The youth of a nation are trustees of prosperity. Any nation that neglects its youth endangers its future. 'Be,yamin Disraeli (1804-1881), Isl,Eari of Beaconsfield CSPS WOruGNG PAPER SERIES No. 1/12 Naa Atwei V. Owusu eSi!' \. UNIVERSITY OF GHANA CENTRE FOR SOCIAL POLICY STUDIES '. ';":. - . t::~~l ~ENTRE F:)h "' ,' ".' .i. ,. _'!..Ie v «T ' JD~ HEVWi~· ·:,f:. :;!'",,:-.~~.fc- UP" '-;RY Ut.!q ~; ·~ R'·~! ~·'!" ,>.: ' , " .~~ " 9 -qn APRIL 2012 OUTDOOR EDUCATION TO PROMOTE MENTORING AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP . SKILLS IN GHANA CSPS WORKING PAPER SERIES NO. 1112 The youth of a nation are trustees of posterity. Any nation that neglects its youth endangers its future . . - Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), 1st Earl of Beaconsfield By NAA ATWEI V. OWUSU1 I) c: I-I! .j ~ . ' .- ~' " IMrs Naa Atwei Owusu is currently employed at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) at Greenhill, Legon. This paper was first presented at CSPS Seminar Series on Social Mobilisation ....... : ....... . TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................... IV LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................. V I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 2. MENTORING FUTURE LEADERS ............................................................................................. 2 3. COMMON MENTORING PRACTICES IN GHANA .................................................................. 3 4. BASIC FEATURES OF OUTDOOR IWUCATION ..................................................... : ............... 4 S. OUTDOOR EDUCATION IN GHANA ............................ , ............................................................ 6 5.1 THE COLONIAL ERA .. ........................................................................................................................ 6. 5.2 INDEPENDENCE AND THE ENDORSEMENT OF COLONIAL YOUTH CLUBS ............................................ 6 6. THEORY OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (GROWTH THROUGH CHALLENGE PHILOSOPHy) .................................................................................................................................. 7 7. GHANA GIRL GUIDE ASSOCIA TlON (GGGA) .................................................................... , ... 9 7.1 FIELD EXPERIENCES OF GGGA ....................................................................................................... 12 8. OUTDOOR EDUCATION CLUBS AND SOCIAL MOBILISATION ...................................... 14 9. CHALLENGES ............................................................................................................................ 16 9.1 OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES ..................................................................................................... 17 10. CONCLU~ION .... , ............................................................................................................. : ......... 17 11. RECOMMENDA TlONS ...................................................................................................... · ....... 18 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... : ....... 20 APPENDlX.A: LIST OF SOME OF THE OUTDOOR CLUBS ..................................................... 23 APPEl':'DIX B: DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS AS USED IN THE PAPER .................................. 24 111 Published by Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS) Faculty of Social Studies University of Ghana, Legon (c) CSPS, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from the copyright owners. Designed and Printed by Sundel Services, Accra Tel: 0302230474 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ASTD BECE CoCoAIDS CPP FAWE FEDYAG GBS GES GGGA GNA GYP HlV/AIDS HOSA NYC UNDP UNICEF WAGGGS WUSC YMCA YWCA American Society for Training and Development Basic Education Certificate Examination Country Coordinating Committee on HIV/AIDS Convention Peoples Party Forum for African Women Educationist Federation of Youth Associations in Ghana Ghana Education Service Ghana Girl Guide 'Ass9ciation Ghana News Agency Ghana Youug Pioneers Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome National Youth Council 1Jnited Nations Development Programme United Nations Children Emergency Fund Worldwide Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts World University Services of Canada Young Women c:hristian Association v ABSTRACT Mentoring and outdoor education in one form or the other have been features of African societies from time immemorial. In the traditional setting for example, children are guided by their elders in the course of their daily activities to acquire the necessary skills ' and competencies for life. More importantly, future heads of clans and chiefs are mentored or coached in the courts of older ones. In contemporary times mentoring has become much more formalised and specific strategies are used to achieve mentoring goals. The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service both recognize the relevance of school clubs for achieving the goals of Education for All (EFA). For the purpose of this paper, outdoor education is mainly viewed through the operations of youth clubs in Ghana, such as Girls Guides. These youth clubs are typically formed and managed in schools; though some of them such as the church-based ones may be described as community youth clubs. There are other civic action clubs which also tend to operate at the community level, especially environmental conservation clubs. Leadership grooming is taken very seriously in these clubs. They tend to adopt the 'growth through challenge' philosophy of Erikson (1968), which is designed to empower the youth through experiences in the outdoors under the guidance of a leader/mentor. It is quite clear that the clubs' survival and success are closely linked to voluntary giving of time and other resources by allies, drawing attention to one of the important aspects of mentoring, namely, social mobilization. What these clubs do and how their reach can be extended in Ghana as a whole, is the subject of this paper. Keywords:' Mentoring, leadership, outdoor education, social mobilization. iv I. INTRODUCTlON Some scholars have expressed concern about the lack of direction in preparation for leadership among contemporary African youth. This has pmtly been blamed on the historical disruptions in the evolution of African systems of leadership, brought on by the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism and post-colonial cultural imperialism in Africa (Rodney, 1981). Attempts to tum the tide of poor leadership preparation include conscious efforts at leadership training by both formal and non-fonnal means such as outdoor education and mentoring. To facilitate tbjs process UNDP has introduced capacity assessment frameworks (UNDP, 2007) which offer various approaches for assessing capacity in three dimensions, namely, points of entry for capacity assessment; core issues