I received a message the other day and it made me smile from ear to ear!

Yes we do still get out on the water, not much in the winter though: too cold for the kids. We have clocked up plenty of hours since you taught us the basics. We have paddled north and south of Ireland, we paddled with Fungi the dolphin in Dingle bay the other year. We have taken our boats to France to paddle the Dordogne, the Ardeche and the Lot. To the lake district in England a couple of times. To Sweden to paddle Dalsland lakes. To Norway to paddle the fjords (with whales). Last year we were in Scotland paddling Lomond, Glen Affric and many others. Hopefully taking a ferry to Denmark this summer and spend some time paddling in Sweden again. We love to wild camp but you have to get away from here to get a bit of ‘wild’.

I guess you should feel a sense of pride that sharing your talents has brought many years of fun and satisfaction to our wee family. (wee in stature not wee in number: we have 4 kids now)

I will have to send you some photos of some of our trips. I will also send you some photos of our tree climbing.

Regards,

Ben

I had taken Ben and his wife Heather for some canoe lessons about 6 years ago – they wanted to learn some skills so they could take their kids canoeing.

I smiled about all the adventures they have enjoyed since and can think fondly of the places they have mentioned.  I have canoed on some of the rivers and lakes mentioned and others are still on my to do. 

I smiled even more when Ben mentioned the sense of pride I must feel knowing that I have brought many years of fun and satisfaction to Ben and his “wee family”.

Ben is right, I do feel proud and I am still smiling some 24 hours after reading this. 

I often talk about the positive impact I make on people through the activities I deliver.  I know this when I meet people on the street and they still remember my name and eagerly start recounting their adventures with me.  I know it when I receive emails like the one from Ben.  And I know it from how long it takes to say goodbye at the end of an adventure. especially when it is goodbye until the next time.

Yes, I love Adventure but I love seeing people challenging themselves, pushing the limits of their comfort zones, experiencing new activities, learning and having fun!  There is so much more to Adventure than meets the eye!

Hears to 2012 and many more positive experiences!

Stephen

Games that Teach is a practical workshop for teachers, youth workers, summer scheme leaders, outdoor pursuits instructors, community leaders and anyone else interested in the positive development of People.

What’s the Games that Teach Workshop all about?

You will participate in a range of activities and games that will reinforce:

• Problem solving
• Communication Skills
• Community Awareness
• Conflict Resolution
• Critical Thinking
• Responsibility
• Respect

What will I learn on the Games that Teach Workshop?

• How to modify games and activities so suit desired learning outcomes
• Linking games and activities through a progressive development process
• Games without resources
• Open space games versus closed space games

Participants will also receive:

• A resource pack which includes briefs for the games, activity plans and another 20 games
• Certificate of completion

Who will be leading the Games that Teach Workshop?

With over 15 years experience Stephen Brown has developed and delivered adventure based personal and social development courses with marginalised young people and community groups, team building events for small businesses and large businesses alike, activity days for families, groups of friends, schools and youth organisations.

For more details on Stephen and his work:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamBuildingAdventure
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/AdventureTeam
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/theadventureteam
• Flickr: www.flickr.com/theadventureteam

When is the Games that Teach Workshop?

There are two Games for Fun Workshops in February:

• Course 1 – Wednesday 22nd and Wednesday 29th February 2012, 6.00pm – 9.00pm
• Course 2 – Saturday 25th February 2012, 10.00am – 4.00pm

How much does the Games that Teach Workshop cost:

£125 per person and bring a friend or colleague for £100

Community Groups, Schools and Voluntary Organisations are entitled to a 50% discount

All prices are subject to VAT and the total amount is payable at the time of booking

How do I book my place on the Games that Teach Workshop?

Just give us a call on 0845 5213145 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

You can also book Stephen to deliver this workshop for your organisation – just ask!

Other workshops include:

• Games for Developing Teams
• Chaos – The 30 minute energiser
• Reviewing skills for beginners
• Reviewing skills for business
• Plan it, do it, review it – refining the reviewing process

Where is the Games that Teach Workshop?

