First year business students from Northumbria University, Newcastle Business School, have been sharpening their team-building and employability skills on a field trip to the Calvert Trust charity centre at Kielder Water.
The 20-strong cohort undertook a series of exercises as part of their Entrepreneurial Business Management (EBM) course. Activities included high rope courses, archery, laser clay shooting and indoor climbing.
In a radical departure from traditional teaching methods, the EBM course is aimed at those aspiring to set up and run their own businesses or wish to stand out from the crowd when applying for professional employment after graduation. Working in teams, the students – known as Teampreneurs – study for their degrees by running their own business. They are coached, rather than taught, by highly qualified and experienced practitioners.
The structure of the Kielder trip compresses the time usually needed to build relationships within a team, providing the Teampreneurs with the ability to work more effectively earlier on in their learning. They were encouraged to work both in large groups and in pairs. To enhance their professional development in the context of diversity awareness they were also given the opportunity to replicate disabilities such as sight and hearing impairments when taking part in the activities.
Dr Jane Turner, Associate Dean for Business Engagement at Newcastle Business School, said: “We have a very strong relationship with the Calvert Trust and we know that taking our students to the centre can be a real eye-opener and a hugely valuable learning experience, stimulating the development of teamwork, problem solving and leadership skills. Students engage with the guests of Calvert Trust which we consider a vital part of the learning experience, building a deeper understanding of people with disabilities.”
“This is the third year that Newcastle Business School students have taken part in a trip to the Calvert Trust. This is a very worthy charity that we are keen to support.”
The Calvert Trust run three activity centres – the Lake District, Exmoor and Kielder, each of which raises its own funds. As a registered charity, they help thousands of people with disabilities every year, to take part in activities they may otherwise not have had the opportunity to enjoy.
Colin Rutherford from the Calvert Trust at Kielder said: “We have been working with Newcastle Business School for the last three years and we are delighted with the continuing relationship. Many of the students are in the early part of their course and so are still making the transition from school to university life, meeting new colleagues and developing self- awareness. The visits to Kielder Calvert Trust propel them into a different environment and with poor internet connection and no mobile phone reception, they are able to interact with each other and meet other centre guests from quite different backgrounds.”
“The Calvert Trust Kielder specialises in enabling people with disabilities to access outdoor activities such as Canoeing and Rock Climbing. When the students join us they not only get a chance to meet people with disabilities in a neutral setting but also to experience and empathise some of what it can mean to have a disability. On many of the activities we use equipment to replicate certain disabilities and not only does this give the students a different learning experience it forces the groups to work closely and support each other, enhancing the teambuilding experience.”
“What are always impressive are the changes visible in such a short space of time. In just two days it is noticeable the change in communication skills and group work that takes place in a very informal way.”
Other programmes using activities provided by the Calvert Trust include the Degree in Business Leadership and Corporate Management and the Newcastle Business School MBA.