including leadership, policy, human, physical and financial resources to name a few; cross-cutting functional capacities. Data constraints have made it difficult to assess outdoor education and mentoring capacity in Ghana using the UNDP Framework. However, a number of illustrations have been provided to support the points about outdoor education and mentoring. Outd09r education clubs in this nation have been effectively building the leadership capacities of some of the youth for over eighty years (see GNA, 2011). Their strategy for capacity building could be linked to Erikson's (1968) theory of psychosocial develop-ment which combines biological maturation with societal influence. The paper discusses common elements of outdoor education and mentoring in Ghana, with special reference to the use of outdoor clubs in mobilising girls for civic action. An in-depth study of the Ghana Girl Guides Association (GGGA), with references to other outdoor c1llbs in Ghana, gives insight into these issues. The contribution of outdoor education or extra curricula activities in Ghana's youth upbringing is recognised in official policies ofthe c0untry. There is a Nation,al Youth COllncil (NYC) which essentially implements youth related policies and oversees the system III most cases is expected to be responsible for this but is this expectation realistic? By all indications a substantial aspect of mentoring takes place outside formal structures of interaction between more experienced and less experienced people. Outdoor education clubs have been involved in youth leadership training since their inception and are a preferred medium for mentOling the nation' s future leaders, at least those of them associated with formal structures such as schools and religious social networks. With a gross enrolment rate of over 70% at basic school level, this means that on the average a large proportion of young people can be reached through basic education to participate in outdoor edu1:ation activities (sources). 3. COMMON MENTORING PRACTICES IN GHANA The concept of mentoring is now attracting more attention in the corporate world as well as in social development activities. P.eople are paying to be mentored in order to grow/develop themselves and their organisations. Various events are held where those who have succeeded in the corporate world and life in general share their experiences with others aspiring to be like them. In addition, religion has emerged as a great source of inspiration for mentors and the mentoring process generally. The Ghana National Youth Policy(Ministry of Youth and Sports, 2010) recognises and recommends mentoring as one of the key strategies for grooming the youth for the future. Religious crusades are now a regular feature of the mentoring network in Ghana, where motivational speakers like Rev. M,msa Otabil of the International Central Gospel Church, Ken Ofori Alta of Data Bank, Emmanuel Dei Tumi of Foundation for Future leaders, Albert and Comfort Ocran of Legacy ·and Legacy, Stephen Adei of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, and Grace Amey-Obeng of FC perfumery are invi ted to speak. 3 activities of youth associations. The NYC worked with the associations to form the Federation of Youth Associations of Ghana (FEDY AG), like the NYC itself FEDY AG has virtually collapsed due to lack of funds and proper management. Its membership officially includes 3,000 youth associations of varying interests. They are drawn. mainly from orthodox churches, sports clubs and community groups (Tsike-Sossah, 2009). The National Youth Policy (August 20 I 0) of Ghana pegs the age of the youth between 15-35 years. This paper, however, adopts the age of the youth from 10-24 years as proposed by the Population Reference Bureau. This reflects more accurately the formative years of teenage to adulthood. 2. MENTORING FUTURE LEADERS Are leaders born or are they made? With a sharper understanding of how socialisation influences children separately and collectively Bennis and Nanus (1985), consider the assertion that a person has to be born a leader in order to be effective, a myth. Not dismissing the fact that there are people who are bom/natural leaders, they argue that leaders can be nurtured through mentoring and even natural leaders need to enhance/ 'update' their skills periodically to perform creditably. Everyone has leadership potential which when tapped properly/expertly could be of benefit to him or herself and the nation as a whole. Leadership is, therefore, not only political or being at the top but it is the ability to take charge of oneself and environment. It can be exercised on various levels: The national, regional, district, community, familial and individual levels. A person could be a labourer at work but a leader at church, a junior worker at work but a family head in his home town. Being a leader involves influencing, guiding directing, shaping opinions (Kimmel 1977). Learning to give service in this manner is a process that takes a long time to mature and invariably starts in one's childhood or youth. In order to make maximum gains from mentoring there should be a system or framework which can guide and coordinate the activities of young people in this nation. A country's educational 2 (Calhoun et ai, 1998). Outdoor education takes many different forms across cultures and across the country. Lord Robert Baden-Powell established the Scouting and Guiding movements in Britain in 1907 and 1911 respectfully. Baden Powell, however, was a soldier who presented an informal educational approach with emphasis on practical outdoor activities and the military type of discipline. There have been adaptations in the operations of these clubs over the years. Kurt Ham a German educator caine along much later to consolidate modem formal outdoor education practices through the first Outward Bound Centre at Aberdovey in Wales during the Second World War. Arguably, Kurt Han was an educationist and therefore presented a more structured programme which stressed on the educational aspects of the experience. He was also the co-founder of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, known in Ghana as the Head of State Award Scheme. All these outdoor education groups/clubs have spread to many countries where they are adapted to suit the culture, OphysicaJ features and needs of these countries. Brookes (2004), recommends the contextualisation (giving a local flavour) of activities involved in outdoor education. Without this he argues, the activities might be dangerous and misleading. Three domaif)s including self, others, and the natural world are commonly understood as the main focus (if attention ·in· outdoor education (Neill, 200 I). Organisers of outdoor education activities place a premium on how the experiences can be used to overcome adversity (challenges), work alongside others, develop a deeper relationship with nature and render services to the community. Whilst these are common themes, the degree to which they are emphasised in anyone programme varies considerably. 