The Madison College challenge course program was established to be a resource for campus groups (students, faculty and staff) and to serve the larger community.
Madison College Groups
Team building experiences can be developed to serve the needs of many groups within the college:
- Madison College Classes: Developing communication, problem-solving, goal setting and leadership (and the ability to be a follower when it is appropriate to do so) skills are fundamental to being able to effectively operate in a workplace. Practicing these skills in a setting that is supportive yet challenging allows students the opportunity to explore, share and prepare themselves for course work, small group projects and ultimately, for the workplace. Program content can be designed to build off of class content or can be of a more general nature that supports overall goals of student development.
- Team building programs can be designed to fit within existing class meeting schedules or can be offered outside of class time. Program fees can be covered by class fees paid as part of tuition or can be covered through department budgets.
- Student Clubs and Organizations: Looking for a unique experience that will bring members of your club or organization together? Need something to inspire members to work together more effectively and with a greater sense of purpose? A team building program can be designed to help incorporate new members, to help group leaders develop their capacity for leadership and decision making or we can provide an event that is based on offering a fun and adventurous outing. School field trip programs are also available for start, middle or end of the year.Â
- Department Staff and Faculty: It is not just students who benefit from a chance to come together to undertake challenges that build community and enhance workplace and life skills. Student support staff, academic departments and college operations staff are able to develop a better sense of collaboration and problem solving through shared experiences at the challenge course.
- Concerned about the level of physical exertion required or feeling like a team building program will result in group members who are embarrassed or uncomfortable about participating with coworkers? These are common concerns that arise for many workplace groups that are exploring the idea of a team building experience. Fear not. We design each program so that the activities that are offered fit each group and the individuals who make up each group. So if you are looking for group skill building with low physical challenge - we do that. Looking to include a high element but have some group members who are not interested in that part of the experience? - we offer programs that include a role for everyone regardless of whether all group members are physically engaged in all aspects of the experience.
Community Groups
We serve schools (middle, high school and college/university), community centers, sports teams/clubs, businesses and more. Because we customize each program we offer we are able to adapt our programs to synch with the unique nature of each group. Our professional facilitation staff bring decades of professional experience from education, protective services, business, camps, environmental sustainability and many other specialties that are then incorporated into the experiences that they design and guide their participant groups through.
- Schools - New student orientations, sports teams, student government, and programs focused on preparing students for transitions such as entering high school - these are just a few examples of the types of groups and the areas of focus we work with as we provide programs for students.
- Club Sports or Competitive Teams - Looking to bring your team (traditional sports, competitive dance, poms or cheer, etc.) to the next level? Finding the most gifted athlete among their peers is often easy, but how do you find the team member who has the greatest leadership potential? After all, when the competition heats up, who among your team will make the difference between success and failure? We work with teams to build resiliency and to encourage collaboration and mutual support - aspects that help teams rise to the next level.
- Workplace Teams - Like most any group, workplace teams have their natural strengths and weaknesses. Left unexamined, areas of weakness tend to undermine the success of the group as a whole. Team building experiences offer work teams the chance to explore how they operate, where and how they can improve, highlight the natural roles that group members take and provide the opportunity for individuals to move outside of these default roles. By moving outside of the everyday work environment multiple levels of authority within a group are placed on a level plane and through fun and activity challenges that encourage creative exploration and unique ways of engaging with each other, work teams can find a renewed sense of purpose and lay a foundation for growth.
For more information email Bill Kegler, Madison College Challenge Course Coordinator or call (608) 245-2126.
