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One-day Workshop
Presented by Craig Rider
If you work with corporate teams and want to be more effective at helping them achieve results, this is for you. We will present what organizations have told us are their critical issues as indicated by more than 5,000 responses to our Team Assessment Survey. You will then learn ways to address those issues with activities that bring out those dynamics. You will also learn ways to frame, sequence, and process those activities for maximum impact. Be prepared to participate and share. In addition, you will learn a simple but powerful framework that will enable you to quickly assess your own temperament and that of any team. This will allow you to understand the strengths and blind spots of any team and to meet their specific needs.
Craig has 20+ years of experience working with an extremely wide range of people with many types of industries including human and animal services; public, private, and higher education; retailing; public relations; financial; warehousing; hospitality; recreation; transportation; manufacturing; and military organizations. Craig Rider is also the President of The Rider Group, Inc., a human resources consulting firm specializing in organizational team building. Visit www.ridergroup.com for more information.
Tuition: $150.00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop limit: 36
One-day Workshop
Presented by Kenya Masala
Ever wanted to get a group rockin’? Here’s how! The Rhythm Of Life!™ programs are village-style, musical experiences bringing the lessons and excitement of community celebration together with the vibrant musical culture from around the world. Participants are invited to explore and appreciate other cultures within a context of personal discovery. People of all levels and skill abilities create music with drums and other hand percussion instruments (some as simple and easy to get as coke cans!). Relevant life metaphors are brought into the process; besides feeling successful, fulfilled and inspired, participants leave with a deeper sense of community.
For experiential education practitioners and group facilitators, drums and percussion toys are powerful and easy-to-use and totally lend themselves to engaging people in a dynamic, respectful learning environment. And, the therapeutic value of drumming is gaining great recognition. Youth, adults, senior citizens, handicapped, ADHD and addiction recovery populations benefit from the powerful yet simple experience of group drumming. Hospitals, schools, and prisons are becoming increasingly aware of the healing, soothing, and educational value of rhythm, song and dance. Everyone experiences the neurological and physical benefits that come from participating in rhythm and movement circles; it’s a feel good, rousin’ good time!
The effectiveness of The Rhythm Of Life!™ experiences come from a unique fusion of folkloric music with a highly tuned system of focusing, multi-tracking and rhythmic activities called Kinesthetic Rhythma-Learning™ (KRL). Through this innovative learning system, participants directly experience responsibility, cooperation and respect. Kinesthetic Rhythma-Learning™ utilizes sensory awareness activities, singing, dancing and drumming as its teaching methods. From the moment the program begins, you are up and active and will leave with an increased knowledge of the benefits of rhythm and song, as well as excellent activities and methods for using drums, song and dance in an group settings with various populations. No previous experience necessary. You will learn basic drumming techniques and drum circle facilitation. And by then end of the session, you’re gonna’ rock out and jam!!
If you have a drum, please bring it! Self-standing drums work the best (Djembe, Conga, Dun-Dun or Native American Tom-Tom; Frame drums will also work). If you have shakers, bells, rattles or other joyful noisemakers, bring those too! Drums will be available for up to 15 participants.
Kenya Williams is a charismatic, certified K-5th grade teacher, curriculum specialist and community development consultant who blended his talent for working with students of all ages with his ten year study of West African percussion and his love of rhythm, song and dance. Visit www.rhythmoflifedrumming.com for more information.
Tuition: $135 .00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 36
One Day Workshop
Presented by Dave Vermilye, Masters in Christian Education
Hopefully it makes a big difference! Explore with us the concept of the body life as it applies to the Body of Christ. Ponder with us the question; What would it be like if all the members of the Body decided to put aside their differences and work together for a common purpose? Imagine the synergy! Come spend a day with us and experience how to make these concepts come alive in your challenge course work.
Objectives include; understanding the Biblical Basis for experiential education, learning three teaching methods of Jesus, to see the teachings of Christ in actions through experiential education and for each participant to leave with two potential thematic activity sequences. This session will be experientially based with as little lecture format as possible. So come prepared to engage in the process and develop some strong connections with other practitioners working in the Christian challenge course arena.
Dave has more than15 years of experience using his experiential education approach to teach group development and team building with many populations including troubled youth, corporations, schools, churches and other community groups. He has been involved in developing programs to teach independent living skills and employment skills. He serves as Education Director and Men's Ministry Coordinator at Berean Baptist Church and is one of Wedgwood's lead consultants for program development and is charged with oversight of Wedgwood Corporate and Community Resources. Visit www.wedgwood.org for more information.
