All Forward Adventures

My name is Shane Shooter Nelson. I am the founder and owner of All Forward Adventures PLLC.
I am a licensed School Psychologist EdS, 10th Grade Humanities Teacher at Animas High School and former Film/Television Producer.
I have spent the last 20 years working in Youth Empowerment in Compton & South Central, 3rd world countries, and here in Durango Colorado.
The one thing that stands alone in helping children step out of the darkness and begin to dare and reach for their potential, is giving them the opportunity to see just how powerful and special they are. The one place that does that at a level that demands those outcomes...The Wilderness. 
Veterans with combat-related challenges, people in recovery from trauma, substance abuse and "At-Risk" adolescents all have felt the power of this experience.
Together with The San Juan Resource Conservation and Development Center (SJRCDC), a certified 501C-3 Non-Profit, we are stepping up to face head-on, one of the most critical and confusing conditions of our culture. 

It's time for us all to stand up and step into the Adventure.
 
We are facing a Community Crisis.
Adolescent Suicide, Depression, Bullying, Substance Abuse and School Violence has entrenched itself into the core of our community.
We have a solution. 
The answer can be found in our Character.
Our character as a community, as adults, as parents, as educators and ultimately, in ourselves. 

Suicide and Violence are rarely spontaneous events. They are the end results of struggles that often go unnoticed and untreated. Depression, isolation, substance use, self-harm and violence, are the undeveloped coping mechanisms and responses to a lack of Resiliency, Self Worth, and Quality Support in our youth.

All Forward Adventures is committed to addressing these issues head-on. 

We have begun implementing a 5 step process to ensure that adolescents in our community do not become yet another tale of tragedy, leaving those who care, wondering what they could have done. 

All funds raised will go directly to serving our children.

STEP 1: Identification
It is essential that those who are suffering, are recognized and compassionately cared for. "At-Risk" Screeners, Counselor Referrals, informational sessions and other models will be utilized to ensure these students will not go unserved. 

STEP 2: Character Development Intervention
Teen workshops /support groups, Community Engagement, Service Projects and other methods, coupled with effective implementation of our Character Development Curriculum

STEP 3: Wilderness Rites of Passage/Expeditions
Our program culminates with those who have participated, earning the opportunity to embark on an epic adventure designed to empower and reward them for their good works. Students will set out into the wild, delving deeper into themselves. The journey is crafted in a way to find the potential they have that awaits inside, waiting to be unleashed, in a way only the wilderness can provide.
In the end, each individual will possess the skills, tools and inner drive to not only help themselves, but become a resource for others as well. 

STEP 4: Measurement and Outcome Analysis
DATA collection/analysis of; Effectiveness, Weaknesses & Outcomes.
Using proven scientific measurement models, all phases of the program will be evaluated for effectiveness and quality.

STEP 5: Adaptation & Improvement
Identifying areas of strength and weakness in the program will allow for the enhancement and improvement of each phase of the process.


How do I know it works...?
It happened to me. It was one adult, a week in the woods and a lesson about myself I never forgot. It is now my duty and responsibility to help move us All Forward.