Access to Adventure for People with Disabilities

Research update, the Impact of Waypoint Adventure

We know that it takes just one "I can" moment to change perception. We challenge our participants, as well as their families and caretakers, to push past their self-limiting expectations and see that they can accomplish more than they ever thought possible. Through kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, cycling, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and team-building programs, Waypoint instills hope, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

The impact of a Waypoint Adventure program is far greater than having fun outdoors. An independent research firm, TSI, conducted 15 in depth interviews with participants, families and educators in April 2021. The following themes emerged. Waypoint Adventure:
• Provides stimulation and adventure opportunities for everyone
• Provides the means that enable adventure experiences
• Benefits the entire family
• Focuses on the individual, not the disability
• Changes mindsets about what people with disabilities can do
• Provides experiences that make the individuals socially relevant (example: can relate and talk about that time they went kayaking too)
• Builds confidence

Comedian Trevor Noah once said, “People love to say ‘Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.’ What they don’t say is, ‘And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.’ That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.” Waypoint Adventure provides the fish, the teaching, the fishing rod, an adaptive fishing boat, a fishing rod for every member of the family and a whole village of support.

Over the past five years, Waypoint has been tracking participants’ experiences and outcomes with pre- and post-questionnaire data. The outcome areas that we focus on in those surveys are:

• Emerging skills: Skills that participants are working on both personally and as part of Waypoint’s programs. These skills are meaningful and individualized to the person, and they support increased independence and functioning. Examples include social skills and self-regulation.
• Self-esteem: One’s inherent sense of worth and value.
• Self-efficacy: The belief in one’s ability to complete a task or reach a goal.
• Sense of belonging: The feeling of being a part of a community that is supportive and accepting.

Historically, as a result of participation, 90% of individuals demonstrate an emerging skill, 85% report improved self-esteem, 83% report higher self-efficacy, and 91% report feeling a greater sense of belonging. This year we have not seen a statistically significant change in our reported program survey outcomes, and are pleased to know that we're continuing to impact individual growth in those four outcome areas.