The Adventure Team, CEAL, 8 Meadowbank Road, Carrickfergus, BT38 8YF

What people say:

"Five star!! really enjoyed the activities bringing out our competitive nature and also that of team work and strategy planning! Brilliant facilitators and great way with the guys who deliver the training. Very well done i know its not the last you will see of me! You helped me build relationships within the NICE group and I know those relationships are now based on our level of trust and co-operation.. keep up the great work! Thanks to you all.”

"From the initial set up right through to the delivery Stephen and his Adventure Team provided a first class service. Stephen, via his calm, self assured and professional style of delivery created an atmosphere that enabled our groups to feel safe and challenged. All the activities provided were delivered in a professional, fun and creative manner. The group, whether participating in an icebreaker or games session right through to the more challenging outdoor activities were at all times in very safe and knowledgeable hands. Stephen and his team ensure that the young people are supported to feel safe both emotionally and physically.”

The Games for Fun Workshop is a practical opportunity for teachers, youth workers, summer scheme leaders, outdoor pursuits instructors, community leaders and anyone else interested in the positive development of Young People.

What’s the Games for Fun Workshop all about?

“A teacher put a dot of chalk on a blackboard and asked a classroom of 15 and 16 year olds to say what they saw.  They responded with the obvious – a chalk dot.  She pointed out to them that she asked the same question of a group of 5 and 6 year olds the day before and elicited responses such as a squashed bug, the top of a telephone pole, an owl’s eye and the like.”

• Did you know that 96% of 4 year olds believe that they can become anything they want to?
• Did you know that by the time these 4 year olds are 18 only 4% of them will hold this belief?
• Did you know that 100% of 5 year olds are driven by their imagination?
• Did you know that only 10% of 7 year olds are driven by their imagination?
• And does it scare you to know that only 2% of 20 year olds are driven by their imagination?

Young children love playing games, inventing “things”, building, drawing and creating. They are brilliant at solving problems. They are not afraid to take risks! And most of all, they having an amazing desire to succeed!

Yet as children grow older these natural skills diminish and with that so do their aspirations and dreams!

This workshop is designed to provide you with a whole new arsenal of games and energisers to help you succeed in your effort developing Young People.

You will look at the process of delivering games with purpose, games for “fun-full-stop”, high and low energy games, games for pairs and games for very large groups. You will take part in as many as 30 different games as part of this workshop.

What will I learn on the Games for Fun Workshop?

• Lots of new games and variations of more familiar games
• How to modify games to suit the needs of the group
• Games for 2 – 200 people
• Linking games through a progressive development process
• Games without resources
• Open space games versus closed space games

Participants will also receive:

• A resource pack which includes briefs for the games, activity plans and another 20 games
• Certificate of completion

Who will be leading the Games for Fun Workshop?

With over 15 years experience Stephen Brown has developed and delivered adventure based personal and social development courses with marginalised young people and community groups, team building events for small businesses and large businesses alike, activity days for families, groups of friends, schools and youth organisations.

• For more details on Stephen and his work:
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamBuildingAdventure
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/AdventureTeam
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/theadventureteam
• Flickr: www.flickr.com/theadventureteam

When is the Games for Fun Workshop?

There are two Games for Fun Workshops in February:

• Course 1 – Wednesday 8th and Wednesday 15th February 2012, 6.00pm – 9.00pm
• Course 2 – Saturday 18th February 2012, 10.00am – 4.00pm

Where is the Games for Fun Workshop?

The Adventure Team, CEAL, 8 Meadowbank Road, Carrickfergus, BT38 8YF

How much does the Games for Fun Workshop cost:

£125 per person and bring a friend or colleague for £100

Community Groups, Schools and Voluntary Organisations are entitled to a 50% discount

All prices are subject to VAT and the total amount is payable at the time of booking

How do I book my place on the Games for Fun Workshop?

