A summary**NOTE: 'LIGHT TOUCH' BURSARY PLACES AVAILABLE - PLEASE ENQUIRE IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED ASSISTANCE**
For lots of resources including videos, testimonials, pictures and FAQs, make sure you visit www.chrispacke.com.
Call to Adventure is an outdoor mentoring programme for a tribe of 11-13 year old boys.
It comprises 3 episodes between May and October: an energetic springtime weekend camp in the woods, a 3 day summer hiking expedition, and then welcoming in the darker autumn months back in the woods.
This is placed to especially meet boys in Year 8, but also for those ready in Year 7, at that stage for a thirst for adventure and a taste for independence really starts to arise.
The Call to Adventure is a classic mythological concept. The young protagonist reaches a point where something adventurous has been activated. He feels the need to travel away from the civilised village and the close protection it provides, into the wild lands and the unexpected challenges that they offer. Crazy antics ensue. A mentor is there to give the helping hand they need, in the moment and in the way that they best need it. For the protagonist, it’s not about being happy and safe, it’s about seeing what happens when they pull themselves from the comfort they have experienced so far, and it initiates the process of exploring what they are capable of, and what kind of person they want to be. The universe celebrates this kind of risk! It certainly worked for Katniss Everdeen, Luke Skywalker and Bilbo Baggins.
On the Call to Adventure, Chris Packe meets each young adventurer where they are at: providing support where it’s needed, and not offering the support when it’s not needed, allowing a meaningful experience to play out in the innately rich and challenging medium of hearty outdoor pursuits.
This isn’t School – far from it in fact – but we will inevitably learn lots of skills along the way, including bushcraft and survival skills, campcraft, navigation, foraging, nature awareness - but the beauty of getting out purposefully into nature is that it tends to offer up exactly the lesson a person needs at the time... but often does not expect.
This programme aims to support and inspire a young lad’s unfolding adventurous life. It is useful in and of itself, and it also provides an excellent foundation for the Wolf Pack programme for 13-15 year olds, which takes things to the next stage, befitting an intrepid young man. Get in touch with Chris to find out more, or find the listing here on Eequ.
THE 3 CAMPS in 2025 (7 days in total):
May 17-18 (Sat-Sun) – Woodland camp, Sussex: Establish the tribe, bushcraft, firecraft, expedition skills including navigation, night games
July 28-30 (Mon-Wed) - Expedition: An expedition to Dartmoor, to properly feel the wind in our faces and learn how to look after ourselves and our companions
October 11-12 (Sat-Sun) – Woodland camp, Sussex: More fun and games together, plus the challenge of the Overnight Solo
COST
- £695 (payable in one go or as £395 deposit and £300 balance by 31 March - let Chris know if you want to do it this way and he'll set it up)
- PARTIALLY FUNDED PLACES: If this programme appeals to you, but feels out of reach financially, then please do not turn away. I have a patron, the Spayne Lindsay Foundation, who supports my work, and we can have a conversation about how we might be able to help. Get in touch with me and we can talk about it
- What’s included: food (many hearty meals!), accommodation, mentoring, tuition, activities, materials, group equipment
- Not included: Personal kit and travel costs. For the summer expedition, an efficient option (and great fun) is to hire a minibus and drive the whole group. I would expect this to cost c.£70 per person. Note that this travel time is not included in the indicated times for this trip; we would be leaving early and arriving late on the indicated days, or you can meet us there at the 4pm start time
BOOKING PROCESS
1. Get in touch with Chris (use the 'Message Mentor' button - please make sure you leave your direct email and phone number)
2. Also check out the videos, references, testimonials, FAQs and other resources on www.chrispacke.com
3. Then it's time for a conversation between parent / guardian and Chris
4. After that, Chris meets / Zooms / speaks with the potential participant, to break the ice, and allow him to find out for himself from Chris what it's about so he can make his decision
5. Once all are happy, and the participant has decided for themselves that they want to join in, we can go ahead with the booking
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO
