Program overview
IEEC’s Leadership and Teamwork program provides students with challenging activities and experiences that aim to build interpersonal skills and resilience across personal and group situations, with a focus upon positive attributes including respect, perseverance, creativity, communication and kindness. Following the challenges, students are given time to reflect on the teamwork and leadership attributes they are observing in themselves and their peers.
Learning experiences
4 way tug-o-war
Teams select from one of four individual tug-o-war ropes in a game of elimination. With each initial round finishing in a stalemate, teams must realise that this challenge requires strategy, inclusion, communication and teamwork to win. Reflection on positive attributes is introduced by IEEC staff.
Giant parachute
The entire group must work as one to allow the giant parachute to beat like a heart. Once synchronised, students will be led in a variety of games which require complete cooperation and coordination from every team member to realise their full potential. Reflection of positive attributes is further modeled by IEEC staff and visiting teachers.
Initiative activities
Working in groups of approximately 8, small teams must combine their strength, balance, intellect and most importantly teamwork to complete a wide variety of challenges, ranging from the easy to the downright frustrating. In order to succeed, groups must carefully consider and utilise each person’s unique skills to overcome the problem at hand. Reflection of positive attributes is completed in student directed group settings with teachers facilitating.
Survival challenges
Utilising basic equipment, students must work as a team to construct a shelter to protect them from the elements. Their shelters must survive the incoming ‘rain’, before the second component can begin. Taking the lead from Bear Grylls, students are set the challenge of cooking marshmallows over a fire. However, to create the fire, no matches will be supplied. Instead students must use a flint and steel to light the tinder, which must then be used carefully to light a larger fire to cook their marshmallows.
Beach puzzles
Tangrams - Working in groups, students dig in the sand to unearth their 7 tangram shapes and using their teamwork skills, work together in a race for time to complete the three marine animal shape puzzles presented to them.
Bucket challenge - Students are given a series of brain teaser challenges that are a variation of the chicken, fox, grain dilemma of getting all across the river safely. Each round requires working in teams to strategise, then cooperate as they race against others in a wet and wild frenzy!
Outcomes - PDHPE
(Note: S3-5 outcomes vary slightly and our program is adjusted accordingly.
- PD4-1 examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges
- PD4-2 examines and demonstrates the role help-seeking strategies and behaviours play in supporting themselves and others
- PD4-3 investigates effective strategies to promote inclusivity, equality and respectful relationships
- PD4-9 demonstrates self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations
- PD4-10 applies and refines interpersonal skills to assist themselves and others to interact respectfully and promote inclusion in a variety of groups or contexts