Tuition: $135 .00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 36
One-day Workshop
Presented by Chris Cavert
This special Games for Teachers workshop will be filled with experiential activities for developing pro-social skills and building community within a classroom setting for school age children 10 and older. All the activities being presented in the workshop come from the book, Games (and other stuff) for Teachers by Chris Cavert and Laurie Frank. Games (and other stuff) for Teachers is designed as an activity supplement for Laurie Frank’s book, Journey Into the Land of Heart: Creating Community in the Classroom and Beyond.
During the workshop we will be discussing Laurie’s community building sequence and how the activities in Games for Teachers can plug into the objectives of each step in the sequence. Teachers and facilitators in any educational field can easily implement the individual and group activities that focus on skills such as listening, following directions, cooperation, diversity, patience, persistence, and many others. Participants will be engaged in the activities so they can determine how to fit them into their own lesson plans.
Chris Cavert has been active with groups of all ages for over 21 years. He is known around the United States as a trainer and speaker in the area of Experiential/Adventure Education and focuses on how activities within this field help to develop and enhance pro-social behaviors, especially with youth populations. Chris is the owner of FUNdoing — an Educational Activities Training provider. Visit www.fundoing.com for more information
Tuition: $135 .00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 36
Two-day Workshops
Two-day Workshop
Presented by Todd Walther and Tim Walther
What are the most effective models being used in Experience Based Training and Development (EBTD) today? What new theory-based activities can take your corporate training the next level? How can you effectively market, sell and deliver EBTD to top organizations?
Join Todd and Tim for a two-day session focused on developing critical skills for working with corporate clientele. Gain exposure to specific corporate training models and begin exploring how these models can be effectively enhanced through experiential activities. Hot corporate models and processes that will be addressed include:
This workshop is ideal for the intermediate to advanced corporate facilitator. Attendees will attain a variety of experiential initiatives, tool sets and a workbook including an overview of corporate models with references and resources to facilitate growth and development on your own.
Todd Walther is the Senior Organizational Development and Training Specialist at Georgetown University Medical Center and directs the East Coast division of Grand Dynamics. Todd holds two Master’s degrees in Experiential Education and Organizational Development. Tim Walther serves as Grand Developer for Grand Dynamics, based in Jackson Hole, WY and works with a variety of clients focusing specifically on the corporate delivery of experiential programming. Visit www.granddynamics.com for more information. Visit www.granddynamics.com for more information.
Tuition: $295.00 for two days — Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop limit: 36
Two-day Workshop
Presented by Tom Leahy
A philosophy of participation by choice has been used for years in the challenge / ropes course industry in an attempt to remove the external pressure for participants to perform to perceived or imposed expectations. The lack of perception of choice for participants continues to place individuals beyond their own real physical and emotional limitations resulting, in some very notable cases, in great physiological or emotional hazard to the participant. Elements of Choice© is a journey to discover how we make choices and when we let others or situations choose for us. This two-day workshop will provide a powerful yet simple experiential model for teaching choice and bring choice to a number of traditional low elements that themselves have become "elements of failure."
Elements of Choice© will provide facilitators with an incredible set of tools to work with ‘timid’ and non-physical participants, bold and overpowering peers as well as participants in crisis on the elements. This workshop will explore three types of goals at work in the minds of participants: the relationship between task vs. process, the four F’s of when fear is a block to a goal, effective and simple medical screening for non-medical people, and much more to aid in the process of slaying the dragons of self-doubt and perceived failure.
Tom is the owner of Leahy & Associates, Inc. and brings more than 23 years of training experience and adventure challenge skills to the Challenge Course industry. He uses a wide range of experience-based training methods and his own handcrafted learning models to create successful personal and team development experiences.
Tuition: $275.00 for both days — Lunch is NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop limit: 36
Two-day Workshop
Presented by: Kathy Van Houten, Masters in Therapeutic Recreation
Laura Verbrugge, BA in Therapeutic Recreation
Jeanna Raterink, BA in Social Work
An important life task for children and adolescents is the continuing discovery and development of what defines them as a unique person. Many basic areas of personality development contribute to the continuing discovery and development of one’s identity. Emotional disturbance in children, adolescence, and adults is generally a result of failure to develop one or more of these areas. How do professionals assist individual’s growth in these areas in a relatively short period of time? Physical Confidence Therapy can help with this challenge.
