Educational Philosophy

The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands – Anne Frank

Our educational philosophy at Black Diamond Adventures is shaped by our mission which is:

To empower people through adventure and uniquely Australian experiences, to develop positive mindsets and the capability to be the best version of themselves.

BLACK DIAMOND PSYCHOLOGY – YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!

At Black Diamond we apply a number of psychological theories with strong underlying features of positive psychology. Not only to get the best out of our students, but also our staff. We believe that every individual (including our team) has what it takes to accomplish their goals. We recognise that we all have strengths and that much of what one requires for any undertaking is already inside of them.

First and foremost, we believe in our participants and our staff. Believe and you will succeed.

The only thing stopping you is yourself – Self-belief and limiting beliefs are often the biggest stumbling blocks to people going after what they want. “Self doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” – Suzy Kassem

We therefore spend a lot of time with our participants focussing on mindsets – positive mindsets – for those who struggle with self-esteem it’s about being brave enough to acknowledge your strengths. For students who are seemingly confident, it’s about “being brave enough to be bad at something new” Jon Acuff – To get out of your comfort zone requires bravery, it requires visualising what you are going for and it requires taking action. These attributes are explored in teachable moments. Developing a mindset that you have what it takes is within everyone’s reach. It’s not an innate talent that some people have or don’t have. Everyone has the ability to shape their mindset and their attitude. Our educational philosophy has been integral to the success of all of our programs.

RELATIONSHIPS

Black Diamond staff are experts at developing rapport and trust amongst their students. This is essential as they will be offering a number of opportunities for their participants to step outside of their comfort zone. Students are more likely to take these opportunities if trust and respect is established.

COMFORT ZONES

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” – Henry Ford

As humans it is our natural instinct to remain in our comfort zone. However, for growth to occur it is essential to move outside of this zone and experience things that you have never done before. Once we do this our comfort zones expand and what was once something uncomfortable or challenging will no longer seem so daunting. This will contribute to personal growth with a number of mental health benefits, each unique to the individual.

It is important that this concept is made explicit to our students. It is a concept that whilst they are at school and living at home they have little responsibility for. However, when they leave school and home they will no longer have their parents, teachers, coaches and outdoor ed instructors providing opportunities and encouragement to challenge their comfort zone. They will have to go after these experiences for themselves.

On a Black Diamond program, challenging comfort zones does not necessarily require adrenaline pumping moments brought on by activities like abseiling or the giant swing. Although these activities do serve a purpose, our educational philosophy recognises that challenging someone’s comfort zone can be done in many other ways. Our aim is that participants can learn to be ‘comfortable being uncomfortable’, whatever that may be for them.

INSPIRATION

Sometimes to move forward you need to look back. Here we delve into the resourcefulness of early Australians into our Australian heritage and the spirit of the Traditional Owners and early settlers to imagine what they had to endure and overcome, and how they found the wherewithal to do that. What will be your story? How will you respond to character defining challenges and adversity?

Our educational philosophy relies on moments that challenge and foster the development of Australian grit and mateship, that draws on the resourcefulness of our first nation people, the stockman and the tenaciousness of the Australian spirit. What did they do to sustain themselves? What bush lore did they draw on? What survival skills did they marshal?

Whether it’s an inspiring Indigenous leader, a returned soldier, a respected family member or friend – even a parent – we all know someone who has been through tough times and came through.

CHARACTER

Often it is not the fact that you came through an ordeal but how you came through that ultimately defines your character.

Character is a core part of our educational philosophy. We instil in our students the importance of being conscious of the character they are developing, being conscious of their actions and being conscious of their words. At Black Diamond Adventures we believe development of your character is not something you leave to chance. It’s something you deliberately shape. It’s something you are responsible for. This once again is a mindset.