Viristar was pleased to collaborate with the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) to present the workshop “Safety Culture and Risk Management: Empowering Your Outdoor Program Staff.”
This session was part of AORE’s Reaching New Heights series. This is a four-part professional development initiative designed to equip outdoor professionals with tools and strategies to elevate their work across key areas of outdoor programming.
Led by Annie Linhart, Program Manager at Viristar, this workshop focused on strengthening risk management practices by developing a robust safety culture among staff. Attendees explored how a well-supported and informed staff can help embed safety as a core organizational value, creating more effective programming.
Key topics included:
- What safety culture is and how it impacts risk management
- Practical steps to develop and sustain a healthy safety culture
- How to foster a supportive environment where staff can openly discuss safety issues without fear of judgment or reprisal
The session emphasized that cultivating a strong safety culture is not a one-time effort, but an ongoing process that requires leadership, consistency, and organizational buy-in. When staff feel empowered and supported, they are more likely to actively contribute to a proactive risk management environment.
The full workshop can be viewed online by logging into your AORE account at https://mms.aore.org/members/mlogin.php?org_id=AORE.
Viristar and AORE Partnership
Viristar collaborates with AORE to support outdoor safety in outdoor recreation and education. As part of this partnership, Viristar provides professionals with access to its 40-hour Risk Management for Outdoor Programs online training at a special discount. This course provides a comprehensive training on safety management for outdoor and experiential professionals.
AORE members can receive 20% off the course. To find the code to access this offer, please login to the AORE website at https://aore.org/viristar_partnership.php.
Additional Resources
For more information on safety culture and risk management, the textbook Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation, and Adventure provides essential knowledge.
Viristar also provides a wide range of consulting and educational services, which are described on the Viristar website.
