We’d like to hear from you! Send us your feedback and be eligible to win a prize. working@mcmaster.ca.

McMaster
ALTITUDE

Adventure Education and
Teambuilding Specialists

By Tamara Monster

Tucked away in the eastern corner of campus, behind Ivor Wynne, you may have seen a curious grouping of structures looming large in one corner, including a very tall (fifty foot) ‘alpine tower’. These curious apparatuses are the property of McMaster’s Athletics and Recreation department. A program named ALTITUDE (Achieving Leadership Through Integrating Teamwork Unity Dedication and Empowerment) uses the tower and accompanying structures to promote leadership and team development with groups. Titles Bookstore, Continuing Education and University Advancement are all departments on campus which have been involved recently with ALTITUDE’s programs. ALTITUDE’s programs are created with the goal of helping participants develop respect for themselves and their team members. With this important emphasis on respect, communication and team effort, participants can also expect to walk away with increased awareness of fostering more effective communication strategies, deeper understanding of leadership styles, improved conflict resolution skills and problem solving strategies.

			ALTITUDE requires a minimum of 12 participants for a program, and can accommodate groups of up to 250. Alpine Tower programs are limited to 24 participants at a time, however, larger groups can be accommodated by splitting climbing time up during the day. If your group is interested in ALTITUDE, you will be asked for: The date you would like your program to be run The number of participants in your group The type of program you’re interested in A completed group composition form (see the ALTITUDE website to download it) Your contact information (name, phone number, fax number, email, and address)

The most impressive piece of ALTITUDE equipment is the Alpine Tower. This fifty foot tower is the first of its kind in Canada. If the thought of climbing and belaying from a tower, complete with ropes, pulleys and safety hat makes you cringe, there is really no need to fear (or assume that ALTITUDE is not a good program choice)!  At the base of the tower and close to ground level, there are specific “low rope” group activities’, and a nearby 10 acre field and oval patch of grass allocated for  group initiatives that are intended to reinforce team building and leadership development. According to Wayne Terryberry, Program Co-ordinator for ALTITUDE, a group can also go to an off campus location, and participate in completely different activities than the ones organized around the tower and ropes. When I surveyed the alpine tower and viewed photos of the giant swing on the ALTITUDE website, it made me imagine the area as an inviting playground: as adults, how often do we get the chance to freely “play” and have fun on recreation equipment of the nature that is generally the domain of children?

Wayne and the ALTITUDE staff work with groups to design customized programs suitable to the needs and goals of everyone. Wayne emphasized the importance of designing a day of adventure and self-discovery with consideration given to: the group’s goals, their dynamics, and the comfort level of individuals participating. All programs are run on a “challenge by choice philosophy”, meaning that activities have a wide range of choice built into them. Participants are encouraged to step outside their comfort zone, but no one will ever be forced to do a specific activity if they choose not to. With ALTITUDE’s supportive and highly trained facilitators close by, there is no doubt many people may feel inspired to try something that didn’t think they were capable of before!  By applying the principles of “adventure education”, it seems to me that the experience must ultimately be more enriching than what we could find within a confining classroom or lecture hall. At the end of the day, “debriefing” is a necessary aspect to the group’s success. Debriefing is the process of reflecting on the events of the day with respect to goals. What did you learn about yourself? About your group? Did we function effectively? What was learned during the process? Summarizing and reflecting is an important conclusion to the day’s events.

To book a program for your group, or for pricing information, ALTITUDE can be contacted by phone at 905-525-9140 ext 23879 or by email at altitud@mcmaster.ca.
The ALTITUDE website is: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/altitude/index.htm

Go to: McMaster’s United Way Campaign Gears Up!

The Perspectives Editorial Board welcomes employees contributions and letters. Make a submission to Perspectives!

Current Issue | Newsletter Index

Feature Articles  |  Editorial  |  Employee Health & Wellness
Humour  |  Retrospectives  |  Fun Stuff  |  Upcoming Employee Events