DARE TO VENTURE
A veteran led outdoor programme that builds confidence, resilience and meaningful connection through challenge, nature and shared experience.
Connect with Nature
Dare to Venture gives young people the opportunity to step into nature, challenge themselves and discover what they’re capable of. Through nature trails, outdoor skills and reflective practice, young people learn how to regulate emotions, understand themselves better and build confidence in a way that feels real and earned.
Led by ex-military outdoor instructors, the programme creates a strong blend of structure, encouragement and relational support, helping young people grow in ways that stay with them long after the programme ends.
Dare to Venture is more than an outdoor programme. It’s a structured, relational experience where challenge becomes a path to emotional growth. The outdoors provides a powerful backdrop where young people can move, think and reflect without the pressure of the classroom.
Sessions combine nature trails, reflective practice, practical outdoor tasks and calm, steady support from veterans who understand teamwork, leadership and resilience. The aim isn’t athletic performance, it’s helping young people realise they are capable of far more than they think.
Challenge With Purpose
Who Thrives?
Confidence
Challenge
Support
Dare to Venture is designed for young people who would benefit from stepping outside the busy routines of school and experiencing success in a different environment. Many of the pupils we support are navigating low confidence, big emotions or overwhelming situations, and respond well to the space, movement and challenge that the outdoors provides. They often thrive with steady, structured guidance from calm adults, especially when that guidance comes from veterans who understand how to lead with clarity, compassion and strength.
Young people learn to navigate uncertainty, regulate emotions and recognise their strengths through real experiences. Whether it’s reaching a summit, supporting a teammate or simply taking a step they didn’t believe they could take.
Over time, pupils grow in confidence, emotional understanding and relational connection, returning to school more grounded, more settled and more able to engage in learning and daily life.
The Journey
Throughout the programme and residential phase, young people also develop practical outdoor skills that stay with them for life. These include navigation, basic outdoor first aid, survival skills, hill awareness and safe, responsible access to nature.
These skills help young people build trust in themselves, feel more connected to the outdoors and carry a sense of confidence that extends well beyond the programme.
Evidence of Growth.
Grounded in Nature.
We capture impact so that schools can clearly see how young people grow during the programme. We measure confidence to express how they feel, their trust between other young people, their confidence in engaging with nature and overall mental wellbeing.
Calderglen High School
“The young people who took part in this programme have grown in confidence. Not only with each other, but with their academic efforts as well."
Young Person, DtV
"I learnt how to dig deep and keep going even when I was tired and ready to give up. I really liked the camping as it isn't something I get to do with my family."
Young Person, DtV
“Can't believe I was able to talk to people on the programme about how I was feeling. I've not told anyone that and it helped me to know that I am stronger, and that people care. Thank you.”
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Some of Our Trusting Education Partners
Let's Build Something Meaningful
We'd love to support your school, your young people and your community. If you want to explore how these initiatives can strengthen your community, complete the contact form below.