Vertical Playpen

The Training Team (Phil, Rich, Chris and Lisa) discuss how they end a program or workshop with a group. Saying goodbye, closing activities and when to reflect with the group.

The Training Team (Phil, Rich, Chris and Lisa) discuss how they begin a program or workshop with a group. Activities that set the tone, strategies to connect with the group early on and coping with awkward silences.

Jeff and Arlette from the Gengras Center in West Hartford, CT sat down with their good friend and our Trainer Rich Keegan to talk and reminisce about their incredible work at Gengras and their experience using a challenge course and experiential education. 

In this episode of Trainer Tips, Phil and Rich spend 15 minutes discussing tips for managing the use of p-cords on challenge courses. Topics include, replacing the rope, stacking them out of the way and appropriate p-cord length.

Does neat gear storage and wearing the same style of harness as your participants positively affect the 1st impressions of your challenge course operations?...YUP! Phil discusses these 2 things.

Meg talks with Phil about social justice facilitation, navigating your triggers and her upcoming new product - Facilitator Cards. Find out more about Meg and Facilitator Cards here: https://www.megbolger.com/

December 18th is World Knot Tying Day, marking the birthday of legendary knot enthusiast and author Clifford Ashley. To celebrate this the training team got together to talk about knots, knots and more knots. #worldknottyingday

Companion episode to our recent blog post - A Force to Reckoned With - Helium Hoop. Lisa, Rich and Phil discuss intentionally adding struggle and frustration into their programming. Lisa will be running a pre-conference workshop at ACCT titled "The Struggle is Real" - register here: http://acctconference.com/register/

Chris talks with Phil about the influence summer camp had on him, the importance of defining your mission and vision and the power in sharing and adding to your stories. Find more about Chris at fundoing.com.

Ryan, Rich, Sam and Phil look through antique game books (some over 100 years old) with the task of identifying how to play the games with only the name and a few other clues to help. In this episode the games to identify are Gardener and Scamp, and Bull in the Ring.