Challenges Canada

The Challenge by Design: Michael Richardson

We are surrounded by technology that makes things easier, faster, and more convenient for us. So why do so many of us turn to nature to do something hard – run a marathon, climb a peak, paddle and portage many kilometres – just for the sake of doing it? 

Put shortly, it feels good to complete something hard. But in exploring the long story more deeply, our team turned to Michael Richardson, the founder of Challenges Canada.

Challenges by design: Challenges Canada 

Through Challenges Canada, Michael uses his expertise in outdoor education, environmental science, recreation, and risk management to help organizations design and deliver high-quality outdoor programs.  He embraces the philosophy that taking risks and doing difficult things builds resilience and character. His work is grounded in the idea that meaningful challenge, when designed and managed well, can help people grow personally and professionally. 

“The outdoor experiences we have, whether we’re rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, whatever it might be – those are just vehicles for growth and change. What matters is what happens through that experience. People are moving, thinking, making decisions, reading the environment, working with others, and often learning something about themselves at the same time.” 

What matters is what happens through the outdoor experience…people are often learning something about themselves.

While we may credit connection to nature to the mental health benefits, or the well-known positive effects of physical activity, Michael points to a lesser discussed aspect to why we find outdoor activity so fulfilling. 

“In outdoor recreation and adventure-based programming, we are always working with the relationship between perceived risk and real risk. The goal is not to remove every sense of challenge. The goal is to manage the real risk properly so participants can engage with uncertainty, problem-solving, and meaningful challenge in a way that supports growth rather than harm.” 

The goal is not to remove every sense of a challenge…it’s to manage the real risk…in a way that supports growth.

Risk by design

Risk is not just a part of an outdoor activity. A level of risk is fundamental to an experience being rewarding. The exposure to risk, whether perceived or real, becomes the foundation of satisfaction and growth people experience through overcoming a fear. It’s about taking someone who says, I can’t do this, to showing them they can. And when they succeed, they know they can apply that same framework to other challenges they face in their life. 

So if we can agree perceived risk shouldn’t be eliminated from outdoor activities, the conversation shifts to managing real risk. Then, a challenging activity stays that: a challenge that a person can overcome.

People grow from taking risks and facing challenging situations

And that’s the nuance. Michael reiterated that there aren’t excuses for many accidents that happen during outdoor activities because with proper risk management policies, procedures and training, the real risk exposure can be reduced to an acceptable level. That ensures that people grow from taking risks and facing challenging situations. 

“From a Challenges Canada perspective, outdoor activities always involve some inherent risk. The work is to manage the real risk well, while preserving the challenge that makes the experience meaningful. Done properly, outdoor programs can build resilience, confidence, sound judgment, and care for others and the natural world.” 

While Challenges Canada originally started by offering outdoor workshops and nature-based programs rooted in authentic challenge, Michael noticed that across Canada, there were already strong organizations delivering this type of work. Over time, Challenges Canada shifted toward helping those organizations strengthen what they were already doing through better program design, clearer policies and procedures, stronger risk management, and a deeper understanding of the outdoor environments where these programs take place. 

“A big part of what we do is help organizations strengthen the outdoor programs they already offer. Sometimes that means writing policies and procedures, but it also includes training, supporting administrators and organizational leaders, and helping front-line staff build capacity so their programs are safer, stronger, and more aligned with industry standards.” 

That’s a big part of what Challenges Canada does…help building capacity in front-line staff so their programs are softer, stronger, and more aligned with industry standards.

Why are standards and risk management more important than ever? 

As we’re seeing parks fill up each year and more people take on bigger and more difficult outdoor pursuits, Michael points out that professionalism and training is taking a downturn. 

“The gap is widening. More people are participating in outdoor activities and taking on bigger objectives, but the investment in leadership, training, and professional standards is not always keeping pace. At the same time, many post-secondary outdoor and recreation programs are disappearing, even though the need for skilled front-line workers in outdoor recreation and tourism is increasing.” 

After decades working as an instructor, teacher, trainer, and outdoor program designer, Michael sees a clear need to strengthen the professional pathway for people working in outdoor recreation. That includes supporting organizations, administrators, and front-line staff with the training, standards, and practical tools they need to deliver safe, meaningful, high-quality programs. 

“There’s a real opportunity to create better pathways for people who are passionate about this work. A lot of people see outdoor recreation as seasonal or temporary, but with the right training, standards, and support, it can become real employment and, for some people, a meaningful long-term career.”

Benefits come from thoughtful program design

To Michael’s point, outdoor activities benefit people in many ways, but those benefits do not come simply from being outside. They come from thoughtful program design, skilled leadership, environmental understanding, and strong risk management. The fulfillment of the challenge must be met with a well-designed program that also ensures success can be achieved. That’s the value of well-delivered programs and the important work Challenges Canada does. 

What is the OCC doing regarding Standards and workforce development? 

This is also where the work of the Outdoor Council of Canada becomes important. As the sector continues to grow, standards, training, and professional recognition will play a key role in supporting both organizations and outdoor professionals. The OCC is actively working to increase understanding, recognition and awareness of standards that do exist in our industry. Recently, we’ve workshopped a recent edition of the National Occupational Standards for Outdoor Guides across Canada. Learn more!