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About AABAT // Committee Members
About AABAT // Committee Members
About AABAT // Committee Members
The business of the association is carried out by a committee of thirteen members of the association. The committee comprises seven regional representatives from each state and territory (NSW & ACT combined), two representatives who sit on the Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) and four office bearers. Committee members are elected on a two year cycle. Together with other association members they work towards the intended actions of the association.
Please see our governance rules for details about the committee election and cycle.
The current committee were elected during the 2012 SGM at the Bush Adventure Therapy Forum in Queensland.
B.Ed, Graduate Diploma in Experiential Learning
Over the last decade, Ben has studied, worked and played in and around the fields of Outdoor Education and Bush Adventure Therapy. He remembers his first formal introduction to therapeutic use of outdoor places was in 2000.
"It was at a BAT meeting in Collingwood at the old location of The Outdoor Experience (TOE) program. Back then AABAT was called WEPNet and I think there were about six people there. I was struck by the passion and exciting diversity in the room that spoke to me of previously unthought-of possibilities for working with people. This 'possibility' is something that I still, increasingly, get excited about today".
Ben enjoys spending time out in the bush; hiking; rock climbing; sea kayaking and just hanging out. He shares this passion with other people through his work, which has seen him doing such things as: running outdoor education and recreation programs for many schools around Victoria; teaching in and spending time in remote communities around central Australia; teaching outdoor education theory to undergraduate students; coordinating a two-month long outdoor intervention for a state-wide PDRSS in Melbourne; dabbling with working with people living with alcohol and other drug dependencies; and working with disadvantaged youth.
He has a keen interest in cross cultural work and learning and developing his skills in working with families and communities in respectful and innovative ways. He is interested in exploring and expanding understandings of therapeutic work.
In the future he still doesn't know what he will do when he grows up. He would like to become passionate about building wooden boats, but for now, is content restoring an old wooden canoe.
Fiona is a qualified social worker, having worked in the fields of Youth Justice (in Victoria and in Far North QLD), Drug and Alcohol and Mental Health for almost 15 years. She also recently completed a Masters in Experiential Education (incorporating studies in Bush Adventure Therapy). Fiona is currently the Coordinator of TOE (The Outdoor Experience) a program that offers a range of outdoor adventure interventions to young people who have or have had issue with alcohol and or other drugs. TOE is a program of Jesuit Social Services based in Melbourne.
Fiona ‘stumbled’ across Bush Adventure Therapy in 2004 whilst working at Jesuit Social Services in another program area. She realised that this “way of working” offered frameworks in which theory really does underpin practice; program models that actually are strength based and empowering for participants; and where commitment to working with ‘at risk’ young people combines with personal passions for adventure, the outdoors and nature.
Bachelor of Social Work (University of Queensland)
Bachelor of Asian and International Studies (Griffith University)
Amanda is a practicing Social Worker with over 8 years experience expanding a diverse range of areas. She has developed an incredible passion for Bush Adventure Therapy as a therapeutic intervention option for people with whom she works. Amanda is currently employed as the Adventure Based Coordinator in Mission Australia’s homelessness person’s residential support service in Brisbane, Roma House. This project has introduced therapeutic adventure based programs into the intervention options available to both current and ex-residents of Roma House and the project will be evaluated as a model for practice in early 2011.
Community development forms the foundation of Amanda’s practice and she has previously worked as a community development worker in a progressive neighborhood centre in Brisbane. She completed her social work placement in India where she learnt of the potential of grassroots community development in creating powerful individual and social change. She has also worked as a youth worker for the Department of Child Safety and Family Counselor in a Women’s refuge with women and children.
Prior to her current position with Mission Australia, Amanda worked in the homeless sector for more than five years in varying roles, including tenant advice advocate, early intervention support worker and coordinator for HART 4000 (Homelessness Assessment and Referral Team), a general access inner city homelessness hub. Additionally she has previous experience as an Outdoor Educator with young people using bush-based journeying and a range of activities.
Amanda is passionate about creating purposeful and creative BAT programs with adults who are homeless.
Fiona is a qualified Youth Worker, has a Diploma in Outdoor Leadership and holds a variety of Outdoor Instructor qualifications. She has worked for Families SA in Youth Justice for 10 years. Is currently working as Adventure Activity Instructor for Youth Adventure Recreation Service (YARS). YARS is an outdoor adventure intervention service within Families SA.
Fiona grew up in the Flinders Rangers so has a keen interest in the outdoors; and, since her introduction to Adventure Therapy in 2000 she has been inspired by the therapeutic benefits of Bush Adventure Therapy.
"It was a mountain bike ride in the picturesque Austrian Alps which sparked my interest in leading outdoor activities; little did I know at the time how effective the use of the great outdoors could be and how it can have a positive influence on participant's wellbeing".
Fiona loves paddling, mountain biking and generally enjoying the outdoors. She has recently started a family so is currently working part time with Families SA.
Val originally trained as a Speech Pathologist specializing in acquired and developmental disorders of communication. A decade later she turned to the creative arts and spent another 10 years exploring the expressive and therapeutic qualities of clay. During this time Val qualified as an outdoor leader/educator and was introduced to the philosophy and practice of adventure therapy through the Wilderness Program (then known as Project Hahn) in Tasmania, Australia.
