Leader Integration Competencies and Staff Training

The purpose of this study was to test that competencies about inclusion were learned in staff training. Specifically, the study sought to identify the leadership competencies necessary for leaders in integrated outdoor adventure pro­grams and to measure the effectiveness of a staff training addressing one of these competencies (the ability to apply integration strategies). This study was exploratory in nature and centered on one agency, Wilderness Inquiry, Inc. (WI) of Minneapolis, which is recognized as the fore­most integrated outdoor adventure program in the country. The study focused on current staff of Wilderness Inquiry and on the approximately 30 new program staff that Wilderness Inquiry brings into the organization each summer. The study design used a literature review and three focus groups to identify the primary leadership competencies needed for leaders of integrated programs