Just give us a call on 0845 5213145 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

You can also book Stephen to deliver this workshop for your organisation – just ask!

Other workshops include:

• Games for Developing Teams
• Chaos – The 30 minute energiser
• Reviewing skills for beginners
• Reviewing skills for business
• Plan it, do it, review it – refining the reviewing process

What people say:

"Five star!! really enjoyed the activities bringing out our competitive nature and also that of team work and strategy planning! Brilliant facilitators and great way with the guys who deliver the training. Very well done i know its not the last you will see of me! You helped me build relationships within the NICE group and I know those relationships are now based on our level of trust and co-operation.. keep up the great work! Thanks to you all.”

"From the initial set up right through to the delivery Stephen and his Adventure Team provided a first class service. Stephen, via his calm, self assured and professional style of delivery created an atmosphere that enabled our groups to feel safe and challenged. All the activities provided were delivered in a professional, fun and creative manner. The group, whether participating in an icebreaker or games session right through to the more challenging outdoor activities were at all times in very safe and knowledgeable hands. Stephen and his team ensure that the young people are supported to feel safe both emotionally and physically.”

A little insight to working as part of The Adventure Team from David Thompson.  David’s role is primarily as the Business Development Assistant, he gets involved will all aspects of the business though!  Read on to find out how David got on with his first residential.

I do specifically remember reading a Facebook status on the Adventure Team Facebook over the summer, which said, “Making an impact on the lives of 255 young people today. How cool is that?” I will admit that I found it quite cheesy at first. Being the business development assistant and office manager, I tended to be sending the emails, making the phone calls, and sorting the other ins and outs of an office, which meant that I could not fully appreciate the value of the status.

However if I have to tell a customer about the activities which we offer, then the best thing is to experience them first hand and then describe my experience to them. The one area I did struggle about was with young adult residentials.

The young adult residential I had taken was with Tyrone Donegal Partnership. I found it a bit daunting at first since I had only previously helped out with kids before and not people around my own age group. I watched Stephen at work and how he took control of the various personalities in the group. To be fair I probably wasn’t that much help on the day. But I did notice the amount of respect he earned from a group of young adults which is definitely a lot harder to gain than that of a group of young children.

With a few more Tyrone Donegal residentials forthcoming, it was my call of duty. I was nervous at the prospect but it was Stephen’s confidence that I could do the job and take control which inspired me as well as the fact he was just as nervous about leaving me unattended like a parent dropping their child off on the first day of school. However the second he left, I felt that I was in control. Adventure Team motto in my head, it was quite literally a case of “Hold your breath and jump!”

I tried a few energisers and then a few team games which got the groups really competitive. By the time Donal had arrived to help me, he ended up taking a back seat until I had finished my last game. Which was every bit as much as a compliment as him actually saying anything. They say you can decide within 7 seconds if you like somebody. So that was the only thing on my mind. If I had to win over the group, I had to do it instantly! However I wasn’t entirely sure if I had.

In the mid afternoon, I was taking archery and I noticed the group were dependent on me to help them load the bow, what way to stand, where to aim and when to let go. With that dependency on me, I was gaining their respect which in turn was giving me more confidence and enthusiasm to work with them.

By night time, Donal and I had taken a walk up the village and to the Bar to watch the football and chat about how the day went. A few of our students came over and personally thanked us for the great day they had. Then another few and another few and when we arrived back at the hostel after the match, I slowly started to appreciate what The Adventure Team status meant to the person who wrote it (Stephen or Tracy).

The next day it became much clearer, especially when taking the group to the lake for some raft building. It was great to see them working as a team and putting all differences aside to get their raft assembled, floated and raced and disassembled. That gave me a sense of achievement to see how far their attitudes changed towards one another after 2 days.

