive Director, 724-329-1098 or contact Holly Hunter, Board Member and Owner, SafePassage Adolescent Services, 800.811.7911.

Variations on Dr. Kohlstaedt’s theme seem to be popping up in conversation, on blogs and even on television. A few weeks ago on an episode of TNT’s blockbuster series The Closer Lieutenant Brenda Lee Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) hears her boss tell her: “When you’re a hammer, everyone looks like a nail.” Wow! With a little twist here and there everyone’s saying it, but do they really get it? I guarantee after you hear Dr. Kohlstaedt fill in the gaps for this twenty-first century colloquialism not only will you get it, but you will be launched into the opportunity to have a much better relationship with the students in your programs and the families you serve.

Mark your calendar to hear Dr. Elizabeth Kohlstaedt, September 21st on Monday morning at the 15th Annual NATWC Conference.

For more information about how to secure Dr. Elizabeth Kohlstaedt to speak at your conference contact Sami Butler at samib@intermountain.org. For more information on the 15th NATWC Annual Conference register at the website www.natwc.org and be one of the first to receive the announcement when it posts.

NATWC Executive Director, Rick McClintock will present historical perspectives of Outdoor Treatment and Education Programming, and project the importance of practitioner credentialing, as illustrated by NATWC’s Wilderness Counselor Certification, as a step toward protecting paradise as a medium for education and therapy.

The conference theme Paradise Lost, Found, and Constructed: Conceptualizing and Transforming Landscapes through History will present a variety of national and international sessions on past, present and future environmental issues. The event is being held in Tallahassee Florida, an apt location for the study of the interplay between nature and cultural fantasies about paradise.

Many folks were really excited by last year’s conference, but HEY! When did NATWC “NOT” have a spectacular event! Last year’s “symposium of collaboration” between industry organizations was a huge success – thanks to all who spoke and presented.

NATWC has a history of getting some of the industry’s biggest names together for presentations to Direct Care and Administrative Staff alike. Conference attendees stated they like to come out of the “woods and mountains” to network and train at “the beach”. “Best Practice” includes professional training for staff, networking on state of the industry topics, and “recharging the batteries”, so children and families get the best services possible!  The conference committee has lined up many good workshops and presentations that can be applied to the Wilderness Counselor Certification process. Join us in this effort!

If you are a seasoned presenter, or a staff looking to present your skills on a national arena for the first time, let us know by forwarding a Call for Presenter Workshop Description (click here for document).

WE”VE GOT GEORGIA ON OUR MIND!

Titled “The State of the Industry Symposium,” NATWC invited several well known individuals with wide experiences to participate.  The panel included Sharon Laney, President of the National Association of Schools and Programs (NATSAP) and Administrator Rosemary Tippett, Rob Meltzer, CEP, educational consultant and founder of Northlight Family Services, Lon Woodbury, CEP,  Educational consultant and publisher of Woodbury Reports; Leonard Buccellato, Ph.D., Founder of Hidden Lake Academy and Ridge Creek Wilderness; Jude Hirsch, Ed.D., Chair of the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) Accreditation council, and Rick “Tick” McClintock, MA, Executive Director of the National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping (NATWC).

It is often considered a risk to convene a 3 hour discussion at a conference setting, but this format, its timeliness, and its intent to create a collaborative platform for multi-organizational perspectives was a hit!

The topics were kicked off by discussing the proposed legislation by Congressman George Miller, which passed the House of Representatives earlier this year. Rose Mary Tippett, NATSAP, described the legislation, and the current efforts being undertaken to ensure that legislation would be for the enhancement of safety and quality of services in the outdoor treatment and education industry, and not just to shut programs down. Rose Mary enlightened the crowd on how to assist in a positive process for overall “Best Practice”.

“Tick” McClintock emphasized that NATWC’s establishment and growth of their Wilderness Counselor Certification is one of the organization’s primary contribution toward increasing standards and establishing best practices in the wilderness industry.

Conference participants emphasized that as professionals the need to work to continually improve the quality of our services and increase our ethical standards is a priority. Marketing successes as well as encouraging parents of alumnae to step forward to tell their story is critical to aid in defining the positive outcomes in an often misunderstood treatment modality.

Issue # 1: The Economy, with its’ impact on the industry took a positive and collaborative spin in the Symposium, as programs described how they were responding. Ways of keeping costs down, such as identifying and eliminating small unnecessary items which often add up to significant expenses, as well as thorough examination on how to better serve the needs of families to enhance “added value” for those we serve, were focus points.

Another noteworthy discussion was the evolution of outdoor programming, with early programs being almost exclusively wilderness or outdoor oriented. Simple camping out or wilderness survival basics have evolved to added clinical and educational components to enhance overall outcomes. The dialog of the future of outdoor programming will most suredly continue as regional perspectives, and historical philosophies play a major role in how to more successfully integrate wilderness and therapy.

With continued collaboration as we witnessed at this year’s NATWC conference, we, as outdoor therapists and educators, can look forward to a State of the Industry that is indeed good.

Next year’s NATWC Annual Training Conference will again be held on beautiful Jekyll Island, Georgia, September 20-22, 2009, as conference participants vocalized their enjoyment at spending some time networking, training and playing at the beach!  Hope to see you there!