In consultation with the BAT community, AABAT Inc. developed the following set of ethical principles which were endorsed by membership at the annual forum in Victoria, 2009 and reviewed again at the annual forum in the Northern Territory, 2015. We encourage organisations to take these principles and expand on them and document how they engage with each principle in their particular context.
BAT practitioners work towards:
- Positive regard for all people
- Respect for differences in culture, gender, age and identity
- Strong family and community connections
- Transparency, Informed consent, Confidentiality
- Voluntary participation (within the confines of service type)
- Selection for ‘readiness’ to participate
- Attention to individual and group needs and hopes
- Supportive physical, psychological and social environments
- Tailored adventure experiences
- Provision of options and choices (including supported exits)
- Respect for cultural custodianship of country
- Increasing self awareness and reflexive practice
- Safety and no harm to self, others or natural environments
These principles will be reviewed again as Outdoor Health Australia and knowledge within the outdoor health sector continues to develop.