5 Bilanchi (2005), reports that successful organisations constantly renew their leadership pipeline through mentoring and training. This is to ensure that there will always be a cildre of talented individuals ready and able to successfully assume leadership positions as the latter become vacant when incumbents move on. Corporations have come to appreciate the value of staff upgrading with soft skills and many consider this a key strategy in their training portfolio. The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) reported that managerial productivity increased by 88% when mentoring was involved compared to only 24% with training alone (ibid). If organisations are recording successes as a result of their mentoring programmes, it behoves on us as a nation, district, community and individuals to help support existing structures as found in the outdoor clubs for the development of the future leaders of this nation. The importance of mentoring in Ghana is "affirmed by the recognition of the National Youth Council that inadequate mentoring structures for imbibing morals and values is a cause of the challenges the youth face today (Ministry of Youth and Sports, 20 I 0). The space where effective mentoring of future leaders currently takes place in the nation is the outdoor education clubs. 4. BASIC FEATURES OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION Outdoor education has historically been an integral part of socialisation and other social learning experiences in most peoples' lives. Children were educated by their elders and peers in the cause of their daily activities. Girls for example watched how their mothers cooked, farmed, processed " grains or took care of their younger siblings and boys observed how their fathers farmed, performed artisanal skills such as fishing or hunting 4 1960s an aggressive campaign was launched to absorb the imported youth groups to form part of the GYP. Where they resisted they risked confrontation with Party officials. GYP was made compulsory in all public schools (Ballard, 1967). It is estimated that prior to 1960, there were about 10,000-12,000 scout members but as at 1966, when the government of the Convention People's Party was overthrown, there were barely 8,000 members (Devine, 1966). All the clubs are registered with the Department of Social Welfare and the NYC. Financial support to the clubs was also drastically cut in favour of the GYP. In 1962 for example, the GGGA and GBS were' given 5,000 pounds each while the'GYP was given 25,000 pounds the same year. These moves by the government of the day affected the membership of the clubs and many children abandoned their clubs. After the overthrow of President Nkrumah in February 1966, public sector financial assistance to secular clubs was discontinued altogether but they were free to operate without fear of political interference. With time the clubs returned to the schools and have rebuilt their activities with support from philanthropists. The Ministry of Education maintains a link with the youth clubs. For example, the offices of the Cadet Corps, one of the outdoor. education clubs, are housed on the premises of the non formal education unit of the MiniStry of Education. 6. THEORY OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (GROWTH THROUGH CHALLENGE PHILOSOPHy) Erikson (1968) ' suggested that human social growth passes through eight stages of psycho£Ocial development. Each stage consists of" unique developmental task that confronts the individual with a crisis to be resolved. Biological and social forces ,interact to bring the crises to prominence. Steinberg (2002) suggests that this phenomenon should 7 5. OUTDOOR EDUCATION IN GHANA Outdoor education groups with foreign origins were introduced into Ghana by Ghanaians who had had experiences in these groups abroad, as far back as 1920s as is explained below. These experiences added a lot of value to their lives and subsequently to that of the youth who joined. A number of present and past members testify to the wealth of experience they gained and are gaining in these clubs/associations. Outdoor education was intended to teach skills for survival, a voluntary spirit and civic responsibility as is later explained in Erikson's (1968) model of psychosocial development. 5.1 The Colonial Era Youth clubs as noted earlier tend to be founded on mainly secular or mainly religious principles. In the colonial era some of the expatriate government officials and their wives belonged to secular outdoor clubs including Boys Scouts and Girls Guides. The clubs were able to take root primarily because they had access to financial support from the colonial government. The religious ones, however, were funded by the religious bodies. Most of the commissioners of the GGGA, for example, were wives of government officials and since they were teachers the clubs could be found in a lot of schools, both public and private. Apart from financial support there were volunteers who gave off their time to be trained and mentor the youth in both the religious and secular outdoor education clubs. 5.2 Independence and the Endorsement of Colonial Youth Clubs With the attainment of independence in 1957 the youth clubs that existed were absorbed by the new government. Initially, financial support continued during the First Republic, but later, rivalries threatened the clubs' survival. When the Ghana Young ,Pioneers (GYP) movement was establisRed by the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) in the early 6 contemporary outdoor education. There are vanous activities/challenges/expeditions! tests which need to be mastered/undertaken before a member of a club can move from one stage to the other. Tokens in the form of badges, colours and medals in various forms are given to participants after they have qualified for ·the next stage. All of these elements of play are manifested one way or another in the pre independence youth clubs one of which receives special mention in this paper. The Ghana Girl Guide Association and the role it has played in mentoring girls and young women for leadership service is , discussed below. Other programmes have evolved with similar goals including the FA WE (Forum for African Women Educationalists) Girls Clubs. To support the clubs FA WE periodically organizes a Peer Educators trainin$ camp to prepare young girls to mentor their colleagues about life slGlls, especially protection against HIV/AIDS. 7. GHANA GIRL GUIDE ASSOCIA nON (GGGA) The Girl Guide Association was fourtded in the UK in 1910 by Lord Robert Baden Powell, and headed by his sister Agnes Baden Powell. There are presently nine million Guides in the world, in 128 countries, including Ghana led by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). The main goal is to train young girls and women in values-bas'ed non-formal education in life skills, leadership and citizenship (www.wagggsworld.org). The Movement works through international, regional, national and local level structures; at the' ~ational level the clubs have adapted their uniforms and tests among other things to suit their local context. In 1921, the Girls Guide Club Movement was officially launched in Ghana by Mrs. Elsie Ofuatey Codjoe, who had been a Guide while in school in England. In the early days of guiding, teachers were trained as Patrol leaders' and company meetings were run by a District Commissioner. By 1945, cadet companies had been established in most teacher training colleges to provide adult leaders to render voluntary services in the movement. 