Most Impactful Outdoor Company: Outsider Awards 2023

Incredible, impactful and downright amazing! We put the call out for you, our readers, to let us know about the Most Impactful Outdoor Company on the Irish outdoor and adventure scene in 2023! And you didn’t let us down.

If you’re a nominee, consider yourself cordially invited to our annual awards ceremony on the evening of Wednesday 21 February 2024 in the Sugar Club, Dublin. We are thrilled skinny to announce that our fab sponsors are on board to help us celebrate all that is great and good about the Irish adventure scene, so it’s guaranteed to be a good party.

Our hugely generous title sponsor for the Outsider Awards 2023 is Sport Ireland Outdoors, our other supporting sponsors are Craghoppers, Leave No Trace, Salewa, Vagabond Tours, Sustainable Travel Ireland and Nuasan.

For everyone else, a limited number of tickets are on sale through the link below. Subscribe to our email newsletter on our homepage to hear more about the Outsider Awards 2023.

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We were bowled over by both the quality and quantity of the stories you sent us. So sit down, get comfortable and prepare to be amazed by these incredible companies who are now officially on the long list of nominees for the #OutsiderAwards.

Venture Out

The Venture Out Wilderness Project is an adventure-based therapy organisation based in Ennis, Co Clare, that provides transformative outdoor learning experiences that enhance personal and interpersonal development for groups and individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Through their range of adventure therapy journeys, Venture Out helps to create a deeper understanding of our interdependence with nature for the participants. Venture Out is a not-for-profit organisation that provides services that range from 1:1 half-day sessions to group multi-day expeditions off the beaten track. They help individuals who are facing various challenges in life, through nature-based therapeutic programmes. Through this experiential learning, participants become more aware of their strengths and abilities, learn about teamwork and leadership, and acquire valuable skills to take back to their daily lives. These include self-care, time management, organisation, healthy life choices, problem-solving, decision making and long-term planning.

Throughout 2023, Venture Out worked with more than 30 young people from the care system through their Unearth 1-2-1 adventure therapy-focused support service. During this calendar year, they were able to deliver 120 days or 300+ hours of support. In this time, participants embarked on 2-3 hour adventures where they undertook a range of activities with their own guide.

These activities included bushcraft, hammocking, SUPing, biking, kayaking, fishing and hiking. During these sessions, Venture Out supported and mentored the young people through discussions, coaching sessions, personal development and youth work-focused workshops.

Active Connections

Active Connections is a not-for-profit company that aims to transform lives through adventures. Active Connections was created in April 2011 and since then it has worked alongside statutory and non-statutory organisations across Ireland to provide adventure therapy to young people with behavioural difficulties.

Activity courses are designed to replace the often negative challenges of the teen years with extremely positive ones. Courses will often include outdoor activities such as canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, bushcraft and even overnight camping.

Their Embers programme and Ember Camp provide an alternative to the HSE home support or respite programmes. This programme is aimed at young people living with an additional challenges, like a physical or intellectual disability. Since its inception, this programme has supported over 150 children, adults and families. Embers Camp takes the participants out on the water on SUPs, kayaks and canoes. “We find that our participants benefit so much from the water. We see their confidence grow every weekend. It’s amazing,” said Shauna from Active Connections.

Active Connections’ goal is to change lives through adventure. They do this with a focus on four main pillars: personal development and mastery, interpersonal effectiveness, environmental awareness, and learning.

Liquid Therapy

Liquid Therapy, established in 2011, is determined to make the mental health benefits of coastal experiences accessible to all. Nestled in south Donegal, this respected charitable organisation is committed to fostering an environment where young individuals can reap the therapeutic and physical rewards of surfing and ocean activities, regardless of their challenges.

At the end of 2021, Liquid Therapy became a registered charity and as they welcomed in 2022 they opened the first Inclusive Surf Centre in the country, at Rossnowlagh Beach in Donegal. A Drop in the Ocean (ADITO), the mental health programme that they created in response to the global pandemic, became prescribable to young people who had experienced trauma in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Monaghan and Cavan. In 2022, they worked with Vision Sports Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association to widen the scope of their accessibility.

This year they hosted BLUESURFEST, a three-day festival that celebrates inclusion in sport. The event included live music, film premieres, book signings, inclusive and adaptive surfing events, and an educational seminar. The festival engaged with over 900 participants from all over Ireland and Europe.

Sailing Into Wellness

Offering sailing activities ranging from day-sailing sessions on keelboats to multi-day programmes overnighting on boats, Sailing Into Wellness believes that the sea can inspire change in communities and that everything you learn on the water is transferrable to everyday life.

