We ask our new Enrollment & Outreach Manager, Louise, about her journey from working in the UK on youth projects and traveling the world, to heading up OBCR’s Summer and Girl Scout Destinations courses.
What motivated you to work at OBCR?
I love exploring, being outdoors, and doing new things. I’ve spent a lot of time working with young people and I am a huge believer in youth development, building resilience, and growing confidence. Outward Bound Costa Rica brings all of these things together.
What is your favorite part about living in Costa Rica?
I came here in 2018 as a Project Manager for a youth development and sustainability project and loved it! The country is so beautiful and the people so kind. They have a fantastic attitude to everything “pura vida” which means relax, take it easy, don’t worry, but is also used as hello, goodbye and lots more. I always knew I wanted to come back to Costa Rica and the perfect opportunity found its way to me.
Before the move to Costa Rica, what was your experience working with youth in the UK?
Before moving out here, I was running youth projects with 16-year-olds in the UK. Each program was four weeks, one phase was focused on outdoor adventure activities, the second I was running development and life skills sessions with them, and the third phase was the group
planning and delivering a social action project focused on the environment. It was a really special thing to be involved in and every single one of the young people I met was amazing!
Where did your passion for sustainable development come from?
I can’t really pinpoint it, but it’s definitely got stronger the older I’ve got and the more I’ve traveled. I know environmental challenges can seem overwhelming, because climate change is such an international challenge, but I think the thing that has spurred me on is that there are so
many simple things we can all do to help the environment, small changes that can have such a big impact. Saying no to plastic, buying loose vegetables, picking up trash, etc. I love talking to people about sustainable development and sharing ideas so, when I was running my youth projects in the UK, I spent a lot of time talking to young people about sustainability and it led them all to complete their projects focused on the environment. Following on from this, I wrote a sustainability syllabus for the Program Coordinator and she’s now rolling it out across all of her programs. I really do believe that education is key! We’re so fortunate because we have opportunities to make changes to be more environmental friendly, whereas in some countries they don’t have the same options as us.
(Photo left) Trevor the salmon, a sculpture made by one of Louise’s youth groups ‘The Silly Salmons’ to raise awareness of plastic pollution. Made out of all recycled materials from beach clean-ups (photo center) and on display in the UK since August 2019. (Photo right) Louise in Costa Rica helping at a community clean-up in Turrialba.
How have your extensive travels influenced your personal and professional development?
I’ve been so lucky to have traveled a lot and experienced many different cultures. Traveling changed my life and made me realize that I no longer wanted to work in London (even though I loved my job). I wanted to do different things and live in different countries and keep exploring. It definitely made me appreciate my own company and encourage me to try new things, especially the things that scare me and that I’m not confident at. It also made me realize that you don’t have to be good at everything and it’s okay to struggle with some things, it just means you sometimes have to do things a bit slower or in a slightly different way to others. Professionally, I think traveling made me realize how much I like working with people, particularly young people, and being able to support their development is the most rewarding thing in the world.
How old were you when you started Girl Scouts? Looking back, what did you get out of your time as a Girl Scout and how has it shaped you today?
When I was seven-years-old, my family and I moved to Michigan and I got to be a Girl Scout for three years. It was such a great experience, I made so many new friends, and we took part in loads of great activities. I learned a lot about working in a team, volunteering, and being
open to different people and opportunities. I also sold a lot of Girl Scout cookies (I even sold some to family and friends in the UK!).
What excites you most about your new role with OBCR?
I’m really excited to be joining one of the groups for a portion of their hike on one of our future courses, so I can truly be enrolled in the OBCR way of life! I can’t wait for our Rainforest Base to be full of happy Girl Scouts and other participants too! I am also looking forward to geting some sustainability initiatives off the ground, including a new eco-bricking project, and see what we end up creating!
