Although there are no state controlled survival courses in Britain or the United States, there are various independent organizations offering similar activities. Students can participate ( take part ) in outdoor training courses through university clubs and societies . Anyone can register (  ) with such groups , which then organize courses ,training and trips for all members . One of the most popular outdoor training programmes in both the US and Britain , is Outward Bound (  ) . It was founded in 1941 in Wales and attracts hundreds of thousands of adventurous types every year . The courses are to broaden minds through experiences that build confidence , self-esteem (  ) and character . As well as specialist courses such as canoeing , leadership skills and sailing , participants can take part in week long adventure training camps which include a host of sports and survival training education skills . Michael Williams , an American student , took part in an Outward Bound course last year . He said : "We learned lots of first aid skills , lots of natural history , lots of environmental facts , and participated in a wildlife preservation ( protecting ) programme . Beyond that , my favorite skills learned were sailing and rock climbing ." Courses can last up to 40 days and are open to anyone over the age of 14 . Students must be in general good health , but do not need to be experienced in outdoor-sports . There is no selection process ; everyone is welcome , although new participants are advised to pick a course matching their physical power . Most of the British courses take place in the Beacons in Wales . Another similar organization is the UK Survival School , which includes courses on learning to live with the environment , sailing and winter survival . On a basic survival weekend students will learn how to get water and food , how to make fire and cook with it , to find and build a shelter , control survival life support , how to cross rivers , send off an SOS signal , and to use compasses by day and night . According to the leaders , such adventures are "an awakening , an exploration into unknown." Outward Bound believes that participants will "use mind and body traveling some of the earth's roughest wildness areas ." In the Outward Bound course last year , the most exciting experience Michael Williams had was   _  .
learning first aid skills collecting facts of environment preserving wildlife rock climbing and sailing