Abstracts, Friday June 7 th , 11.30-13.00, Practical workshopsTitle:A joy at being in touch with the elements of lifeAuthor/s:Maija Venäläinen <strong>and</strong> Laura Kuusinen, Hyria Education, Finl<strong>and</strong>.Abstract:The workshop shares activities rising from the practices of experiential education <strong>and</strong>environmental education. The criteria for the chosen activities are:• have focus on sharing <strong>and</strong> doing• activities shared are simple <strong>and</strong> do not dem<strong>and</strong> expensive equipment or props• are easily modified for different target groups• are easily joined to different kind of programs• wake positive feelings for nature in the urban nature• add ecological underst<strong>and</strong>ingActivities shared are used in Hyria Education in training of the professionals for Wilderness<strong>and</strong> Nature Interpretation <strong>and</strong> Social <strong>and</strong> Health Care. As for the interpreters the aim has beento encourage them to use methods <strong>and</strong> tools created in the fields of outdoor education,experimental education <strong>and</strong> environmental education in their work. As for the social <strong>and</strong>health care professionals the value of own experiences of activities lead in nature are seen asa source of better underst<strong>and</strong>ing the health effects of being <strong>and</strong> acting in nature <strong>and</strong> secondlyin giving them practical examples how to lead activities in outdoor environments.Title:Dance Yourself, movement as the reflection of internal state, emotions <strong>and</strong> feelingsAuthor/s:Elżbieta Czwartos, Fradja, Pol<strong>and</strong>.Abstract:“Dance Yourself” as movement invitation to conversation about emotions.Workshop “Dance Yourself” is based on practical experiences, through the observation ofnatural movement in connection with emotions <strong>and</strong> feelings. It creates opportunity toexperiment with movement <strong>and</strong> to see, how it affects on our mood; what emotions does itstimulate <strong>and</strong> how it’s releasing us from all the tensions inside our mind. My workshop willtake place in the outdoors <strong>and</strong> this is an important part of it because the environment has abig impact on people's behavior. One aim is that my workshop can be a tool for socialintegration, because everyone can use it. It also lead to improving movement coordination,rebuilding image of our body, evolving self-awareness, verbal communication skills <strong>and</strong> bodylanguage. It’s suitable for working with children <strong>and</strong> young people.“Dance Yourself” is directedfor both dancers as well as people, who never danced in their lives, willing to enrich theirexperiences with rhythm <strong>and</strong> movement. I invite to participation everyone, who’s willing toexplore every inch of their world, also known <strong>and</strong> unknown. Conducted by Elżbieta Czwartos,dancing instructor, who’s using dancing techniques for working with children, young people<strong>and</strong> as the therapeutic tool.Title:Leadership <strong>and</strong> reflections… in team-worksAuthor/s:Helena Alsegård, National Centre of Outdoor Education, Linköping University, Sweden.26
Abstract:When you work together with a group outdoors with the aim of social integration the reflectionis an important part of the process.In this workshop we will practice a method that focuses onthe questions what?, how? <strong>and</strong> why? In my book “Samarbetsövningar” I have written aboutthis method, <strong>and</strong> in this workshop I will give some practical examples that can be used inmany situations, both for development of the personal leadership <strong>and</strong> for the groupdevelopment.Title:The Healing Power of Nature (!) – Using Nature in social re-integration <strong>and</strong> treatment of war<strong>and</strong> torture affected refugee families in Denmark.Author/s:Thor Hjarsen, Save the Children, DenmarkAbstract:Since September 2010 Save the Children Denmark, the psychiatric treatment unit at RegionSouth Denmark (ATT), <strong>and</strong> consultant Livsmodlab has implemented a social, relation buildingproject for refugee families in Denmark affected by war <strong>and</strong> torture. The project use nature<strong>and</strong> outdoor as the dominating method <strong>and</strong> “activity room”. This has proven very valuable interms of strengthening the intra-family <strong>and</strong> inter-familiy relations, recreative outputs, inaddition to resilience <strong>and</strong> trauma-exposure work. The nature related activities takes place inyearly 4-day camps at a Danish outdoor center/nature school in addition to 8-10 one-dayexcursions. The families are all former refugees from war zones; Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia,Sri Lanka, etc. In some cases also the children has experienced war <strong>and</strong> torture. Allparticipating families are currently or has been in psychological <strong>and</strong> psycho-social treatment.The project activity recruits <strong>and</strong> train volunteers to participate <strong>and</strong> implement activities with thefamilies. In the camps ca. 35 family members <strong>and</strong> 8-10 volunteers participate in addition to 2-3staff. In the one-day activities 25-50 family members participate. In total the project is inconnection with 250-300 parents <strong>and</strong> children from the families.27