Professional Development

For busy professionals, a one to three-day teambuilding or leadership development program in our beautiful remote setting can accomplish many serious goals for your group, as well as provide a peaceful, rejuvenating retreat experience. Our staff development programs include:

*Building communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.

*Developing trust and support networks within organizations.

*Increasing self-confidence and personal development.

*Integrating new skills and applying them to the workplace.

Numerous options are available for groups of all sizes to come out and learn, to challenge themselves and to have fun during a one-day or multi-day program. All programs are structured to align with state academic standards.

Team Development Ropes Course

A Ropes Course can be defined as a series of ropes, cables, beams or logs designed to provide a unique combination of individual and group challenges, starting at ground level (Low elements) and progressing upwards to heights of 20 to 45 feet (High elements). The Ropes Course is used to provide individuals and groups with an opportunity to encounter physical and mental challenges as they learn to accept responsibility for themselves and others in the problem-solving process. The Ropes Course is a valuable learning tool. It is a method of understanding relationships and improving self-concept and team-dynamics. The means by which the Ropes Course experience has practical meaning for any individual or group is rooted in the “discipline” (technique) by which the program is facilitated by its trained staff.

The use of these “tools” (Low and High Ropes Courses) will fall under two philosophical approaches, both attaining the same goals mentioned above. The first of these approaches follows the application of the “Adventure Wave” The Adventure Wave is a sequencing process that begins with BRIEFING, continues on to the adventure EXPERIENCE, and wraps up with the DEBRIEF. This approach is ideal for more mature participants who are able to make the metaphoric connection from the adventure activity to their real lives. The second approach is the more “Recreational” approach. For younger-age groups or groups not in the need of a “Processing” experience, the mere interaction, problem-solving and group work that go into attempting an adventure experience inherently enhances self-concept and model the skills mentioned above.

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Low Ropes

Boardwalkers No matter how this activity is carried out, the challenge remains the same - people working together, synchronizing their movements as a team. The group has to develop their own method for maneuvering themselves and the boards from one point to another, or through a makeshift obstacle course. This activity is used to address the occurrence of breakdown - when a working technique suddenly falls apart because of a slight variation from the plan.

Mohawk Walk Above all else, this activity teaches a group to reach out to each other to give and receive support. Everyone works together to traverse a series of cables that extend from one tree to another to another. They must stay connected throughout the exercise and no one may touch the ground. The degree of difficulty of this activity can be raised or lowered to easily meet the needs of any group. This is also an excellent warm-up for the high ropes course.

High Ropes

This is a good place to mention one very important thing about FLOC Outdoors - our policy of "Challenge through Choice." In other words, if there is any activity a member of your group is uncomfortable with, there are many ways they can participate. For example, they can spot, or just shout encouragement to the other teammates.

That said, the purpose of the high ropes course is to push people to explore the depths of their personal strengths and to take risks they normally wouldn't. Through these exercises, people understand just how important giving and receiving support can be to overall success.

Zip Line The zip line begins with the platform high up in a poplar tree. The group member climbs onto the zip line swing then steps off of the platform and into a 400-foot adrenaline pumping cable slide through the forest.

Giants Ladder This is the other route to the platform. Two partners must work together to climb the ladder because its rungs are 5 feet apart. The partners must boost and pull one another each of the 50 feet to the top.

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