The MOC experience

Experience of a lifetime

The OBS experience, grounded in the Outward Bound philosophy, challenges students physically and mentally through outdoor team-based activities and expeditions across Singapore's natural landscapes. 

The 5-day residential course is designed to push students out of their comfort zones and promote personal growth, resilience, and teamwork. Students also gain a deeper appreciation of the environment and civic issues. 

Under the guidance of our OBS instructors, the activities are conducted safely to encourage students to support one another and overcome challenges together, with the aim to instil civic-mindedness, empathy and social responsibility.

Programme footprint

What participants can expect

Activities

Course objectives and expectation setting

Preparation for the programme focuses on setting expectations and mindset. OBS instructors begin by explaining the Course objectives, Learning outcomes and Course requirements.

Students are encouraged to express their aspirations, expectations, and concerns, fostering a two-way relationship that is essential for the programme’s success.

Teambuilding activities

Teambuilding activities play a crucial role in helping students build trust within their group or ‘watch’ as referred in OBS. Through a series of collaborative tasks, students work together to strengthen their teamwork. 

Following these activities, a debrief session allows them to reflect on their watch dynamics and recognize each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The watch will then establish their own ground rules that will guide them to achieve their shared goals.

Morning circle and journaling

The bedrock of any Outward Bound Course- Reflections! Students are taught using David Kolb’s Experiential Learning model defined as learning through reflections by doing. 

Journaling and personal reflection are essential tools to help students internalise and process their learning after each activity conducted by OBS instructors. 

Through journalling and open sharing, students gain insights from their own experiences as well as from their watchmates’. This process encourages them to grow together and discover more effective ways to work as a team — to strive, to serve, and not to yield in the face of challenges.

Land and water-based expeditions

The pinnacle of any Outward Bound course is the expeditionary challenge where every student participates in at least one expedition, either land or water-based. 

• Water-based expeditions may involve kayaking, rowing, or sailing, requiring collaboration with other teams. 

• Land expeditions require students to trek through Singapore’s diverse outdoor environments—from the rustic terrain of Pulau Ubin to the mixed urban-nature landscape of the mainland. 

We recognised that learning in an outdoor environment can be daunting to some, so students are taught skills progressively through a step-by-step process before embarking on any activities. Before embarking on expeditions, students will learn essential skills such as map reading, compass use, and team-based decision making.

Learning outcomes

Resilience & confident person

Able to deal with challenges positively through self-directed learning and make the right choices to influence their circumstances

Concerned citizen

Committed to play an active role in the improvement of the community and environment

Social cohesion

Build friendships with peers from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds to achieve team goals in an inclusive manner

Photos from MOC programme

An instructor monitoring the mainland trek expedition closely from behind.

A student climbing a Rock Wall in Camp 2, Pulau Ubin.

Navigation lesson before trekking expedition.

A safety boat berth next to a Cutter during sea expedition.