Land-Based, Outdoor & Residential Programs
Last updated: March 2026
1. Educational Nature of Programs
East Coast Village programs are offered for educational, instructional, cultural, and community-learning purposes. Programs may include experiential, embodied, reflective, and land?based learning components.
Programs are not recreational services, amusement activities, or fitness facilities, and are not substitutes for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic treatment.
2. Voluntary Participation
Participation is voluntary and self-directed.
You are free to choose your level of involvement in activities and are encouraged to honor your own boundaries, limits, and needs.
3. Assumption of Inherent Risks (Land-Based & Outdoor)
You acknowledge that participation may involve inherent risks, including but not limited to:
- Uneven, natural, or rural terrain
- Outdoor and weather?dependent environments
- Campfires, outdoor cooking, and use of basic tools
- Shared community living during residential programs
- Physical movement, standing, walking, sitting, or carrying items
- Emotional or psychological experiences arising from group or reflective activities
- Interaction with wildlife, insects, plants, or natural elements
- Limited access to immediate medical services in rural settings
You understand that these risks are inherent to land-based and outdoor learning environments and cannot be eliminated without fundamentally changing the nature of the program.
4. Participant Responsibility
You are responsible for:
- Assessing your readiness for participation
- Communicating personal needs, health concerns, or limitations
- Using reasonable care for personal safety and well?being
- Following community guidelines and facilitator instructions
East Coast Village does not provide medical care. You are encouraged to consult your healthcare provider as needed.
5. New York-Compliant Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by New York law:
- East Coast Village is not responsible for injuries, losses, or damages arising from inherent risks of voluntary participation in educational, land?based, or outdoor programs.
- Nothing in this agreement waives rights that cannot be waived under New York law, including rights related to gross negligence or willful misconduct.
- This agreement is intended to support New York’s doctrines of primary assumption of risk and voluntary participation in instructional activities, and is not intended to conflict with New York General Obligations Law § 5-326.
6. Residential Program Considerations
For overnight or multi?day programs, you acknowledge that:
- Community living involves shared responsibilities and varying conditions
- Comfort levels may differ from conventional lodging
- Personal belongings remain your responsibility
7. Media & Recording Consent
Unless you notify East Coast Village in writing prior to the start of the program, you grant permission for photographs, audio recordings, video recordings, and written works created during the program to be used for lawful purposes, including education, documentation, and promotion.
No compensation is provided, and you waive approval rights.
8. Parent / Guardian Consent for Minors
If the participant is under 18, a parent or legal guardian must consent and authorize participation. Guardian consent includes acknowledgment of inherent risks, financial responsibility, and medical authorization, as permitted under New York law.
9. Governing Law
This Participant Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of New York.
10. Acceptance & Electronic Agreement
By registering or participating, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and voluntarily agreed to this Participant Agreement.