The Team

Philip is passionate about the potential that professional adventure therapy can offer individuals with a range of complex needs. Philip learned early on in his career that an emphasis on the quality of design and delivery of specialised programmes yields the best results for the client. He saw this directly through his practice as a personal trainer, and his interest in health and physical activity led him to embark on an Outdoor Instructor Traineeship where he gained a range of instructor qualifications on both land and sea. He quickly appreciated the power and respect commanded by nature, especially the sea, and the adrenaline that comes with adventure pursuits. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for the outdoors, he embarked on a B.A. (Hons) in Adventure Tourism Management at IT Tralee. His final year dissertation was a unique primary research project titled, "The Use of Adventure Therapy with At-Risk Teens". This was the first time that primary research was conducted in a secure residential setting in the Republic of Ireland. Philip secured a place on a Research Masters programme in IT Tralee which enabled him to carry out a review of the cooperative and competitive nature of the adventure tourism industry in the region. His thesis, "Enhancing the Irish Adventure Tourism Product Through Networking" was completed in 2015. Despite a strong leaning towards management, Philip continued to work at the coal-face of social care in a specialised setting. He has been a Social Care Worker in Coovagh House since 2009. Coovagh House is a special care unit for young people at-risk, and Philip saw first-hand the benefits that outdoor and adventure activities can bring to young people in this setting. With 8 years’ experience in this high-risk setting, and following the results and recommendations of a number of peer-reviewed papers on adventure therapy, Philip decided to continue with his education and train to become a Social Worker. He completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Applied Social Studies in Trinity College, Dublin and immediately secured a place on the Master of Social Work (MSW) programme in University College, Cork. His two professional placements on the MSW were in child protection and mental health. These placements provided a unique insight into current practice and allowed him to work with a range of individuals, families and professional teams. He wrote his final year dissertation around the potential for adventure therapy in the Irish mental health system, "Adventure Therapy as an Intervention in the Context of Mental Health Recovery in a Structured Social Work Setting.” Philip qualified in 2017 and is now fully registered with CORU and Nagalro and is currently practicing as an Independent Social Worker and Adventure Therapist.

Jasmin has a keen interest in experiential learning, adult education and programme design. She has worked for over 10 years in the area of adult literacy and basic education, working with adults to gain and improve key skills towards achieving their personal and professional goals. The one-to-one and low ratio of participant to tutor in this area is also key, and the need to discuss, plan and set out objectives with the individual is an approach that is mirrored in the New Wave Adventure Therapy method. Jasmin completed a B.A. (Hons) in English and Philosophy from NUI Galway and worked as an English Language (TEFL) Tutor for a time before starting the Postgraduate Diploma in Adult and Community Education in Mary Immaculate College (UL), Limerick. This course, combined with some volunteer literacy tuition at the time led to some opportunities in the literacy services. Jasmin has worked in the Education and Training Board (ETB) adult literacy services since 2003. She has worked as a tutor with a range of groups, delivering skills training on core literacy and numeracy, personal and career development, IT skills, and employability programmes. Jasmin is passionate about tailoring the learning experience to the needs and interests of each participant group and she has designed each programme she has delivered in this way. She has also been Co-ordinator of a number of programmes as well as Literacy Organiser, managing all aspects of the running of a busy adult literacy service, for 18 months. The importance of developing and incorporating effective learning and development tools is also seen in Jasmin’s work. The world around us provides the best examples and opportunities for learning and Jasmin’s work is underpinned by the aim of making learning experiences real and realistic. In addition, she has worked with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), both as a Distance Learning Service tutor and as an Author for some of their online educational content, developing literacy and numeracy lessons around QQI levels 1-3 online. Jasmin also studied at Trinity College, Dublin for a Master in Education, specialising in Aggression Studies. This course involved key aspects of child psychology and development around bullying and aggressive behaviours. Jasmin is involved in the operational running of New Wave Adventure Therapy and she is using her knowledge and expertise to develop and structure the unique programmes of intervention on offer.