PCT is a therapy designed to increase an individual’s ability to accept their capabilities, limitations, fears and sources of conflict. Through a sequence of structured physical activities, PCT allows individuals to experience who they are in a concrete way, learn to give and receive feedback effectively, experiment on making positive changes, and incorporate these positive changes into their lifestyles.
Participants of the two-day workshop will learn the goals and experience the activities of the PCT program. They will practice facilitation skills in directing the process.
This workshop will be experiential in nature; participants should come prepared to be physically active. It is important that participants attend both days to understand the program completely.
Kathy is one of the original developers of PCT and has facilitated and trained others in the use of the program. Laura has utilized the program with younger clients and has trained staff as well. Jeanna has facilitated groups of adolescents and has made some helpful changes in the PCT program. The presenters are employed at Wedgwood Christian Youth and Family Services. Visit www.wedgwood.org for more information.
Tuition: $250.00 for two days - Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 36
Two-day Workshop
Presented by Denny Macha
How do I acquire the knowledge and become qualified to competently use the DiSC® Personal Profile System as a part of my learning and development initiatives?
The DiSC® Dimensions of Behavior provides a non-judgmental language for exploring behavioral issues and enables people to identify their behavioral approaches to people and situations across four primary dimensions:
D - Dominance, i - Influence, S - Steadiness, and C - Conscientiousness. For nearly 30 years, the Personal Profile System® self-learning instrument has been used around the world by trainers and consultants to help individuals assess to what degree they naturally utilize each of the four dimensions of behavior.
When properly used...this research-based instrument is a versatile and valuable tool for use in a variety of learning modalities (e.g. instructor-led workshops, experiential learning, e-learning, etc.) to enhance personal, team, and organizational effectiveness. In contrast....when not properly used, or facilitated by a non-qualified trainer/consultant, the persons experiencing the instrument can become mis-informed, labeled, and may end-up viewing themselves and others in negative ways.
Join Denny in this workshop where he will equip you to utilize the Personal Profile System® in a competent and professional manner. As a participant, you will gain access to a network of professionals who routinely use this tool in a variety of settings (i.e. corporate, education, non-profit, government, etc.). In addition to the workshop handouts, you will leave with a Personal Profile System® Facilitator’s Kit,.00 that includes the research and technical background for the instrument, fully-scripted workshop designs, transparency masters, reproducible handouts, and examples of selected application tools. Upon completion of the workshop you will be able to begin applying this valuable tool in your workplace. This manual and facilitator kit is purchased at $275 and is included in the price of this workshop.
Denny is the Founder & Associate of HPower & Associates, LLC and is a licensed distributor of DiSC®- based learning products. He routinely uses the DiSC® Personal Profile System® self-learning instrument in his training & development workshops. In addition, he provides training to in-house organizational trainers and consultants in the effective use of the instrument. Denny is a co-author of the Being Yourself® Curriculum that builds on the I-Sight® instrument. Visit www.hpowerassoc.com for more information
Tuition: $495.00 for two days — Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop limit: 16
One-day Workshop
Presented by Chris Cavert
As challenge program providers, it is important for us to bring our programs to the client. However, it is often our challenge to provide activities that will really bring out the benefits we can provide. Affordable Portables is an activity workshop designed to help new and seasoned practitioners become more mobile and versatile. In this workshop participants will experience and learn loads of experiential games and activities that can help youth populations discover the skills involved in Leadership, "Follower-ship," Problem Solving, Communication, Teamwork, Relationships, and more.
Participants will learn how to create and build, on a tight budget, a variety of low elements that will challenge groups to stretch out of their perceived comfort zones and achieve goals together. The activities presented in this workshop are designed to be used with groups of 8 - 20 people ages 11 to 17 years old.
The Affordable Portables workshop will involve hands-on participation with many of the activities. Participants will also have the opportunity to see and work with a versatile portable challenge program kit, have the resources available to create their own working kit, and walk away with resources that will allow them to find more activities and continued support. (Books will be available at the workshop.)
Chris Cavert has been active with groups of all ages for over 21 years. He is known around the United States as a trainer and speaker in the area of Experiential/Adventure Education and focuses on how activities within this field help to develop and enhance pro-social behaviors, especially with youth populations. Chris is the owner of FUNdoing — an Educational Activities Training provider. Visit www.fundoing.com for more information.
Tuition: $135.00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours 8 to 5
Workshop limit: 36
One-day Workshop
Presented by Andy McSheffery
Join an illuminating session that will increase your effectiveness with any organization. You will come away from this workshop as an agent of change for creating new possibilities in an organization's growth and development.
