Experiential Learning
Outdoor exercises
We’ve always been keen exponents of active outdoor learning…
…that’s because over two decades of experience has shown us that people are far more likely to remember and buy into new ideas if we give them the opportunity to put them into practice before they return to the business environment.
It can also be a real eye-opener for participants to see individual and team behaviours in action – and it really does make the learning stick!
Why outdoors?
Because we find that being mobile and in the fresh air raises energy levels, sharpens thinking and increases enjoyment.
Of course, we are lucky to have a partnership with Live for Today Adventures with permanently set up exercises in a beautiful woodland setting (at both Ripley Castle Harrogate and Castle Green Hotel in Kendal) which we can use to explore issues such as developing trust, managing healthy conflict, increasing commitment, leadership, teamwork and giving and receiving feedback. We also make extensive use of mobile outdoor exercises wherever we are when the weather permits; they really help the development of interpersonal, team and leadership skills.
Indoor exercises
Indoor exercises are great for bringing learning alive! Theory is fine, but, practice is even more important.
We have a great collection of indoor exercises which have a positive and lasting impact on participants.
All rely on teamwork for success, making them a great choice for programmes focused on team development or developing communication skills and trust. We also use them to explore cultural issues, inter-team working, order engagement and leadership.
Indoor exercises are a highly engaging way of learning and almost as refreshing as going outside!
Indoor exercises are particularly powerful in giving participants the chance to take a fresh look at the way they approach different challenges. By working together to succeed on a particular exercise, people can gain a new perspective on the strengths and skills each person brings. These insights can be applied to workplace challenges to develop real, workable solutions.
We often find that a mix of indoor and outdoor exercises works most effectively, giving all participants a chance to try out a range of skills in a variety of settings. All this is discussed at the planning stage of a programme so that we can work out the best combination to meet your particular objectives. Indoor exercises are also highly transportable so we can bring them to your premises or to a venue of your choice. We’re very generous about lending them out too, just ask!
Embracing dramatic engagement
We don't shy away from a bit of theatrics. We believe in infusing drama into our programmes it helps engage participants in a unique and immersive learning experience.
Why drama?
Because we've found that role-play is an effective method for actively exploring business and interpersonal challenges.
Through role-play, participants step into real-life business scenarios, applying learning theories in practice. This hands-on approach facilitates seamless knowledge transfer to the workplace, ensuring concepts resonate vividly.
To elevate realism, we enlist professional actors. They breathe life into scenarios, ensuring authenticity, stimulation, and a touch of challenge.
Action learning
Enable your learners to develop each other. Action learning is a method devised by Reg Revans over 60 years ago.
It is still a useful tool today enabling small groups of learners (an action learning set) to discuss the issues they face together. At its best, it both empowers individuals and provides them with a support network for their learning and development.
Revans believed that learning is most effective when it is focused on the real problems people are tackling at work.
His idea was that everyone should bring their own experience to the table, working together to pool ideas and share best practice through regular meetings.
We often use action learning sets as part of modular development programs; we can help set up action learning sets for you, supporting them with facilitation where required and adding our own experience to the mix.
Sounds good?
If these methods sound exciting for you, why not get this extremely engaging learning experience in your company’s repertoire get in touch and…