Sailing into Wellness provides an array of sailing activities to support individuals of all ages grappling with mental health challenges and intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as those on the path to recovery from addiction. They offer activities ranging from day-sailing sessions on keelboats to multi-day programmes, as well as offering overnight experiences on boats.

Leveraging the sailing platform, their programmes infuse fun into addressing social inclusion, coping mechanisms, and pro-social behaviour. The team advocates for sailing as a natural remedy for communities to attend to both their physical and mental wellbeing.

New Wave Wild Project

Established in County Kerry with a commitment to providing professional adventure therapy in natural blue and green spaces, New Wave Wild Project engages individuals and groups, including families, through a variety of land-based and water-based activities.

Hiking, biking, climbing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling are just a few examples of the immersive experiences offered. At the core of New Wave Wild Project’s psychotherapy approach is a personalised focus on individuals, emphasising their strengths and integrating experiential learning and psycho-educational methods.

The organisation’s dedication to fostering personal growth and wellbeing through adventure aligns with its mission to provide transformative experiences in the great outdoors. New Wave Wild Project stands as a beacon, weaving together the elements of adventure, nature, and self-discovery for a profound therapeutic impact.

Brigit’s Garden

Brigit’s Gardens invites a range of visitors, from preschoolers to adults, to embark on a journey through its enchanting grounds, nestled within an 11-acre expanse of native woodlands and wildflower meadows in Co Galway. The immersive experience includes the Sun Trail, an ancient ring fort (fairy fort), a nature trail tailored for kids, a thatched roundhouse, a crannóg, and a fascinating calendar sundial.

These distinctive gardens serve as the backdrop for educational programmes designed to reconnect people of all ages with the wonders of the natural world. Visitors will partake in woodland adventures and embrace a forest school ethos. The engaging activities on offer include working with clay, crafting inks, and enjoying a designated chill-out area equipped with hammocks, tree swings, and slacklines. Other activities include a mud kitchen, wilderness survival skills, animal tracking, fire building, and the recognition of flora and fauna. Participants can also delve into the art of foraging and cooking with wild plants, creating an immersive and educational experience in the heart of nature.

Comeragh Wilderness Academy

Commeragh Wilderness Academy invites youngsters to embark on a journey of self-discovery, tackling the essential question, “Who am I?”

Nestled in the heart of Rathgormack, Co Waterford, the Comeragh Wilderness Academy provides a therapeutic experience for adolescents, equipping them with essential life skills and bolstering their confidence to confront life’s hurdles. The camp’s idyllic outdoor setting serves as a canvas for participants to reconnect with their true selves and cultivate valuable life abilities.

At Comeragh Wilderness Academy, young individuals can master the art of open-fire cooking, construct forest shelters, traverse the scenic Comeragh mountains, navigate river waters by canoe, and immerse themselves in the wonders of nature. This distinctive retreat caters to a diverse group of youth from various backgrounds, fostering an inclusive environment.

One notable initiative within the institute is the Ignite Program, particularly the Ignite Camp, designed as an alternative to traditional support programmes. This initiative caters to youngsters facing additional challenges, such as physical or intellectual disabilities. Since its inception, the Ignite Program has provided support to over a hundred children, adults, and families. The camp engages participants in water-based activities like stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing, fostering confidence and personal growth.

The Hike Psych

Cara Byrne, a 42-year-old mother of two from Dublin, stands as Ireland’s trailblazing Hiking Psychotherapist. Pioneering the field, she founded her private practice, Hike Psych, in 2020, seamlessly merging her twin passions of psychotherapy and hiking. Amid the Dublin mountains, she employs traditional evidence-based therapeutic approaches, uniquely conducting sessions while traversing the outdoors.

The catalyst for her venture emerged organically during a spontaneous invitation from a friend for a girls’ weekend in Scotland, where Cara unknowingly embarked on climbing Ben Nevis without prior hiking experience. Enamoured by the swift breakdown of barriers while in the mountains, she appreciates how nature fosters genuine connections, transcending societal judgments.

Cara, a Type 1 diabetic since the age of three, faces challenges in maintaining health during hikes. Balancing her personal journey, including overcoming a history of disordered eating, she now advocates for Health at Every Size (HAES) and specialises in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E) and Intuitive Eating Counselling.

Motivated by the profound impact of outdoor therapy on mental health, Cara aspires to expand Hike Psych, envisioning a hiking therapist in every county. Her dedication to providing accessible outdoor therapy underscores her commitment to helping others reap the benefits.

For further details on Hike Psych, visit https://www.hikepsych.ie or follow @thehikepsych.