Relating Trainees' Personal Development to Their Leeuwin II Ocean Adventure by Dianne ...

256 Pages·2014·1.53 MB·English

by  Y Cockett

Relating Trainees’ Personal Development to Their Leeuwin II Ocean Adventure

by

Dianne Ashworth
BSW (Hons)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Deakin University

August 2013
Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my family for their love and support throughout the many years
of my PhD journey. A special thanks to William and Simon who understood why
their mum moved from Melbourne to Geelong to undertake this research. Now it is
complete, it is so good to be back with you all! A PhD journey can have many twists
and turns, and mine was no different. Thank you to my associate supervisors,
Associate Professor Liz Eckermann and Associate Professor Rohan Bastin for being
there if I needed them. A very special thank you to my principle supervisor, Dr Phil
Connors who unequivocally believed in my ability and allowed me to do things ‘my
way’! I would also like to thank my friends for understanding my absence(s) and at
times distraction over the last six years. Finally, while this is not a thank you, I
would like to acknowledge Matthew and his family. I dedicate this thesis to
Matthew, and hope his family can find solace in this research.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................... 1
SEA-ING YOUNG PEOPLE’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: AN
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1
PREAMBLE ......................................................................................................... 1
YOUNG PEOPLE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH AN INDIVIDUALISED
SOCIETY ............................................................................................................. 4
YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONTEMPORARY TRANSITIONS INTO
ADULTHOOD ..................................................................................................... 6
FEMALE CONTEMPORARY TRANSITIONS INTO ADULTHOOD ............ 8
INDIGENOUS YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONTEMPORARY TRANSITIONS
INTO ADULTHOOD .......................................................................................... 9
YOUNG PEOPLE’S SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN AN INDIVIDUALISED
LIFE .................................................................................................................... 11
YOUNG PEOPLE’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AND OUTDOOR
ADVENTURE .................................................................................................... 12
YOUNG PEOPLE’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: A THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE .................................................................................................. 13
CONCEPTUALISING THE RESEARCH ........................................................ 14
METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 15
RESEARCH DESIGN ....................................................................................... 20
CHARTING THE CHAPTERS ......................................................................... 23
ANCHORS AWAY ........................................................................................... 24
CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................ 25
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE: A LITERATURE REVIEW .................................... 25
PREAMBLE ....................................................................................................... 25
DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES ...................................................................... 28
LEADERSHIP .................................................................................................... 29
SELF CONCEPT ............................................................................................... 30
ACADEMIC ....................................................................................................... 32
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ............................................................ 33
RESILIENCE ..................................................................................................... 35
PERSONALITY ................................................................................................. 36
ADVENTURESOMENESS ............................................................................... 38
TYING UP THE OUTCOMES .......................................................................... 38
HOW AND WHY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE WORKS ..................................... 40
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: THE WILDERNESS ...................................... 41
WILDERNESS AS CONTRAST ...................................................................... 42
PARTICIPANT PROCESSING ......................................................................... 43
THE SOLO ......................................................................................................... 44
THE GROUP ...................................................................................................... 44
ACTIVITIES: CHALLENGE AND RISK ........................................................ 45
THE INSTRUCTOR .......................................................................................... 47
TRADITION IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY ....................................... 48
A RITE OF PASSAGE ...................................................................................... 50
LIMINALITY AND COMMUNITAS .............................................................. 52
THE PARTICIPANT ......................................................................................... 55
CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................................. 56
CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................... 58
THEORISING YOUNG PEOPLE’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AND
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE IN AN INDIVIDUALISED SOCIETY ................... 58
PREAMBLE ....................................................................................................... 58
AGENCY ........................................................................................................... 60
SOCIAL STRUCTURE ..................................................................................... 63
SOCIAL DIMENSIONS .................................................................................... 64
SOCIAL FIELDS ............................................................................................... 65
HABITUS ........................................................................................................... 67
HABITUS AND FREE AGENCY ..................................................................... 69
SOCIAL FIELDS AND FREE AGENCY ......................................................... 70
SOCIAL FIELDS AS INITIATION .................................................................. 73
HABITUS AND COMMUNITAS ..................................................................... 74
HABITUS, TRADITION AND CONTEMPORARY MILIEU ........................ 75
THE SUTRA OF THE ELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MEN ........................ 77
CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................................. 78
CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................... 80
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FIELD OF THE LEEUWIN II TALL SHIP ..... 80
PREAMBLE ....................................................................................................... 80
BOARD MEMBERS: INTRODUCING THE FIELD ...................................... 82
LEEUWIN II WORKERS: DESCRIBING THE FIELD .................................. 84
MY JOURNAL .................................................................................................. 89
Day 1 .................................................................................................................. 90
Day 2 .................................................................................................................. 92
Day 3 .................................................................................................................. 94
Day 4 .................................................................................................................. 96
Day 5 .................................................................................................................. 97
Day 6 .................................................................................................................. 99
WORKER PERSPECTIVES: TRAINEE DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES
.......................................................................................................................... 101
WORKER PERSPECTIVES: HOW AND WHY THE LEEUWIN II FIELD
WORKS ............................................................................................................ 106
