School Activities & Development
Gateway Adventure’s activity days are all about having fun and a good time, but there is an important element to all the enjoyable activities we deliver to participants.
Our aim is for all of our participants is, primarily, to facilitate the development of life skills which are applicable in adult life, for example leadership, cooperation, motivational and teamwork skills.
All our activities are tailored to the relevant year group involving an agreed programme. Usually, our activities are delivered on-site at the school, however, if this is not possible we can always deliver the same activities at another suitable venue such as a local park or Scout camp.
After a booking has been made and prior to the delivery of a course, Gateway Adventure will appoint a Course Leader who will oversee a group of Team Leaders for the day. This Course Leader will liaise with the school or organisation to discuss the needs of the students and school/college so that we ensure specific learning outcomes are incorporated throughout the day and that all participants enjoy a rewarding and exciting experience.
“BEING OUTSIDE LEARNING NEW THINGS WAS GREAT FUN. I LEARNT SO MUCH ABOUT MY CLASSMATES. I WASN'T EVEN IN A LESSON" Harriette, Windsor
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
We offer different programmes and packages to suit your budget and objectives. These include On-Site School Activity Days, 2 & 3 Day On-Site Residentials, 2, 3 & 5 Day Residentials, Prefect Training Days, assisting GCSE & BTEC course work, School INSET and enrichment days.
We can also assist or provide activities and venues for end of year school adventure weeks and DofE residentials.
ON-SITE SCHOOL ACTIVITY DAYS
The programme we deliver will help bring out the individual’s strengths and indicate areas for development. We encourage our participants to rotate leadership roles within their team. On completion of a task our Team Leaders will carry out a review of the groups performance through plenary discussion.
Our on-site activity days are ideal for developing friendships at the beginning of the school year. It can also help the Teacher see their students outside the classroom and observe class dynamics and individual personalities that may not be apparent in a classroom environment.
Gateway Adventure has experienced Team Leaders who are able to pinpoint areas for development. The participant is advised how to develop their leadership and personal skills.
2 & 3 DAY ON-SITE RESIDENTIALS
Gateway Adventure offer on-site residentials for the younger age groups ranging from Year 4 to Year 6 pupils.
They may be experiencing camping for the first time and therefore prefer to camp in a familiar environment such their school grounds.
Depending on the activities, some may be able to be organised off-site in a local park or woodland area. This could include bushcraft, wide games (which is an outdoor activity, usually between two or more teams) and basic camp craft.
The 2-3 day on-site residential is to offer the younger pupils the activities of the 2, 3 and 5 day residentials for older students. They will experience the same activities but simplified and less challenging to ensure they are not discouraged or excluded.
2,3 & 5 MULTI ACTIVITY RESIDENTIALS
Why is Team Building Important?
Team building brings young people from different backgrounds together to accomplish a common goal and fosters tolerance and understanding.
Team members must find a way to co-operate and work together instead of having their own individual agendas or prejudices.
"Challenge by Choice"
Gateway Adventure operates a ‘Challenge by Choice’ policy concerning people on activities. This means we will not compel any individual to be involved in an activity they are uncomfortable doing, however, we find by experience that they will eventually join in after observing other team members reactions on completion of an exercise.
"Comfort - Stretch - Panic"
When a person feels ‘comfortable’ in doing an activity the learning is limited, but when the individual is ‘stretched’ their learning is increased. When they feel ‘panic’ it is very difficult for the individual to learn as “fight or flight” tends to take over and a survival instinct kicks in. We aim to ‘stretch’ all participants with appropriate activities.
What are the benefits of youth Team Building activities?
Gateway Adventure delivers its multi-activity adventure programmes at locations that have breath-taking landscapes and diverse geographical areas within the United Kingdom. Taking part in activities in these areas inspire parties that include inner city students to appreciate the great outdoors and their wider environment.
Team building games and activities can help young people learn cooperation, improve communication skills and learn to trust and respect for others.
Students who struggle with organising themselves will benefit from team members, learning techniques in order to solve a variety of functional tasks, using planning and their interpersonal skills to get the best out of the individuals within their team whilst learning from them.
Students who find social interaction difficult, have the opportunity to practice working and communicating with their peers. Getting involved and taking an active role during team-building activities can boost their self-esteem and create friendships.
THE GATEWAY ADVENTURE DIFFERENCE
Gateway Adventure’s aim is to ensure all participants develop potential and have fun at the same time! Whatever activities we do, they are all designed primarily to enhance the learning of life skills.
Lifeskills:
All our experienced instructors are skilled in developing and promoting a variety of life skills such as: Communication and leadership skills, environmental awareness, self reliance and team bonding.
Another element is time management, which is essential, as several of our activities use time management in order to make students aware of the consequences of poor time keeping.
Under the supervision of our experienced instructors, the teams could be responsible for a food budget for the duration of their residential and will have to learn to negotiate with other individual’s dietary requirements.
Planning:
Under supervision, the team will be responsible for planning and allocating roles within the team such as team leader, a time keeper to accountant and menu planner. This list is not exhaustive, there may be more roles the teams think they may need depending on team size, age and environment. We provide itineraries for students of all age groups.
2-Day to 5-Day camping and residential programmes usually around the Peak District area because of it’s central geographical location and it’s ability to host a wide range of activities. However, other venues are available and will be dependant on your location and your planned itinerary and requirements.
TYPES OF TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES
Dependant on the overall goal you are trying to achieve, team building takes the form of a planned activities designed to teach specific skills. However, sometimes it’s a less structured activity that is more fun but still ‘stretches’ the individual so they are still learning and gaining valuable life skills.
Activities Available
Depending on the venue and location Gateway Adventure’s experienced Instructors and Technicians will introduce students to a range of new skills and activities including:
• Adventure Trek
• Archery
• Bushcraft
• Camp Craft
• Caving (Venue Specific)
• Ground Leadership Tasks/Team Tasks (Exercises in order to improve/assess teamwork and communication skills)
• High and Low Rope Courses (Venue Specific)
• Hill & Mountain Walking
• Kayaking, Canoeing and Improvised Raft Building (Venue Specific)
• Map Reading and Navigation techniques
• Mountain Rescue Scenarios
• Off Road Cycling
• Orienteering
• Rock Climbing and Abseiling (Venue Specific)
• The Countryside Code
• Coming Soon - Laser Tag
END OF COURSE FEEDBACK
Giving feedback is an essential tool in the development of the learning experience. This feedback informs the learner of their progress whilst maintaining their interest and encourage them to achieve their goals.
Participants will also receive an attendance certificate which can go in their Record of Achievements!
