Solo is a fundamental and culminating experience of solitary reflection incorporated into all Outward Bound courses. The co-founder of Outward Bound, Kurt Hahn, believed spending intentional time alone, in nature, with oneself was significant for personal growth. Solo was introduced as a way to give participants space to reflect on a different aspects of their lives and put to use all of the skills they have learned in the course.
There are different kinds of Solo and every Solo experience is unique. The duration of Solo will depend on the course programme taking into consideration the participants emotional and physical safety. Participants are always briefed before embarking on Solo, whether it is for a few hours or overnight. During Solo, instructors are never far from participants so they can check in as and when needed.
3 Main Types of Solo
Mini Solo: It can happen anytime the group needs a mental or physical break. It can be as short as a few hours to provide a period of time for participants to think about their actions and attitude toward the course.
Short and Long Solo: This is an overnight camping solo ranging from one to two nights. During an extended Solo, participants will be given certain reading and writing guidelines for their reflection time.
Examples include stories about Solo, writing letters to themselves, listing areas of improvement and notable strengths for each group member, making gifts for each other.