This session will be a total interactive experience. Discover and employ a process that provokes meaningful dialogue and change in all participants. Once you experience this process yourself you will want to share it with your clients, co-workers and prospective clients.
I will present 12 questions that will enable attendees to gain a clear understanding of their business relationships and the role everyone has in meeting the challenges of any organization. Through active participation in this session you will grasp the potential for personal and organizational change this process promises. This forum is not designed for defining who you are but for who you want to be.
This workshop can be a major step in helping you move from one day-day programs into a longer-term relationships with your clients. If you are looking to develop your staff's capabilities take advantage of this opportunity. This interactive session is aimed at practitioners that are serious about changing the scope of their effectiveness as well pushing organizations into new realms of effectiveness.
Andy has for the last thirteen years worked as a trainer, facilitator and counselor. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies as well as small and family owned concerns. The focus of his interaction with his clientele has been customer satisfaction, leadership, goal development, talent development and retention, and raising morale through self-accountability.
Andy is involved in NCAA and high school athletic programs, government, health, and public safety agencies, secondary education staff development, and leadership programs for high school students.
Tuition: $135.00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 36
One-day Workshop
Presented by Tom Leahy
Are you feeling rusty from a long winters rest? Do you want to increase your technical skills beyond those taught in your original facilitator training? Would you like to learn from the mistakes of a trainer with over twenty-two years of experience behind a belay device?
Join Tom Leahy for a full day of technical skill review and advanced technical techniques. This workshop is appropriate for new facilitators, experienced facilitators needing to fulfill an annual review requirement and course managers who supervise and hone the skills of their own staff.
Workshop learning objectives are taught in a process of demonstration and practice with a focus on mastery. Tom’s training style is friendly, supportive yet demanding. For the in-house supervisor, just watching Tom’s training style and techniques is worth the price of admission. This workshop will be fast paced and will keep you vertical for the entire day. Bring your harness, helmet, belay device, carabiners and lobster claw system with Zorber . Arrangements can be made for equipment rental for the day. Participants will receive a Notification of Training upon completion of this workshop.
Workshop learning objectives include;
Tom is the owner of Leahy & Associates, Inc. and brings more than 23 years of training experience and adventure challenge skills to the Challenge Course industry. He uses a wide range of experience-based training methods and his own handcrafted learning models to create successful personal and team development experiences. Visit www.leahy-inc.com for more information.
Tuition: $135.00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 20
One-day Workshop
Presented by Anthony Muller MA, LLPC, CAC-1 & Lori Burgess MA, CAC-1
As challenge course facilitators much of our work happens in groups. Even so, we are not group members and feel isolated in our own processing. This can be even truer for facilitators working with therapeutic groups. We are in the minority among challenge course facilitators in general our colleagues in the therapy community may not understand or value our work. This isolation can lead to doubt, frustration and loss of creative edge. In addition, all this is occurring in an age when managed care asks for more with less while expecting treatment outcomes to improve.
This workshop is designed to address those doubts, frustrations and creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to connect with other facilitators; to restore, renew and re-create. Using activities, didactics and group discussion, you will gain skill in articulating the benefits of experiential therapies. You will learn from others and be able to share your best stuff. There will be some old, some new, and some tried and true activities. Participants will benefit by improving their abilities to;
Anthony has worked in the experiential therapy field for 5 years working specifically with adolescent substance abuse experiential group therapy. He co-designed and runs an Intensive Outpatient Program for adolescents and their families. Lori has 15+ years working individuals, families, and groups in ropes course, treatment and classroom settings. She pioneered the use of the challenge course with treatment for those sexually abused. Both currently work for Wedgwood Corporate and Community Resources. Visit www.wedgwood.org for more information.
Tuition: $135 .00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours 8 to 5
Workshop Limit: 36
One-day Workshop
Presented by Chris Cavert
Learn LOADS (over 100 if we have the time!) of games, problem solving activities, and other "just plain fun" stuff using those foam noodle water toys. Learn how to use Midaronis, Minironis, and Meatballs with players 5 years and older in activities for Land and Sea (or the pool is fine too!). Extensive (as we know) research on why Noodles are such a hit found that all major learning styles are included — Kinesthetic, touching the Noodles and running around; Visual, the colors are fun and attractive; and Auditory, the popping (not hurting) sounds of the Noodles are fun to hear. Noodles. Are you using them? If you are, learn more.
If you’re not, learn a lot. Tons of fun — Guaranteed! (Books will be available for purchase at the workshop.)
Tuition: $135.00 — Lunch NOT included
Hours: 8 to 5
Workshop limit: 36