The time came for the group to go home and I had to say my goodbyes to them all. I genuinely felt a bit sad to see them go and then it was my turn to feel like the parent leaving the child for school! I felt I had fully earned their respect and impacted on how they treated one another, or needed one another and the importance of teamwork to achieve an overall objective. Hearing their appreciative thank you’s and handshakes and watching them hug each other as they left, took me back to that status that The Adventure Team had posted over the summer. “Making an impact on the lives of 255 young people today. How cool is that?”

GROW is our premier Primary School programme that involves energisers, teambuilding tasks, games and challenges.

All of the activities are designed to challenge pupils both personally and socially, without feeling that they have been taken too far out of their “comfort zones”. Ultimately, the focus of Grow is to provide a structured, team building day with a strong emphasis on fun; after all, we learn more when we are having fun…

Do you want your pupils to GROW? Give us a call on 028 8164 8390 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

Where can my pupils try GROW?

GROW can be delivered at our base in Gortin or we can bring it to you! Most assembly halls and sports halls are large enough.

Are there any age restrictions for GROW?

GROW is an adaptable programme that is suitable for anyone aged 6 and older.

What will my pupils do on the GROW programme?

How will my pupils benefit from taking part in the GROW programme?

GROW creates:

• a sense of self-esteem (both personal and cultural)
• a respect and tolerance for others
• a sense of belonging
• a sense of social, political, cultural and environmental responsibility
• an appreciation of the importance of learning

What do my pupils need to take part in the GROW programme?

We provide all specialist equipment; all the pupils will need is comfortable clothing, e.g. What they wear for PE.

Will my pupils be safe on the GROW programme?

We have over 15 years experience working with children and young people. All of our instructors are trained and assessed in accordance with our Activity Guidelines detailed in our comprehensive Risk Assessment Policy. Our instructors are all qualified First Aiders and meet all of our Child Protection checks including ACCESS NI. We also hold a £5 million insurance policy.

What do other people think of GROW with The Adventure Team?

“Thanks again for last week the children really enjoyed themselves and the teachers loved being able to take a back seat.  Stress free days are always good.” – Linn Primary School

How much does it cost to take part in the GROW programme?

GROW costs £10 per person based on a minimal of 20 participants. Discounts are available for members of The Adventure Club!

How do I book GROW for my pupils?

It’s simple really – give us a call on 028 8164 8390 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

Every journey starts with one step and all the young people that have done their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expeditions with us know all about it!

A DofE programme is a real adventure from beginning to end. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. You just need to be aged between 14 and 24 and realise there’s more to life than sitting on a sofa watching life pass you by.

You can do programmes at three levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold, which lead to a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

By completing an award, young people get the opportunity for personal development by learning new skills, helping people or the community, getting fitter, going on an expedition and, if going for Gold, taking part in a residential activity.

Not only does the programme create opportunities to learn key skills, it also provides experiences that enable the formation of friendships and talents that stay with them for the rest of their lives.

For all of these reasons, we have been advocates of the DofE for years, indeed most of our Team have either completed or worked closely with the Award since they were at school themselves.

Over the last year The Adventure Team have had the privilege of looking after several Bronze and Silver Expeditions and 2011 is going to be even busier!   At the moment we have 120 young people booked in for their Expeditions in 2011 – that’s a lot of walking, personal development and, of course,fun!

For us the DofE epitomises everything that we love about adventure, learning and personal development.

We are so committed to the DofE Award experience that we have recently been accepted as an Approved Activity Provider which means that not only do we organise and facilitate expeditions, we also provide assessors and sign off the expedition section of the award.

Let us know if you, your school or youth organisation would like help in any aspect of the DofE – we would be delighted to help!

Each member of your team will help build a bike that will change the life of a child. This bicycle building experience will touch your hearts and inspire your minds. It is filled with fun and excitement, as well as skills, tools and experiences that will make a dramatic & powerful impact on your team.

At the end of the event, all bicycles are donated to disadvantaged children within your community.  When possible, we bring the children to the programme and the donation becomes personal.  Truly a moment they will never forget.

Have you ever seen a child’s face light up as they receive their first bike?  With Build a Bike, you won’t have to imagine…and there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

How does it work?

