"Quality of life, aren't we always searching for that?": How women can achieve enhanced quality of life through participation in outdoor adventure recreation.

Abstract

Goals related to improving quality of life (QOL) have been implied in leisure service provision for many years. In order to more explicitly realise these goals, it is important that policy makers, practitioners, and researchers understand and document QOL outcomes and how they are achieved. Since 1998, Real Adventure Women (RAW) has provided women in Brisbane, Australia, with an opportunity to try outdoor activities in non-competitive and supportive environments. This paper reports findings from in-depth interviews conducted with 20 women between 2001 and 2002. Results indicate that participation in RAW enhanced QOL by providing: a sense of balance, access to new opportunities, a sense of belonging, and improved self-perception. This knowledge offers a useful context for the development of leisure programs and the monitoring of changes in the quality of participants' lives.