9 not be seen as a catastrophe but rather as a turning point with increased vulnerability and enhanced potential. A practical example is what happens in the empowerment process in outdoor education, in the latter rewards are given for each successful crises resolution. The successful resolution of a crisis therefore gives the individual the chance to go to the next stage and ensures a healthy psychosocial development (Hopkins, 2000). The healthy resolution of each challenge depends on the successful resolution of a preceding one (Santrock, 2002). Resolving the crisis does not mean coming out entirely negative or positive but involves tipping the scales in one direction more than the other. Each crisis, although present in one form or the other at all stages takes on a special significance at a given period of the life cycle. The growth through challenge philosophy in this theory accommodates the whole concept of outdoor education and mentoring as operationalised in this paper. The stages and crises which have to be overcome include: IstTrust versus mistrust (1st year) 2ndAutonomy versus shame and doubt (1-3, infancy) 3rdlnitiative versus guilt (3-5, early childhood, preschool) 4,hlndustry versus inferiority (6-puberty, middle and late childhood elementary school years 5'h1dentity versus role confusion (adolescence, 10-20 years). 6'h1ntimacy versus isolation (early adulthood, the 20s and 30s) 7,hGenerativity versus Stagnation (middle adulthood, 40's 50's) 8,hlntegrity versus despair (Late adulthood, 60s). Learning to compete to win and to do so in a dignified manner is a big challenge of youth skills development. The Growth through Challenge philosophy embodied .in Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development is the basic philosophy behind 8 A Guide is friendly to animals and respects all tilings A Guide is obedient A Guide has courage and is cheerful ill all difficulties A guide makes good use of her time A guide takes good care of her possessiolls and those of other people A guide is self cOlltrolled ill all she thinks, says and does Units within the GGGA AGE-BASED UNITS OF GGGA Unit 1.Huhuwa Guides- 4-7 years . Unit 2. Allanse Guides -7-1Oyears Unit 3. Girl Guides-from 10 years Unit 4. Senior Guides-14- 19 years. Unit 5. Rallgers (community work) Unit 6. Cadets (leaders) The guide promise is central to all they do and links each guide to the WAGGGS. Each guide tries to be committed and keep it in her daily. life. One of the key values that Guides are expected to abide by is democratic decision making. Thus they are expectea to reject the traditional/conservative concept of the leader, which is of a boss, in contrast to modem participatory leadership as indicated in the poem below. BE A LEADER NOT A BOSS The boss drives his men The leader inspires them The boss is auto.cratic 11 ~.. (:~~ 'J;;". -:-,-'","-" , ,~, ~OOREF: .' HEYv\;,:.;~' :: .': 'J ';'1, "J\i;" . ;:1Y UN~V::I·L ;':'. ,'" -..~;'~ Cr~.'~ I ·.JA P. O. BOX 72. LEGON In 1957, the first West African International Leadership Guide Camp was held at Achimota, in the Greater Accra Region to mark the United International Co-operation year, giving recognition to the GGGA as a force to reckon with. There are currently ten thousand (10,000) Guides in Ghana. They can be found in nine (9) out of the ten (10) administrative regions in Ghana, mostly in private schools. In an interview with the Chief Commissioner of the GGGA, she disclosed that moves are being made to establish units in the Brong Ahafo Region which is the tenth region. The focus of the GGGA is to train girls to become responsible citizens. All the adult trainers and mentors give off their time voluntarily to build the capacity of the youth/children. The Guide promise and the law are learnt together with the pledge and national anthem of Ghana. Just as Guides are taught to abide by the law and promise, they also learn to abide by the national anthem and pledge as well. Below is an account of the guidelines for Guides and structure of GGGA in Ghana (The information was culled from various manuals of the Ghana Girl Guides Association). THE THREE FOLD PROMISE I promise that I will do my best To do my duty to God To serve my coullIry and help other people To keep the Guide law. THE GUIDE LAW A Guide is loyal and can be trusted A Guide is helpful A Guide is polite aIJd considerate A guide is friendly and a sister to all guides 10 The GGGA provided a bakery and Gari processing machine to the people of Shiaa and Amedzofe respectfully with funds solicited from both internal and external sources. The people determined what they needed and provided communal labour for the construction of the infrastTIlcture, thus Ihe project· becomes 'community owned' and will be thus sustained. Though undoubtedly GG~ is one of the largest groupings of young girls in clubs in , qi)ana, there are oth~r clu9li that operate '.;;"ithin limited ~reas spread around the country. Two of these are mentiofied here, including the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), which sponsored Gir1s Club~ in Northern Ghana and the FA WE supported Girls Clu~ elsewhere in the country. The members of the Head of State Award Scheme collaborated with/partnered the NGO 'Greening Ghana' to plant trees in a community in ,the Manya Krobo District. After sensitising the people about :the need' to replace the trees they cut down for firewood and , '.... . charcoal. When students of the Head of State Award Scheme go on expeditions, they . \ write problems identified in their log books"and on their return, these are collated and sent to the appropriate authorities, especially the District Chief Executive. In some cases they use their expertise and skills in fundraising to engage in intervention programmes with the help of the community. The Ghana Education Service.(GES) with support from WUSC encouraged the launch of 200 Girls Clubs in 200 basic schools in Northern Ghana where there are senous challenges with girls' emolment and completion of basic school. Each club has a membership of between 35 to 60 girls depending on the popUlation of girls in the school. Each club is supervised by an adult mentor. Through the clubs girls are carefully mentored to Ile assertive about their rights and to advocate for educatiO\~ at home and in the community. They·also participate in reading and writing exercises as well as drama 13 The leader is democl'atic The boss evokes fear .' . The leader radiates love The boss says I The leader says We The boss shows who is wrong The leader shows what is wrong The boss knows how it is done The leader shows how it is done The boss demands respect The leader commands respect So be a leader 1101 a boss. The GGGA and other organisations have undertaken various developrpent projects in deprived communities in line with their promise. They collaborate with their counter parts in other countries to raise funds and provide needed amenities to deprived communities. 