By Kaelan Young
Viristar is deeply engaged in the 2025 Outdoor Forum for South East Asian Schools (OFFSEAS), which will be held on April 26-27, 2025 at Bangkok Patana School in Thailand.
Viristar will deliver a Risk Management for Outdoor Programs pre-conference training, provide a workshop on standards in outdoor and adventure programs, and deliver a keynote presentation on using complex systems theory in adventure risk management. Viristar will also have a presence in the exhibition hall.
Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: Pre-Conference Event
In addition to our presence at the main conference, Viristar will be hosting a pre-conference event: the Risk Management for Outdoor Programs course.
This comprehensive training provides valuable information for those attending the OFFSEAS conference, equipping participants with essential safety management skills and knowledge.
Dates & Times: The course is 40 hours in length, and live sessions take place on April 2, 9, 15, 23 and 30, 2025
Tuition: USD 584.10 (10% discount for OFFSEAS attendees)
Location: Online via Viristar’s e-learning platform, with independent work and live video-conference sessions
Sign up for the course here.
Keynote Presentation
Viristar’s Director Jeff Baierlein will deliver a keynote presentation at OFFSEAS 2025.
The plenary presentation, Contemporary Approaches to Safety: Assessing and Managing Risks Using Complex Systems Theory, will explore the science of risk management and the most contemporary and sophisticated models for understanding and minimizing risk.
Jeff will discuss the development of increasingly effective theoretical models of incident causation, and how the best available science can be used to support good safety outcomes in outdoor, educational travel, experiential learning and adventure education settings.
Jeff will discuss how to avoid over-dependence on probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) spreadsheets, and evidence-based tools that can be used alongside PRAs.
Jeff Baierlein presenting at the 2023 OFFSEAS Conference. Image: Chris Cartwright
Conference Session
Viristar will also lead a session on Evaluating Your Outdoor or Adventure Program: The Role of Standards.
This workshop is designed to help participants understand how established and documented standards can effectively minimize risks, improve program quality, and elevate the outdoor and adventure education sectors.
The session will introduce standards from around the world, including Singapore, Australia, the USA, Switzerland and New Zealand. Standards from national governing bodies, standards-setting organizations, government agencies and industry associations and NGOs will be introduced.
About OFFSEAS
The mission of the Outdoor Forum for South East Asian Schools is to promote and enhance outdoor learning and education for students of all ages in schools across Southeast Asia. OFFSEAS seeks to create an inclusive and supportive community of educators, leaders, and learners who are passionate about the outdoors and its potential to facilitate learning, growth, and personal development.
OFFSEAS believes that outdoor education offers valuable opportunities for all students. OFFSEAS aims to nurture life skills and positive values through sustainable, accessible and high-quality outdoor learning experiences.
Viristar partners with OFFSEAS to offer a special discount on its Risk Management for Outdoor Programs course to OFFSEAS community members. Outdoor, adventure, and experiential professionals from over 70 countries and territories have benefited from Viristar’s highly regarded outdoor safety training.
Register Today
To learn more and purchase tickets to the 2025 OFFSEAS Conference, visit the event website.
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