- This programme requires the commitment of each participant. In the bonded group we shall have, an amount of synergy is lost by an individual missing one event, and the whole group is affected, not just the absentee; each member carries a responsibility for the wider group. Participants will be able to meet or speak with Chris before committing, in order to be fully informed to make the decision
- A degree of physical fitness is required, and a mindset to take on the various challenges. Sometimes we will be carrying our equipment on consecutive days, often over rough terrain. By design, there is some struggle
- Similarly, this programme requires a degree of social / emotional skill, and an agreed willingness to engage in such challenges, as they come hand in hand with the physical endeavour. As with the physical aspects, it is fine (and normal) to struggle at times with social aspects, however for the benefit of the individual and the group, any participant must have the capability of functioning in a group situation, and be able to engage in the spirit of the programme
- Bookings on this event are subject to Chris Packe's Terms and Conditions, available to view during the booking process and at https://chrispacke.com/terms-conditions
- To find out more about Wolf Pack, the bigger brother programme to Call to Adventure, and a natural next step to progress to, visit www.chrispacke.com/programmes or search for the Wolf Pack listing on this Eequ site
Chris is licensed by AALA to provide adventurous hiking activities.
OTHER THINGS I OFFER
These are the other programmes and events I run, which can all be found here on eequ:
Adventurous programmes for teenagers and nearly-teenagers:
Wolf Pack for Girls (aged 13-16 / Year 9 - 11)
Wolf Pack for Boys (aged 13-16 / Year 9 - 11)
Wolf Pack All-Stars (5-day mountain expedition for Wolf Pack graduates)
Lively woodland camps:
Feral Fathers (dads and sons, or dads and daughters, or dads and both)
Woodland archery:
5-hour immersive sessions for private groups on request
"Can I trust you?"A number of people who join my programmes, courses and events already know me personally, or have had a previous experience with me, such as a Feral Fathers weekend or archery day, or know me by reputation.
An equal number have come across me for the first time, so I start out little more than a stranger. For many parents in this position, I fully appreciate that it can be a big deal for their child to join a multi-night course.
To address this directly, I'm setting out a few layers through which a connection and trust tends to get built ahead of an experience.
1. Background checks & qualifications
I, and all my adult staff, have the necessary Enhanced DBS checks in place, and we always have an appropriate number of staff with suitable first aid qualifications - this is a minimum.
Given the hiking / expeditionary aspect to some of my courses, my activities must be licensed by AALA (the Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority, a government body). This involves a very exacting inspection and approval of my qualifications, operating procedures and policies - which means I am held to a very high standard on an ongoing basis, on ALL of my activities.
As a qualified Mountain Leader, as well as the technical expertise, it means I have also been assessed and approved through a rigorous process on group management and welfare.
2. Direct contact
I never take 'blind' bookings on multi-day events.
It always begins with a conversation / meeting with the parent/s, to build a direct relationship and address any areas of interest or concern.
For my year programmes like Wolf Pack and Call to Adventure, I always meet or Zoom with the child involved, so they can get a accurate picture of what the experience involves, as well as getting to know me, so that they can decide for themselves whether they wish to join.
For one-off multi-day events, as well as the initial contact, group Zoom calls can also be arranged, where parents and children interested in the event can get a similar level of clarity and comfort.
Some families prefer to meet me, check me out properly, and also have an awesome time at my woodland archery range. So it is possible to have a form of 'taster' day, if an appropriate group can be assembled.
3. References from previous parents
Over the years I have had hundreds of children in my care, and therefore a lot of parents who have an opinion of me.
I have put together a pack of references from a group of parents who have booked their children on programmes I have run, which can be found on my website at https://chrispacke.com/programmes/
Furthermore, parents can go on to contact these referees directly if they wish.
The hope is that this third party view can give a solid layer of comfort to those who desire it.
I am very open to any other ways that I can address the matter of building trust ahead of booking an event, do get in touch if you need.