7.1 Field Experiences of GGGA The GGGA conducted an outreach programme at Adenkrebi where they sensitised the people, especially the youth on HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy. They also distributed free clothing and other items. Feedback received at the headquarters was that, there was no teenage pregnancy in any school in the area that year and all JSS 3 students were able to write their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). They also collaborated with community members to identify community problems, and participate in problem solving. 12 allies ' (UNICEF, 1993) for a common c.ause. It is commonly considered as a term used by UNICEF to describe a comprehensive planning approach to achieve development objectives. Instead of the traditional hierarchical nature, the relationship between these social allies is linear, and they see themselves as partners charting a common course. In their social mobilisation practices, the outdoor clubs bring onboard the Ministry of Education Science and Sports, National Youth Council, District Assemblies, traditional , rulers, school authorities, parents and guardians, corporate bodies, the media and other outdoor education groups. All thes.e allies make voluntary contributions in human and financial/material resources to sustain the operations of the clubs as the latter also undertake voluntary social development activities within the communities in which they operate. For example, the YMCA, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), GGGA, GSA, HOSA and Ghana Red Cross Society have formed the Country Coordinating Committee on HIV/AIDS (CoCoAids), which deal with HIV/AIDS issues among the youth. HOSA is in partnership with the Brigades in the religious institutions. The groups ·thus formed go on expeditions together and organize joint workshops and training programmes members. The Ghana Red Cross Society mobilis.es resources to always intervene in emergency relief situations in the nation. Illey are always present whenever there is emergency situations such as floods, fire out breaks, famine, epidemics and other catastrophes in the country that need to be' addressed. They mobilise financial as well as human resources to help address the situation. At such times it is impracticable to get everyone on board so the members use their discretion to provide relief items that they think the victims will need most. Many Gha'naian men and women can testify to the role outdoor education clubs have played in shaping their lives. Listed below are names of people who have risen to 15 on topical social issues. Club members are also coached on to recognize role models at school and in the community and how to learn from them. Preliminary observations suggest that members of Girls Clubs in general are more likely to complete school and do better at school than their peers. One of the biggest challenges to the survival of girls clubs is funding, though the high turnover of mentors also poses some problems (Addae­ Boahene et. aI., 2008). 8, OUTDOOR EDUCATION CLUBS AND SOCIAL MOBILISATION There is no doubt that the kinds of outdoor education that are fostered in youth clubs such as GGGA contribute immensely to the endurance of communal spirit in Ghanaian society. But it is fair to note that communal service is not new; is quite common at the local level, where voluntary local participation within the community is required by traditional authorities of every adult citizen. In the past, the "Asafo" companies or youth brigades, which now appear to be dormant in most communities, mobilised the youth and other community members to render community services.2 As the men undertook the physically strenuous work, the women cooked for the group and children run errands and fetched water for the workers. Elderly men and women of good repute in the communities coached and mentored the youth especially during and after the performance of puberty and other rites of transition. The education of the youth was the responsibility of the whole society and resources were mobilised for that purpose. The 'anansesem', proverbs and songs 'by the fireside' stimulated critical thinking in people of all ages. This was all done outdoors-experientially. With the advent of formal education, a lot of these practices have either been modified or have totally ceased. Basically having the same form as the traditional concept, social mobilisation in contemporary times presupposes the bringing together. voluntarily, 'feasible intersectoral 2 Asafo companies continue to playa critical role in festivals in parts of the country, especially in the Winneba District of the Central Region of Ghana. 14 9.1 Overcoming the Challenges Funding and volunteers to lead their programmes appear to be the biggest challenges facing outdoor education clubs. They have adopted a variety of strategies for fund­ raising and attracting volunteers. In addition there is more emphasis now on peer leadership to spread the net for growing leaders for club activities. A number of steps towards overcoming the challenges that have been taken by various clubs are presented below. • Disposal of assets: The GGGA has leased its plot of land at Makola to a private company for fifty years and is occupying/using one of the floors of the building as its headquarters. • Appeal for funds: Apply for free air travel from airlines, apply for grants from banks, mines, and other private businesses • Membership dues: Children joining clubs have to pay minimal dues, e.g., three thousand cedis a year for the GGGA, but this helps them to know how to save and contribute to programmes. • Funfairs and bazaars are · organised to raise funds to support activities for the mel¥bers. • Rely on volunteers: Staff of secretariats are unpaid volunteers. 