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InSOUL at the IAYP TAP Refresher Course: Insights for the Future

InSOUL at the IAYP TAP Refresher Course: Insights for the Future

Category Experiential Learning

By Harshitha Polathula

2024-10-09

On September 27th-28th, Mrudula from InSOUL attended the IAYP (International Award for Young People) Trained Activity Provider (TAP) refresher course in Kolad, set amidst the monsoon-soaked Sahyadri hills. 

This immersive two-day program was important for ensuring that providers of the IAYP Adventurous Journeys (AJ) continue to deliver authentic, impactful experiences for young participants. 

The IAYP Award Programme, introduced in India in 1962, aims to help young people realise their full potential within the framework of Indian society. It focuses on improving their moral, social, and intellectual well-being, ultimately equipping them for life. 

This IAYP framework requires students to build life skills through genuine, hands-on outdoor expeditions. But many programs in India have strayed, undermining the essence of the AJ by cutting corners, reducing the rigour of the experience, or even using pre-filled report templates.

During the refresher course, participants experienced the full AJ themselves, including the report-writing process. Many reports were strictly reviewed and rejected, underlining how crucial it is to engage deeply with the journey. Rushing the training phase or allowing shortcuts to success was shown to be the root cause of substandard reports, a disservice to both the students and the program.

What Were the Key Learnings from the TAP Refresher Course

One of the most eye-opening revelations during the course was that 60% of student reports from India last year were rejected for not meeting the standards of an authentic AJ.

This statistic highlights a concerning trend—many providers may be inadvertently diluting the AJ experience by offering overly comfortable setups or orchestrating activities that require little to no independent effort from students.

The refresher course emphasised the need to adhere strictly to the core steps of the AJ:

1. Training & Preparation: Students must fully understand the technical and theoretical aspects of their chosen activities.

2. Practice Journey: This step allows students to apply their learning in a controlled environment.

3. Qualifying Journey: Here, students shift towards self-sufficiency, testing their skills and resilience in real-world conditions.

4. Report: Students are required to complete 6-8 hours of purposeful activity daily and reflect on whether they achieved the objectives set at the start of their journey.

It became clear during discussions that one of the main reasons for the high report rejection rate is the rushed approach to the training and preparation phase. This foundational step is often under-prioritised, leading to substandard final reports. 

The course reiterated that every Trained Activity Provider has the responsibility to ensure all steps are thoroughly completed to maintain the authenticity and impact of the Adventurous Journey. Going forward, all Trained Activity Providers will have to confirm that everything students have written in their reports has indeed been completed and done so in the right spirit.

Upholding Authenticity: Challenges and Ethical Practices

Another issue raised during the course was the unethical practice of providing pre-filled report templates to students. This practice severely undermines the purpose of the AJ, as it robs students of the chance to reflect on their own learning and experiences. For the Adventurous Journey to fulfil its role in fostering independence and self-sufficiency, students must engage in authentic, hands-on experiences, free from shortcuts.

The TAP refresher course was an opportunity for providers themselves to reflect on these challenges and renew their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the AJ. Ensuring that students face real, unscripted challenges in the outdoors is crucial for their growth, both within the IAYP framework and beyond.

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All participants in the TAP refresher course took part in a simulated Adventurous Journey (AJ).

As part of the refresher course, all participants underwent a simulated Adventurous Journey themselves. They were required to fill out reports, which were then rigorously reviewed and, in many cases, rejected with detailed feedback on why they did not meet the standards. This exercise provided valuable insights into the level of expectation placed on students.

How InSOUL is Prepared to Deliver the IAYP Experience

At InSOUL, we share the IAYP’s belief that the outdoors are an unparalleled classroom. Our programs are designed to challenge students in ways that help them discover their strengths, push their limits, and prepare for life’s uncertainties. 

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Students exploring unfamiliar terrains together.

Our programs are meticulously designed to align with the IAYP’s Adventurous Journey objectives. Each trek has a defined purpose, focusing on self-sufficiency, and resilience-building. There is no room for excessive comforts or spoon-feeding. Our participants walk every step, carry their own gear, and pitch their own tents.

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Students on an IAYP programme trekking with their own backpacks.

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Students on an IAYP programme pitching their own tents.

We have never believed in diluting the outdoor experience. We rigorously prepare students through fitness and gear sessions long before the trek, ensuring they are mentally and physically ready. A practice journey is an essential part of our program, either completed beforehand or integrated into the start of the expedition. Every element of our treks, from the unfamiliar terrains to the real-life problem-solving, is designed to push students outside their comfort zones.

We’re aware that there are shortcuts such as cutting down on preparation, giving students prefabricated templates, or curating an overly comfortable experience. At InSOUL, we condemn these practices.

They not only go against the core values of the AJ but fail to deliver the transformative growth students deserve. Real-world challenges, effort-based journeys, and self-reflection are non-negotiable aspects of our treks, and this is what sets us apart.

The IAYP TAP refresher course reaffirms the need for providers to deliver authentic, ethically sound Adventurous Journeys. InSOUL is committed to ensuring that every student experiences the true essence of adventure—one that is difficult, immersive, and deeply rewarding.


Read more about how our programs are aligned with IAYP here

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Harshitha Polathula

Content Writer (InSOUL)

About the author

Harshitha curates content for the InSOUL team at Indiahikes.

Before joining Indiahikes, Harshitha worked as a project officer in EU-funded projects in the fields of Education and Social Innovation in Germany. As she worked in a start-up, her core work included everything from writing proposals to managing social impact events.

Harshitha grew up in a valley surrounded by hills and spent a lot of time hiking. This upbringing in the hills has shaped her as a human being. Over the years she has reflected on how spending time outdoors and especially trekking impacts the mind, body and spirit. She wants to share that joy with everyone through her work at Indiahikes. Interestingly, her journey with Indiahikes goes back a long time as she was initially a Green Trails intern in 2018 during her undergrad.

Outside of work, Harshitha loves exploring new cultures through cuisine. She also enjoys reading and baking with friends. Yet spending time outdoors and watching the sunset is her all-time favourite. As she said this, she recalled a line by Jhumpa Lahiri from her book 'Whereabouts' that, "sunset is an everyday miracle that most of us manage to miss."

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