For many young people, experiences in the outdoors involve a spiritual dimension. Contact with the natural environment has been shown to have important health-giving effects, and is a great source of sensory pleasure. Misdirected intervention from staff can hinder beneficial developmental effects resulting from young people's contact with the natural environment. The insights of experiential learning together with the increasing popularity of interdisciplinary approaches are transforming both environmental education and adventure education. Environmental and adventure education are becoming more like one another, increasing scope for integrated programmes.
Environmental abuse has a disproportionately damaging effect on young people.
Many young people demonstrate a concern for environmental issues which deserves to be addressed through youth work, including outdoor adventure. Young people's access to the natural world is limited by economic and social inequality and discrimination.