10. CONCLUSION In this era of dual career families especially, there is the need to supplement formal educational processes with institutions wiUiin which the youth/children can have social contact with others of the same age/generatio.n and can be mentored to acquire the necessary values and character. Outdoor educational clubs have the necessary structures and tools in place to ensure the proper psychosocial development of the youth. This empowerment. process, if it is to become an integral part of Ghana's development 17 ":Erfi HE ;:: HEYV'· UNL : , prominence but we acknowledge that there are some unsung leaders who have used the skills acquired in the outdoor clubs to run their own lives and influence olliers in their communities: • Honourable Theresa Amerley Tagoe. Deputy Minister, Greater Accra Region. • The late Mrs. Justice Annie Jiagge, the first Ghanaian female judge, she brought the YMCA to Ghana • The late Mrs. Esther Oc\oo, CEO ofNkulenu Industries • The late Mrs. Victoria Sackey, who became the president of the GGGA and for a long time was chairman of the Ghana Trust Fund. • The late Mr. Justice Nii Armah Ollenu, a high court judge 9. CHALLENGES Outdoor education programmes often suffer from a number of organisational defects. While funding is widely to be the major constraint, equally important are the issues of poorly trained adult leaders and lack of programme materials for club activities. There is also the question of ownership and sustainability of clubs and their outdoor education programmes. In poor rural areas the challenges are compounded by long distances between home and school, making outdoor education difficult to arrange unless it is captured within the school time. Perception of poor supervision of children has sometimes hurt the patronage of club activities. For example, some parents cannot trust the associations when their children have to go out on camping. Alternatively such programmes could be designed as community based activities but lack of mentors and trainers in many communities would make this difficult. Funding is a major problem with all the secular clubs but the religious ones are usually funded by the respective religious institutions. Some parents cannot also afford to pay for their children to go on campmg. 16 and socially owned so that their programmes could be sustained as they instil values and character into the youth. 19 agenda, can only be achieved when the programmes are community based, owned and sustained. The institutions would need voluntary human, material and financial resources to help shape the future of the child/youth, " reason for social mobilisation. Parents, guardians and society as a Whole have a role to play in this enterprise. Imparting and acquiring skills in lobbying, teamwork and leadership, it is up to the clubs to market/sell their vision, mission and success stories to more allies they identifY to buy into. When these allies are considered as partners and are involved in decision making processes of the clubs they will contribute their quota, human or. material in making sure that the clubs are sustained and their contribution to development widened. 11. RECOMMENDATIONS As much as possible youth clubs that foster outdoor education should be supported to raise funds through appropriate channels. Tax and other instruments that make philanthropy attractive to the rich should there be given care attention to make them more effective. In addition, considering that Government is a major stakeholder in the clubs and their success, part of the District Assembly Common Fund should be allocated to the clubs at the district level and this must be lobbied for. The budgetary support for the National Youth Council (NYC) has to be beefed up to enable it to fully achieve its goals and objectives. It has units in all ten regions and is the coordinating body for the outdoor clubs. The government should not renege on its duties in relation to the NYC but should put its 'money where its mouth is' . The GGGA and its allies should increase their lobbying activities. They should articulate their mission, vision, and objectives in such a way that the District Assemblies can buy into their work to ensure all schools within the districts have outdoor education clubs, the types that have been discussed in this study. This will ensure that all the youth are exposed to this 'Growth through Challenge' philosophy thus creating an enabling environment for their psychosocial development. In summary, one can simply say that the clubs need to be strengthened, their scope widened 18 National Youth Council. 2001. Report of the Youth Empowerment Committee. Neill, J. 2001 and 2004. Outdoor education Research and Evaluation Centre. Population Reference Bureau. 2006. Washington DC. Rodney, W. 1981. As quoted by Omoregie, F-K. In Rodney, Cabral and Ngugi as Guides to Aflican Postcolonial Literature. Retrieved on the 24th of February 2004 from http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sgllandow/post/africa/omoregie 1 1. htrnl Rolfe, A. 2007.Seven Fatal flaws in Mentoring Programs and How to Avoid Them.Retrieved February 2,2007 from mentoring woks website.http:// www. Mentoring-works.comlblogl Ryff, C.D. 2000. As quoted by Sat]trock, J.W. 2002. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. Boston: McGraw Hill Santrock, J.W. 2002A Topical Approach to Lifespan Developmellt. Boston: McGraw Hill Shea, G. 2005. Mentoring. Quoted by Bilanich in his article Mentoring Future Leaders. Retrieved on the 2nd of February 2007 from http://www.budbilanich.com Steinberg, L. 2002. Adolescence. Bo~ton: McGraw Hill The Boys Brigade Ghana, Madina District Council. Annual Report and Programme of the 2nd Annual District Conference. Accra. The Head of State Award Scheme-Ghana. 2007. Briefing Paper.\ The Methodist Church Ghana, Youth Ministries Division. 2006. Annual report and Prowamme of the 11th Biennial Diocesan Youth and Student Assembly. Accra. Todaro, M.P. 1985. Economic D evelopment. Tsike-Sossah, S.E. , 2009.Promoting Youth Participation in Local Governance: The Abusua Foundation Experience', OSIW A, Wac Series (West Africa Civil Society . Institute), Vol.! , No.3 UNDP Capacity Development Group. 2007. Capacity Assessment Practice Note. Washington, DC:Bureau for Development Policy. UNICEF, 1993. As quoted in Family Tree of Theories, Methodologies and Strategies in Development Communications: Convergence and Differences. Retrieved on the 5th of February 2007 from http:// www.comminit.comlstrategicthinkingl stsilviocommlsld-1785.htrnl '.~,.. 21 ' ENTRE :' .. ' UN; ',' ;":.;: : .; 'i/.;~~ D '- , :'{" . !'!, ' =:;.('~r:~' REFERENCES Addae-Boahene, K.; D.K. Akafua; L. Azure; M.Bannennan- Mensah, Z008. 'Girls Clubs': an Innovative approach to the Promotion of Girls ' Education in Northern Ghana, presented at the Fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, Access to Learning for Development, 13th to 17th July 2008. This is organized by the Commonwealth of Learning and the University of London, London UK. Baako, K. 1964. Paper presented at the 16th Annual New Year School in Legon. Ballard, C.A.1967. A Contemporary Youth Movement: The Ghana Young Pioneers. Unpublished Masters Thesis presented to the Institute of African Studies, Legon. Bennis, Wand B. Nanus, 1985.Leaders. The Strategies for Taking Charge.New York:Harper and Row Berko, B. B., H. S. Sawyer, F. Boni. 1977. Revised by Yakubu- Iddrisu, R.M. and L. D. Tamakloe. 2000. The Guide Handbook. Accra: Ghana Girl Guide Association. Bilanich, B. ZOOS.The Common Sense Guy Mentoring Future Leaders. Retrieved 011 Znd February 2007 from www.budbilanich.com Brookes, A. 1991.Thoughts on the conference theme.Proceedings of the 7th National Outdoor Conference, Monash University, Frankston, Australia. Calhoun, c., D. Light, S. Keller. 1998. Understanding Sociology. