AIM Events
Prior to each exercise the
facilitator goes over all the safety concerns and answers any questions
participants may have. Groups will be briefed in the technique of
spotting, or protecting each other from a dangerous fall. In the end
participants are responsible for their own safety and for the safety of
their teammates.
Trust
Fall
A total team event where a team
member falls backwards off a four foot platform into the arms of his or
her teammates. Complete trust and confidence on the part of the person
falling is required. For the team, cooperation and competence is
required to warrant that trust. The trust fall is a terrific challenge
for individuals and groups whose success is dependent on trust,
communication and bonding.
Wild
Woosey / Commitment Cable
This event, rather than being a
test of strength is a test of ability of two participants to totally
commit to one another while standing on two suspended cables. Here a
lack of commitment on the part of either person spells failure, because
one person can not succeed without the other. A great event for two
people who are required to work together and trust each other who may
struggle with that trust.
Spiders Web
This initiative requires the team to make
serious decisions which if made poorly results in lasting consequences.
Strategic planning with emphasis on method, order, and delivery, enable
a group to help one another get through the web successfully.
Metaphorically, to finally succeed means to produce a finished product
completed without hitches and perfect the way it was planned and
designed.
The Muse / Poison River
This is a real problem solving event with an
elusive crux or key move which is very easy to understand once it is
discovered. Good balance and physical strength are real benefits when
building bridges in this event, but can be replaced with effective
teamwork. Teams who make every task overly complicated will learn how
thinking "out of the box" can be very effective.
The Wall
Physically, the Wall is the most challenging of
all the initiative events. Without communicating verbally the group
must get all of its members up and over the 11 foot wall. Communication
becomes a major challenge as the group sets priorities as to who goes
over first and last. This event cannot be done alone — participants
must get up close and personal and work together in order to get
everyone over the wall.
The High Ropes Course
For many, the high ropes course creates the
greatest challenge due to the fact that participants are nearly 25 feet
off the ground for the entire experience. An inclined log is climbed to
get up on the course, then participants are challenged by six events
which not only tests their strength and balance, but also their trust
and confidence in themselves, the equipment, and the system. For safety
participants wear helmets and climbing harnesses. A self-belay or
protection system is used on the high ropes course to insure that a
missed step or a slip doesn't result in a fall. One event, the
Multi-vine, requires the individual to walk a 3/8 inch cable holding on
to a series of suspended ropes which are spaced far enough apart to
force the person to completely extend themselves to get the next rope.
A security knot about half way down each hanging rope often keeps
people from reaching that next rope. Symbolically, the knot might
represent those things in life we feel protect us but which actually
hold us back.
The Giant's Ladder
This event presents a tremendous challenge
requiring ultimate teamwork, balance, and strength. A 25 foot high
ladder with rungs ranging from four to six feet apart is climbed by two
partners. The ladder being suspended from cables swings and bounces
making it very difficult to ascend. Participants can use only
themselves and the ladder rungs to climb. The use of their belay rope
or the cables holding the rungs to help climb is not permitted. Two
people who can successfully climb the Giant's Ladder would make a great
partnership to accomplish the most difficult tasks.
