Research presented by Camille Bunting & John Donley at the Bradford Woods Research Symposium stressed that “if a person is supported to move out of his/her comfort zone, and has a powerful experience, then powerful conditions exist for positive change” (1). I support this education assumption by taking student leaders to camp. Our “camp” is a day on a challenge ropes course. Working at an institution with many students from urban backgrounds makes going out into the wildness a huge step out of their comfort zones.
Before participating in a challenge course, however, it’s important to develop goals the group would like to achieve. The goals can be educational, developmental, or recreational in nature. Often with the student leaders I work with, the group chooses to develop leadership skills through personal challenge and activities in teamwork. Loading into the van in the wee hours of the morning, there is much complaining and many questions – mostly from the anxiety of not knowing what will face them during the day. I give very basic information and stress that the day will be a “challenge by choice” and it’s up to the leader how far he/she would like to involve or challenge themselves. A typical day at camp will be 4 – 10 hours. Challenges begin by starting off with team energizers in a field (trust falls, name games), working through low elements (ground based obstacles, low roped activities), and finishing up with high elements (pre-fabricated course in trees or with utility poles).
It’s important to make sure you’re using a challenge course that is certified and one that puts SAFETY FIRST. YMCA’s and local church camps often have some version of a course at reasonable rates if you don’t happen to have one on your campus. If you’re looking for a retreat that will focus on group interaction, development of leadership skills, and problem solving then a day at camp may be exactly what your students need. Outcomes of a day at camp are numerous – with a growth in self-confidence, experience in positive risk taking, and teamwork topping my list.
I just returned from working with Orientation leaders on a course. A comment from one of my sophomore leaders sums it up best “I didn’t think I could, but now I know I can. No obstacle will stop me this year!”
Research:
1) Bunting, C. J., & Donley, J. P. (2002). Ten Years of Challenge Course Research: A Review of Affective Outcome Studies.
