High 5 Adventure - The Podcast

Kyra Richardson (High 5 Trainer) and Ryan McCormick (Edge of Leadership) sit down together to discuss; Creating structure out of unstructured time Crafting opportunities to develop conversation skills Methods that can help conversations start Reflection that doesn't feel forced Learn more about High 5's Edge of Leadership program - https://high5adventure.org/edge-of-leadership/what-is-eol/ Connect with Kyra - krichardson@high5adventure.org Connect with Ryan - rmccormick@high5adventure.org Music and Sound Effects - epidemic sound

Life is Good. These were the words that hung behind Trevor (Executive Director of Camp Nuhop) as he joined Phil to discuss; The experience of growing up at camp The benefits of the "swoop" Creating community with your staff Why "Life is Good" Learn more about Camp Nuhop - https://nuhop.org/ Connect with Trevor - trevor@nuhop.org Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com    

How does the way we introduce ourselves to our participants impact them? Lisa asks Phil; "Inspired by a recent episode on Ego, how does how we introduce ourselves to our groups help with the self efficacy model of role models?" This leads to thoughts on; Unachievable targets Authenticity and vulnerability Being relatable Sharing the why and not the what Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com High 5’s Annual Symposium is a great coming together of adventure professionals who love to have fun, share and learn. It’s a special 1-day event for our community to reconnect, re-energize, and re-engage with our learning and each other! We’ve lined up over 15 workshop sessions, each one offering timely topics, fresh ideas, and creative tools and activities that you can start using immediately in your classroom, challenge course program, workplace, camp, outdoor center - wherever adventure learning takes you.  Register for the Symposium here - https://store.high5adventure.org/products/adventure-practitioners-symp

Perry Cohen (Founder and Executive Director of The Venture Out Project) joins Phil to discuss; His introduction to High 5 and Adventure Education Facilitation values and thoughts How The Venture Out Project began and its impact How to build a community Improving career access in the outdoor industry Learn more about The Venture Out Project - https://www.ventureoutproject.com/ Connect with Perry - perry@ventureoutproject.com Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com High 5’s Annual Symposium is a great coming together of adventure professionals who love to have fun, share and learn. It’s a special 1-day event for our community to reconnect, re-energize, and re-engage with our learning and each other! We’ve lined up over 15 workshop sessions, each one offering timely topics, fresh ideas, and creative tools and activities that you can start using immediately in your classroom, challenge course program, workplace, camp, outdoor center - wherever adventure learning takes you.  Register for the Symposium here -

Chris Damboise (High 5's Director of Training) discusses the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for work at height and the use of full body harnesses as it relates to ropes courses. You will also hear what steps High 5 is taking with regards to training our participants and clients in the use of full body harnesses. Additional information can be found following the links below; https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3845.pdf ANSI/ASSP Z359.11-2021: Full Body Harnesses Safety Requirements.   Full body harnesses we recommend - https://store.high5adventure.org/collections/harnesses/products/singing-rock-technic-full-body-harness-ansi   Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com High 5’s Annual Symposium is a great coming together of adventure professionals who love to have fun, share and learn. It’s a special 1-day event for our community to reconnect, re-energize, and re-engage with our learning and each other! We’ve lined up over 15 workshop sessions, each o

What professional development opportunities can enhance your work as an adventure educator? In this episode, Phil, Lisa, Chris and Rich (High 5 Trainers) discuss professional development ideas that may not be directly tied to the adventure educator profession yet have aided us in improving our abilities to do our jobs. Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com High 5’s Annual Symposium is a great coming together of adventure professionals who love to have fun, share and learn. It’s a special 1-day event for our community to reconnect, re-energize, and re-engage with our learning and each other! We’ve lined up over 15 workshop sessions, each one offering timely topics, fresh ideas, and creative tools and activities that you can start using immediately in your classroom, challenge course program, workplace, camp, outdoor center - wherever adventure learning takes you.  Register for the Symposium here - https://store.high5adventure.org/products/adventure-practitioners-symposium-1-day?utm_source=copyToPasteBoa

As facilitators, we often find ourselves planning and leading activities to engage our participants and help them achieve their goals. However, do we need to share the names of these activities with our participants? While it's important to provide clear instructions and objectives for each activity, the name of the activity itself is not always necessary. So, what is the purpose of activity names? One might argue that activity names serve as a way to categorize and organize different types of activities. However, it's important to remember that not all activities need to fit neatly into certain thematic buckets. In fact, sometimes activities that are seemingly unrelated can be just as effective in achieving a particular goal. For instance, a fun icebreaker game that has nothing to do with teamwork might actually help break down barriers and create a more relaxed and open atmosphere among participants. Moreover, activities that are overly prescriptive can actually hinder creativity and limit the potential out

In this episode Phil and Lisa discuss two topics related to professionalism: the misconception that wearing sunglasses can make someone appear less capable as a facilitator and the complexities of clothing and professionalism. We challenge the assumption about sunglasses and talk about how biases can shape perceptions of competence and authority. Tune in to challenge assumptions and navigate what it means to be a professional. Trevor Noah discussing professional work atire - https://youtu.be/2Qn9d5rrEhk Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com

In this episode, Phil delves into the problem of ego in trainers and educators, where this might come from and the impact it can have on their ability to teach effectively.  We also hear from High 5's Founding Director Jim Grout as he tells a story that highlights the problem that ego can have on those who teach. Phil then explores the idea that simply having years of experience or putting in long hours does not necessarily result in competency.