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Devine, E.Q. 1966. (Organizing Commissioner of the Ghana Boys Scouts Association). Interview conducted by Ballard for his masters thesis. Dwamena-Aboagye, A. 2002.The Ark Foundation.Reader for Women's Leadership. Erikson, E. H. 1968. Identity: Youth and Crises. New York: W. W. Norton. Heineman International Dictionary. Hopkins, J.R. 2000. Erikson, Erik. H. In A. Kazdin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of psychology. Washington, DC, and New York: American Psychological Association and Oxford University Press. Kimmel, K. 1989. Legacy of Love.A Plan for Parenting 011 Purpose. Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press . Minkler, 1990. As quoted in Family Tree of Theories, Methodologies and Strategies in Development Communications: Convergence and Differences. Retrievyd on the 5th of February 2007 from http: // www.comminit.comistrategicthinking/ stsilviocommisld-I78S.htrnl. 20 APPENDIX A: LIST OF SOME OF THE OUTDOOR CLUBS Ahmadiyya Youth Association Anglican Youth Fellowship (A YF) Ghana Girl Guide Association (GGGA) Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) Ghana Scouts Association (GSA) Head of State Award Scheme (HOSA) Methodist Boys Brigade (MBB) Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) Military Cadets Corps Muslim Youth Association Navy Cadets Corps Presbyterian Boys Brigade (PBB) Presbyterian Youth Fellowship (PYF) Saint John's Ambulance Brigade (SlAB) The Airforce Cadets Corps The Scripture Union (SU) Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) 23 ___ .2003. Draft National Youth Policy (Revised). ____ .2007. Draft National Youth Policy. 2007. __ --,---_.2004. A Plan of Action for the Implementation of The National Youth Policy. Accra ___ _ .2004. Can outdoor education be dispensed with? A critical review of some common rationales for outdoor education. Paper presented at connections and Disconnections: Examining the reality and rhetoric. International perspectives on outdoor education theory and practice, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia. 22 education can also be conceptualized as the use of the outdoors for the education and development of the whole person (The outdoor institute). Mentoring is considered by Rolfe (2007), as a personal 'professional' relationship aimed at growth and development. This established relationship makes both parties feel connected, personally valued and increases their self-esteem. The mentoring relationship creates a space for dialogue that results in reflection, learning and action (ibid).Shea (2005), adds that the mentoTing relationship is one in which a person with greater experience, expertise and wisdom counsels, teaches, guides and helps another person develop both personally and professionally A Leader is one who leads (Heineman International Students Dictionaty).A leader is one who commits people to action, converts followers into leaders and may convert leaders into agents of change (Bennis and Nanus, 1985). The latter further states that anyone who is capable of finding a solution to, taking control of and properly managing a situation either in his or' another person's life or in the community is a leader (ibid). Future Leaders are young people whose capacity needs to be built in order to enable them to stand up and pull themselves and the rest of the crowd over the horizon in the future ' (Fisher, 2004). These. young people are referred to as the youth and are aged between 10-24 years (Population Reference Bureau, 2006).The draft National Youth Policy (April, 2007) of Ghana, however, pegs the age of the youth between 15-35 years. This paper, however, adopts the age of the youth from 10-24 years as proposed by the population reference bureau. Theory of psychosocial development (Growth through challenge philosophy). Eriksons (1902-1994) (1959, 1963, 1968) eight stages of psychosocial development states that, every hU1)1an being moves through eight (8) stages of psychosocial 25 APPENDIX B: DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS AS USED IN THE PAPER Development is considered as a multisectoral process which involves the improvement of the status quo. On the level of the individual, it implies increased skill and freedom, self discipline, responsibility and material well-being (Rodney, 1981). Todaro (1985), also defines the conceptas a multidimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes and national institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, reduction in inequality and the eradication of poverty. Social mobilization has been defined severally as a process whereby feasible and practical inter-sectoral social allies come together VOluntarily, to identify and find solutions to an identified social malaise/issue ' (UNICEF, 1993). It is also considered as the process of involving and motivating interested stakeholders to organize and take action for a common purpose (World Bank, 1992). Empowerment is the process whereby individuals and communities take direct control over their own lives and environment (Minkler, 1990). Dwamena-Aboagye (2002) defines it as a process of awareness and capacity building leading to greater participation, to greater decision making and control and to transformative action. Outdoor Education (OE)according to Brookes (1991) is relative to time and place. There is no universal definition. It is one of the range of mediums through which informal educational opportunities which seek to address the social development of both communities and individuals are offered (Outdoor Edinburgh).Neill (2001) defines outdoor education as education that has a 'growth through challenge' philosophy and comprises of purposely designed activities which are undertaken outdoors in a natural or a totally new environment. In 2003, he further defined it as the use of the outdoors for educational purposes involving small groups a.ctively engaged in adventurous activities for personal growth under the guidance of an instructor or leader (Neill, 2003).Outdoor 24 For the purposes of this paper stage five (5), the youthful and adolescent period of the life span will be emphasised. Without u healthy sense of trust (I), autonomy (2), initiative (3) and industry (4) it would be difficult to establish a coherent source of identity (5) (Erikson, 1968). Society of a necessity needs to playa role in determining which sorts of identities are possible alternatives and genuine options for the adolescent and youth (Santrock, 2002). Society (through mentors and outdoor education) helps the future leaders select which options are desirable a.nd which are not. The societal context in which an adolescent grows, to a large extent, determines whether the search for self definition will take the form of a. full blown crises or a manageable challenge (Ryff 2000).In other words the type of future leaders a nation gets is dependent on the societal context created for their psychosocial development. Social mobilization practices help harness the available resources within the community to ensure the creation of the appropriate environmental conditions whi~h are found in the outdoor education clubs. The positive psychosocial development of the youth will in tum impact strongly on the development agenda of Ghana. A ConservativelTraditional leader is the autocratic type whose word is law and does not tolerat.e diverge~t views. 