Inspired by the therapeutic potential of nature and adventure experiences Val has worked has worked as a facilitator of Bush Adventure therapy for the past 15 years. The scope of her experience includes working within the fields of education, training, research, program design and consultancy. Val has enjoyed working with tertiary and pre-tertiary students, disadvantaged youth, young people with chronic disease, adults dealing with drug and alcohol dependency, as well as the over 60’s in a nature based wellbeing program. In 2008 she gained her doctorate with the University of Wollongong researching the phenomenon of Quiet Time within a challenge-based wilderness therapy program. Val continues to be intrigued by the ways in which experiences of solitude, mindfulness, inactivity and equilibrium impact upon, and contribute to, the mental health and wellbeing outcomes associated with BAT.
Val lives and plays in Tasmania and currently works freelance as a facilitator, educator and consultant.
Andy is a qualified and a Medicare accredited mental health social worker who works with The Evolve Hub. Prior to this, Andy has worked in a range of contexts with young people and families, in a variety of settings including schools, family outreach, bush adventure therapy programs, community-based organisations and has been involved for a number of years with Evolve’s Young Men’s and Bushfire Recovery Programs. Andy has also been involved in research and community development work in India, and has a keen interest in developing ways of living and working that are culturally competent and respectful.
Aside from furthering knowledge of BAT practice and program design, Andy is very interested in training and supervision of staff working in the field. "It's exciting to be part of the BAT field, to share and learn from others around me and to attempt to contribute to ways of working that are genuinely useful, supportive and beneficial for people's lives."
Amongst other ways of working, Andy has a keen keen interest in narrative therapy and creative ways of working with people. Andy has completed some post-graduate study in this approach to therapeutic work and currently teaches in this area at tertiary level. Andy is also interested in mental health, working with children and young people, responses to traumatic experience and working to extend practice 'beyond the bush' towards real, positive effects on people's day-to-day lives.
Andy gets out and about in the bush when he can, walking, riding, travelling, surfing (well trying to, anyway...) to places far and wide and knows the benefits of a few adventures of his own, but also reckons your therapeutic space is wherever you find it...
Al Adams works as Bush Counselling Co-ordinator for the Wilderness Program (previously Project Hahn) in Tasmania. A lifetime engaged in climbing and bushwalking activities has provided insight into how choices made during his teenage years in New Zealand have influenced his personal and professional development.
Al has a counselling background and has previously worked for an alcohol and drug agency overseeing a drug diversion initiative for offenders. He has written papers and reports on the therapeutic benefits of the wilderness environment and is currently working as a part-time member of a child and adolescence family therapy team.
Living in Tasmania, Anita supports practice, research and training in a use of bush adventures for wellbeing (and enjoys a few of her ownJ).
PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
Since 1990 Anita has trained in outdoor education, mental health, drug treatment, health promotion, family therapy, research and evaluation. She recently gained a PhD in Public Health examining the foundations, features and wellbeing impacts of Australian outdoor adventure interventions. In her working life Anita has fulfilled roles of practitioner, manager, researcher, and trainer in the areas of bush adventure therapy, outdoor education, youth work, and experiential learning.
From 1996-2005, Anita worked to deliver Outdoor Therapy for young people experiencing mental health difficulties (including drug/alcohol issues). During this time, she was integral in developing a 6-week wilderness therapy drug treatment service model plus a statewide Community Adventure Program service. In 2006/2007 Anita was employed as Adventure Therapy Specialist within a statewide adult psycho-social rehabilitation service.
Anita currently supports various community-based social service agencies in their use of nature-based adventure interventions. Still an enthusiastic facilitator of therapeutic bush adventures and outdoor adventure interventions, Anita develops programs and delivers outdoor experiences in partnership with agencies for the special needs of their groups. In addition to field work, Anita offers research and program evaluation services to not-for-profit agencies, and professional development for staff seeking to use nature-based interventions for wellbeing aims (Wild@Heart Adventures).
Anita is an Honorary Research Associate of Deakin University’s School of Psychology, an Associate Member of the NiCHE Research Group (Nature in Community Health and Environment, Deakin University), and a key evaluator for CFRE (Centre for Family Research and Evaluation). Anita is the Australian Representative on ATIC (Adventure Therapy International Congress).
BTh, MTh, Dip. Ed. Graduate Diploma in Family Therpy
Paul is currently the acting Public Officer for the association.
Paul started working in the Youth Support field in 1989 setting up what was to become
The Regional Extended Family Service in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne to support young people at risk of being rendered homeless.
In 1992 he initiated the Gippsland Wilderness Enhanced Program, targeted at severe behaviour disordered adolescents in the Gippsland Region of Victoria. He was awarded an Education Excellence Award from the Gippsland Regional Office of The Education
Department as well as a Churchill Fellowship in 2000 for work in this area.
Paul has also displayed a keen interest in narrative philosophy and has introduced this practice into his work in bush adventure therapy over many years.
His specialist areas include Narrative and Family Therapy, Applied Education, Innovative Curriculum construction, Bush Adventure Therapy, program construction for at risk young people using bush-based journeying and vocational education pathway development.
He has also worked in education introducing an applied learning curriculum into a large Victorian Secondary College to assist all students to be more engaged and achieve desired educational outcomes
Paul has written a number of papers in the field on Narrative and Bush Adventure Therapy and has presented at national and international conferences including previous International Adventure Therapy Conferences.
He is currently the CEO of Evolve at Typo Station, an organisation that runs therapeutic and educational development programs for young people in Victoria, Australia.
The Sixth International Adventure Therapy Conference (6IATC) comes to the Czech land for the first time since its inaugural conference in Australia in 1997 and features a special 6IATC Free General Public Lecture available to non-conference delegates.
