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.
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. TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES The team building activities that Gateway Adventure use are designed specifically for different year groups to avoid repetition of tasks each year. Depending on prevailing weather conditions some of the tasks can be run indoors and we have a number of paper tasks as well.
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.
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 exprerienced 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 dietry 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 Leaders will introduce students to a range of new skills and activities including:
• Hill Walking and Mountaineering
• Map Reading and Navigation techniques
• Orienteering
• Rock Climbing and Abseiling
• Gorge Walking (Site specific)
• Kayaking, Canoeing and Improvised Raft Building
• Caving
• Off Road Cycling
• Camp Craft
• Ground Leadership Tasks/Team Tasks (Exercises in order to improve/assess teamwork and communication skills)
• High and Low Rope Courses
• Bushcraft
• Archery
• Mountain Rescue Scenarios
• The Country Code
FIND OUT MORE
To find out more about Gateway Adventure, please go to: http://gatewayadventure.co.uk