'Born to rule', slbe is the sole decision maker and accounts to no one for hislber stewardship. Anyone who asks questions about his stewardship is considered an enemy. This leader conveniently appropriates communal property and lives in affluence while his followers wallow in poverty. His followers, however, look up to himlber for their 'salvation and deliverance' since he was 'born to rule' and lead the people out of their problems. These types of leaders can be found in homes, schools, religious sects as well as the workplace, The traditional/conservative leaders are those who have "underdeveloped" Ghana and Africa .as a whole (Rodney, 1981). Are these the type of leaders we need in our nation in future? No, we need a new generation of leaders, the transforn.ati'le type, who will do the right things ,and not the wrong things right. ~<: -.: :. '~' ~ ~~~~~~yi ~ .,.,.",!'j, 27 development during a lifespan. Each stage consists of a unique developmental task that confronts the individual with a crisis to be resolved. Biological and social forces interact to bring the crises to prominence. Steinbtlrg (2002) suggests that this phenomenon should not be seen as a catastrophe but rather as a turning point with increased vulnerability and enhanced potential. A practical example is what happens in the empowerment process in outdoor education, in the latter rewards are given for each successful crises resolution. The successful resolution of a crisis therefore gives the individual the chance to go to the next stage and ensures a healthy psychosocial development (Hopkins, 2000). The healthy resolution of each challenge depends on the successful resolution of a preceding one (Santrock, 2002). Resolving the crisis does, not mean coming out entirely negative or positive but involves tipping the scales in one direction more than the other. Each crisis, although present in one form or the other at all stages takes on a special significance at a given period of the life cycle. The growth through challenge philosophy in thls theory , accommodates the whole concept of outdoor education and mentoring as operationalised in this paper. The stages and crises which have to be overcome: I "Trust versus mistrust (I st year) 2ndAutonomy versus shame and doubt (1-3,infancy) 3mlnitiative versus guilt (3-5 , early childhood, preschool) 4'"Industry versus inferiority (6-puberty, middle and late childhood elementary school years 5'~Identity versus role confusion (adolescence, 10-20 years). 6'hlntimacy ver~us isolation (early adulthood, the 20s and 30s) 7'hGenerativity versus Stagnation (middle adulthood, 40's 50's) g'h1ntegrity versus despair (Late adulthood, 60s). (Source as presented by Santrock; 2000) 26 their ages. An effective mentoring programme should have strategic value- it should fit into the overall objective or goal of the community, individual or organization. Mentoring as used by outdoor education clubs is a means to help the youth in their psychosocial developmeut and unearth their hitherto hidden talents. It is about learning which has the following characteristics: • Truthfulness, trust and mutual respect: This involves open, honest communication and integrity on the part of both mentor and mentored as well as consideration and courteous r.egard for one another. • Joint purpose: The mentor recognises raw talent that needs to be developed and the mentored realises that the mentor is someone from whom he or she can learn and grow. • Mutually beneficial: The process enables both parties to get something out of a successful relationship. Quite .a number of mentors report that the mentoring experience helped them make explicit a lot of the implicit knowledge they have. In this type of relationship both mentor and mentored get the opportunity to learn and grow. • Gracefulness: There is an egalitarian relationship between the mentor and .mentored as they contribute ideas·freely. -- CEN\:"" HL, /'~ ··~7:-:'~ '?r , ~i~~' tL , i.., ~ ", •• IIiII-_ B.g.WiG",~;iN 29 Transformative Leaders: It will be hard to shape a more desirable future for this nation or the world without this crop of transfonnative leaders (Bennis and Nanus, 1985). We need leaders who will bring everyone on board to ensure effective social mobilisation and development practices. Transfonnative leaders are not afraid of 'criticisms, in contrast to traditiomillconservative leaders they encourage constructive criticisms and participatory decision making. These type of leaders call forth the best in their followers, community and themselves. They facilitate the development and use of new approaGhes providing innovative learning environments to whoever they are leading. They share and acknowledge uncertainty embracing error and learning from their mistakes. These leaders celebrate the achievements of their followers and are capable of moving them to the level of self actuali:;:ation. Transfonnative leaders are competent in interpersonal skills (listen, nurture, cope with value conflicts) and understand their own limits and biases as these are tested against those of knowledgeable colleagues and other experts. These are risk takers and thus are brave to absorb conflicts; resilient unperturbed by stonns and capable of remaining focus. How are future leaders nurtured or leadership skills imparted? (The Mentoring Process). To:'rttirture the future leader a plan is needed, a long tenn strategy the effects of which can be evaluated reviewed and improved, Mentoring is the main strategy for stimulating learning in outdoor education. It is noted in the draft National Youth Policy (NYF) that the lack of adequate mentoring structures is responsible for the challenges the youth in this countrY are currently facing. Realizing the importance of mentoring, the draft NYP identifi(ls the process as :one of its priority areas and acknowledges the role of outdoor education clubs in this enterprise. Traditional mentoring evolved from the older and wiser guiding the young as in masters and apprentices etc. In contemporary times however, an egalitarian relationship is fostered during the mentoring process aIld that suits the paradigm shift in the concept of leadership. Mentoring therefore occurs between a person who has more experience, skill and wisdom and one who has less, regardless of 28 About CSPS The Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS), University of Ghana was established to provide research and training in social policy issues in Ghana. The Centre has been involved in studies related to social protection , human capital , soda I mobilisation for development and livelihoods. The Centre is located in the Faculty of Social Studies building, University of Ghana For further information, contact: P.O.Box LG 72, Legon Tel:0302-502217 Email :csps@ug.edu.gh JJJI'i.. Printed by ~ Sundel Services· 020 n03816