If you would like your team to get involved we have a number of options available:

• You can bring your team along for a 3 hour event just for them
• You can bring your team along for an all day Team Building event that includes Build A Bike, again this is just for them
• You can bring your team along to a Build a Bike Thursday – dates and venues to be confirmed

And you don’t have to limit it to your immediate work team – bring along your key suppliers, customers, etc and get them to help your company make a difference!

What are the benefits?

The obvious benefit is that a disadvantaged child will get a new bike – an opportunity that they might never have.  This in turn will help towards more fun, exercise and adventure.  There are other benefits too:

• Team Building
• Employee engagement – increased morale and motivation
• Increased profile in the local and broader community
• Your customers and suppliers will see that you are serious about your corporate social responsibility

We will help you with your press releases by providing you with templates and photographs – we can even recommend a PR company that will help you maximise the PR opportunity.

How many people do I need to Build a Bike?

Build a Bike works best in teams of up to 6 people.  And the more people you have the more bikes you can build

How much does it cost?

Each Build a Bike costs £300 plus VAT so for a team of 6 people it only costs £50 per person

We would like to become involved but don’t have the time…

That’s ok – we have a programme that allows you to fund a community and voluntary organisations to get involved – they will build the bikes on your behalf

Anything else we should think about?

Your organisations core values can easily be brought to the forefront of this highly creative event by providing:

• Team t-shirts with your organisations/event branding*
• Bikes can be branded with your company logo*
• Event photography will provide you with a story that your organisation can share with your team over and over again*
• Make this your corporate gift of 2010

*contact us to discuss how these elements can be arranged

If you would like more information or if you are ready to book give us a call on 028 8164 8390 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

We all know what it is like when things go wrong. When we are up against it and everything we are doing seems to be hitting the wall. We feel stressed. We worry. We can’t sleep? Sometimes we can’t even eat!

So why is it, that when we take groups Raft Building and their Rafts sink they are in no way put off by the experience? Why do they not get caught up in the feeling of failure? What makes them continue with the activity? In fact, why do they even try and swim their Rafts across the lake instead of turning back?

The answer may be simple – is it because they are enjoying what they are doing!

They have already connected with each other through the team building games and challenges we have led them through. They have learned that not being able to do something is NOT failure. They have learned that working together is fun and should be enjoyed even when the best plans just aren’t working out.

It really is amazing how a safe environment, free from judgement, can help people enjoy new experiences. By providing activities that are pitched at the right level we help people challenge themselves physically, practically and mentally.

But there is more to it than the careful selection of activities! It’s all about developing trust and not just between us and the group members. Trust among the group members is crucial. They must know that they can rely on each other and that they are all in the same boat (pardon the pun).

We are very lucky!  We have the ability to provide really fun activities that make a brilliant platform for learning new skills, facing new challenges and reaping great rewards – whatever your age and ability.  That’s why what we we offer is suitable for individuals, families, schools, youth clubs, sports teams and business teams.

We are also lucky in that we have a vast catalogue of activities and adventure sports; and with such a variety we can create the following opportunities for you:

• participants are exposed to and enjoy their new experiences
• participants are often uncharacteristically enthusiastic
• participants are inspired and motivated to learn more
• participants become more self-confident
• participants increase their self-esteem and self-awareness
• participants develop better thinking, decision-making and language skills
• participants learn to communicate better with their peers and adults
• participants feel more positive about learning
• participants become healthier, and their sense of well-being increases

There are, of course, many other benefits, some more obvious that others; and we can easily offer you solutions and ideas if you are interested in using activities to explore:

• Attitudes and values
• Confidence and resilience
• Communication and social skills
• Physical development and well-being
• Emotional and moral development
• Motivation and behaviour
• Risk, challenge and adventure

Using activities for Personal and Social Development is a key part of our mission and purpose.

If you would like more information on how we can help you achieve your goals then send us and email to info@theadventureteam.co.uk or call 028 8164 8390