In this episode, Phil brings you insights from the recent Association for Challenge Course Technology conference. Here are his five key takeaways: People from all over the world attended the conference, and the connections made are incredibly valuable. Highlights from the 2 workshops that he presented. What Portland was like?....spoiler...we never really left the conference area! The importance of what makes a qualified course professional was discussed at length, emphasizing the need for a rigorous curriculum, experienced instructors and the need to share and collaborate. We are excited to bring you interviews with some of the new folks we met at the conference. Find out more about the KYOOB - https://store.high5adventure.org/collections/high-5-products/products/kyoob Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman  

In this episode, we explore the art of balancing group dynamics and safety when belaying on a ropes course while also respecting the participants awareness of tasks that are purely for behavior management. Notes from Lisa Hunt.  This exchange happened somewhere back around 2001, and I wrote it up shortly thereafter with Ken’s input: The question of how to engage the most number of students at a time on a challenge course is one that is often raised in workshops.  A common approach is involving people (students) in the tasks of operations to “keep them busy.”  Years ago, my co-leader during a workshop differentiated  these tasks as “real jobs” and “fake jobs,” and challenged participants to consider the implications of both on student behavior and growth, as well as program quality over all.    That co-leader is Ken Demas,  Veteran Physical Education teacher, former Project Adventure Trainer, coach, Board Chair at NYSAHPERD, Coordinator of Adventure and an Associate Prof. at Hofstra University  – an important

In this episode, we delve into some fundamentals of belaying. We cover the importance of maintaining a good belay stance, keeping both hands on the brake strand of the rope at all times, and enhancing your lowering techniques. Good belaying is the cornerstone of climbing safety, and a solid understanding of these basic principles can make a big difference in both your facilitator experience and your participant's sense of security. Whether you're a seasoned belayer or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable information and practical tips to help you belay with confidence. Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman   Bridge music - This is the Right Time by Orjan Karlsson

How often do you get the opportunity to co-facilitate during your programs? This is the topic of discussion in this episode, with Phil joined by colleagues Anne-Louise, Ryan, Chris and Lisa. What started as a question about how we learned to facilitate turned into a discussion on the benefits of co-facilitating and how that has had such an impact on our abilities over the years. Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman   Bridge music - This is the Right Time by Orjan Karlsson

Here is part 2 of the conversation between Phil and Steve Woods. In this episode the following was discussed; - How long trainings should last - Thoughts on protecting the trainees - How to assess trainee competency - Facilitated programming vs commercialism - Measuring program success - The British belay technique with a catchy name. Learn more about Vertex - https://www.vertex-training.co.uk/ Join the High 5 Training Team - https://high5adventure.org/job/full-time-adventure-educator-trainer/ Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman   Bridge music - This is the Right Time by Orjan Karlsson

What are the differences between being a trainer in the US vs the UK? This was a question submitted to me by one of our listeners, so we reached out to Steve Woods, the Technical Director at Vertex Instructor Training, which is based in England, to see what differences and what similarities there are between us. This is a 2 part episode and in this part we discuss -  - Training newer practitioners - Growing in the industry thanks to influential facilitators - What is the essential component of a successful training Learn more about Vertex - https://www.vertex-training.co.uk/ Join the High 5 Training Team - https://high5adventure.org/job/full-time-adventure-educator-trainer/ Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman   Bridge music - This is the Right Time by Orjan Karlsson

What are the pros and cons to repeating activities? How do you handle participants who have experienced the activities before? These questions (and more) and discussed in this episode and Phil, Lisa, Chris and Jim discuss activity repetition. Tinker Book - https://store.high5adventure.org/collections/books-digital-resources/products/tinker-building-purposeful-experiences-from-classic-adventure-activities Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman Bridge music - This is the Right Time by Orjan Karlsson

What are some of the elements that are important to consider when modifying activities for your participants? Guest Host Rich Keegan chats with his friend and past colleague Jeff Dutko to discuss this very topic. Jeff has worked for many years at the Gengras Center - find more information here - https://www.gengrascenter.org/ Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman Bridge music - This is the Right Time by Orjan Karlsson

Hiring staff for summer camp can be a constant struggle. New thoughts and strategies should be considered. Phil and Greg (formally of the Mayhew program) sit down to discuss their thoughts on; - Creating a culture that encourages staff retention - Training staff - Staff hiring pitfalls *This was originally recorded in the winter of 2019* Connect with Greg - gregorystoutzenberger@gmail.com  Learn more about the Mayhew Program -https://www.mayhew.org/ Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman

How do you end your program, training or workshop? The Training Team (Phil, Rich, Chris and Lisa) discuss how they end a program or workshop with a group. Saying goodbye, closing activities and when to reflect with the group. Donate here - https://high5adventure.org/donate/ Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman Outro music - Hold My Hand by They Dream By Day

What do you do at the very start of your program, training or workshop? In this episode members of our training team (Phil, Rich, Chris and Lisa) discuss how they begin a program or workshop with a group. Activities that set the tone, strategies to connect with the group early on and coping with awkward silences. Priya Parker Ted Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppfONdsOkWI Donate here - https://high5adventure.org/donate/ Music and Sound effects - epidemicsound.com Intro music - I've Found My Way by Hallman Outro music - Hold My Hand by They Dream By Day