I just found out about this forum from a friend who found some real problems at Turnabout, a program now owned by Aspen, I believe. I was encouraged to seek employment at Aspen Achievement Academy (wilderness) by a friend in Jan 2001. I took a training there for 1 week. I felt like most of the people there were sincere and idealistic. But I didn't feel comfortable with a huge corporation being my employer. Lots of the locals (my relatives) are uncomfortable with the Aspen presence in their community.
I liked the idealistic feeling of concern at the Academy, and their emphasis on processing of emotions and constant feedback was appealing to me. On the other hand, this same concern and feedback seeking seemed like it could become controlling, and the training seemed at times to be based on the acceptance of a philosophy that I could not buy into based on faith, in a dogma of development that seemed to me geared towards loss of individuality to the group. Such a philosophy seemed appealing both to leftists there and those of a right-wing corporate mentality. I think greater individuality is often needed to make strong communities and give strength against peer pressure.
So I sought employment at a locally-owned family company that had just opened called Skyline Journey. Philosophically it seemed more in line (based on literature, internet, and phone discussion) with principles of freedom and individuality. Probably so on paper. I worked for two months (four shifts) and decided the place was unsafe for both students and staff. I'm sure that the people involved were nice in their own right (some of them) but the unchecked power went to other's heads. Standards changed from week to week, there was inadequate training, little feedback or accountability. I was put out as head staff with no training my first week and faced some very vicious competition from younger staff who felt more qualified. I was undermined by them and the office. My allies in the office who sought some consistency with field standards were fired shortly after vI quit. Of course, the program was shut down sometime later due to a death. Perhaps they should have been shut down sooner by my whistleblowing. I was such an emotional wreck after the experience, however, that I did not trust anyone fully and to try to write down my experiences would bring me to a shutdown.
My final week I was told that two kids had been taken down. A staff just lost a finger to a falling rock, some of us suspected it was during forbidden rock climbing. I requested defensive training, and was told not to fear because a new head staff was coming in, trained at Aspen. They pulled him after a few days, however. Some of the boys hated a new student, got him in trouble with the other staff. The students were going to keep him from eating, but I physically removed one of the student's legs from on top of the food bin to get him his food. I was then accused of being abusive. The company guru backed the kids. I spent an uneasy night in the woods with hoods who had given me some veiled threats. that was my last night.
I next went to another locally-owned company, Walkabout. They also had a "hands-off", anti-behavior modification philosophy which i liked, they didn't seem to impose thought systems on the youth, respected freedom. yet they seemed more mature in leadership than Skyline Journey. I had my misgivings, didn't always agree with every company decision, but worked on and off there for several years. They like me there because I try to follow health and safety procedures but do so without a lot of power play. I'm still learning, and I don't do everything right. But judging by the respect I have received from students and staff, I don't think I've been so bad. The company has grown and learned. I believe that most of the company leaders I've worked with are sincere, dedicated, and idealistic- they want to help kids. They've been open to feedback (from me, at least). There have been errors made, but also willingness to change. The culture does not permit the authoritarianism and extreme "consequencing" seen at some companies- rather, there is a tendency in some of the younger staff to not impose enough structure for fear of offending kids. But some structure and rules are required for safety purposes, and I try to bring that in always. I've seen what I regard as some real positive changes in people- not just behaviorally, but in inward attitude.
Some of the stereotyping I've seen here about companies, ideology, Mormon religion, gender problems, etc., takes us away from the real truth about what's happening out there. The scarey power game-players out there are both Mormon and non-Mormon, male amd female. Dialogue forums like this, if they allow all to express their point of view, hopefully open up the process of positive change for everyone's benefit.
Walkabout (now Outback) was to my dismay bought out by Aspen, but Aspen may have a lot of good things it can bring in if the professionals in Loa are any example. I don't like to see this corporate, monopolistic concentration, though. Outback's "agentive" or "choicing" philosophy may indeed spread through Aspen affiliates.
Let's break another stereotype about Mormons. Both Outback and Anasazi and Skyline Journey for that matter had Mormons involved in leadership from the beginning, yet opposed behavior modification and thought control. SJ had no consistency with its philosophy, but Anasazi arguably offers too little discipline, structure, or supervision. Outback has struggled to find a reconciliation with these and freedom, and due to sincere efforts, I believe, is approaching that ideal.