CONCLUDING REMARKS ........................................................................... 110
CHAPTER FIVE ...................................................................................................... 112
CATEGORY ONE – ADOLESCENTS ............................................................... 112
PREAMBLE ..................................................................................................... 112
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................... 112
SENSE OF SELF: CONFIDENCE .................................................................. 112
SENSE OF SELF: ACCOMPLISHMENT ...................................................... 115
INTER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ......................................................... 115
COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................... 117
FEELING FREE ............................................................................................... 118
ADVENTURESOMENESS ............................................................................. 119
CONSEQUENCES .......................................................................................... 120
PROCESSING: THE IMAGINED .................................................................. 120
SENSE OF SELF: ADULTHOOD .................................................................. 121
ADULTHOOD: WHAT IS IT? ............................................................................ 123
RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................................................... 123
INDEPENDENCE AND CHOICE .................................................................. 123
IDENTITY ....................................................................................................... 124
A SOCIAL DEFINITION ................................................................................ 125
EXPERIENCE .................................................................................................. 126
HOW AND WHY THE LEEUWIN II ADVENTURE WORKS ........................ 126
RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................................................... 126
WORKERS ...................................................................................................... 129
SUPPORT ........................................................................................................ 129
ACCEPTANCE ................................................................................................ 130
TEAMWORK .................................................................................................. 131
EQUALITY ...................................................................................................... 132
PEERS .............................................................................................................. 133
CONTRAST ..................................................................................................... 133
COMMUNITAS ............................................................................................... 134
NEW: RELATIONSHIPS ................................................................................ 136
NEW: ACTIVITIES AND CHALLENGE ...................................................... 137
A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE ........................................................................... 138
PROCESSING AND REFLECTING .............................................................. 139
CONCLUDING REMARKS ........................................................................... 140
CHAPTER SIX ........................................................................................................ 142
CATEGORY TWO – POST ADOLESCENTS ................................................... 142
PREAMBLE ..................................................................................................... 142
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................... 143
SENSE OF SELF: CONFIDENCE .................................................................. 143
SENSE OF SELF: ACCOMPLISHMENT ...................................................... 144
LEADERSHIP .................................................................................................. 144
AWAKENING IDENTITY ............................................................................. 145
SENSE OF SELF: ADULTHOOD .................................................................. 146
POST ADOLESCENTS OR RESISTING ADULTHOOD ............................. 148
AN ADULT: WHAT IS IT? ................................................................................ 149
RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................................................... 149
CONSEQUENCE ............................................................................................. 150
A SOCIAL DEFINITION ................................................................................ 151
EXPERIENCE .................................................................................................. 153
HOW AND WHY THE LEEUWIN II ADVENTURE WORKS ........................ 155
CONTRAST AND RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................... 155
LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY ....................................................... 156
PROCESSING AND REFLECTING .............................................................. 157
TEAMWORK AND CHALLENGE ................................................................ 159
A NEW EXPERIENCE .................................................................................... 160
COMMUNITAS ............................................................................................... 162
CONCLUDING REMARKS ........................................................................... 163
CHAPTER SEVEN .................................................................................................. 165
CATEGORY THREE PAST TRAINEES ........................................................... 165
PREAMBLE ..................................................................................................... 165
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................... 166
SENSE OF SELF: CONFIDENCE .................................................................. 166
SENSE OF SELF: ACCOMPLISHMENT ...................................................... 169
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS .......................................................... 170
TEAMWORK .................................................................................................. 170
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT ....................................................................... 172
NO DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................... 172
AMBIVALENCE ............................................................................................. 174
SENSE OF SELF: ADULTHOOD .................................................................. 175
ADULTHOOD: WHAT IS IT? ............................................................................ 177
EXPERIENCE .................................................................................................. 177
RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................................................... 178
RESPECT ......................................................................................................... 178
INDEPENDENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY ................................................. 179
A SOCIAL DEFINITION ................................................................................ 181
HOW AND WHY THE LEEUWIN II ADVENTURE WORKS ........................ 181
RESPONSIBILITY .......................................................................................... 181
A NEW EXPERIENCE .................................................................................... 185
ACTIVITIES: CHALLENGE AND RISK ...................................................... 188
WORKERS ...................................................................................................... 189
RELATIONSHIPS ........................................................................................... 191
TEAMWORK .................................................................................................. 192
COMMUNITAS ............................................................................................... 192
CONCLUDING REMARKS ........................................................................... 196
CHAPTER EIGHT ................................................................................................... 199
CONCLUSIONS AND BEGINNINGS ............................................................... 199
PREAMBLE ..................................................................................................... 199
A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE ......................................................................... 201