Gippsland Adventure Therapy

09/05/2026

Ok folks, so in the midst of life after G*T and an evolution of how I transfer everything I’ve learnt from outdoor therapy into social work and what that will look like is still anyone’s guess as to where this path will take me.

But I have ideas and I have strong ethical beliefs about how our work with young people should look. I’m not sure if it’s the influence of all those big brained legends at university or if this is the logical next step, but I’m starting to articulate what I call an ethical approach to youth work.

I’ve started a substack, a platform for writing and dangerous ideas, you can also read this on G*T’s adventure journal blog just go to the website and you’ll find it.

I’d love to know what you think.

❤️🛶 Doug.

“A young person does not owe us their engagement.” This feels like a simple sentence, but I think it challenges how youth services approach the work with our most vulnerable young people in out-of-home-care.

11/04/2026

In youth work:

“Adults don’t have the right to dictate what an interaction should mean. They only have the responsibility to stay curious about whether it mattered”

I’m trying to put together what I think is an ethical stance to our work with youth. You know in the down time between work, family and uni 😆.