Climbing higher

Twelve students from Barnes Wallis Academy spent some quality time at RAF Digby on their first external session of Blue Skies Level 2. It was their teamwork refresher session, with introductory elements to leadership.

In the morning volunteers from RAF Cranwell and RAF Digby delivered a variety of tasks that challenged the students’ previous learning. They first had to practice their communication skills and trust of one another in a blindfolded ‘find the bomb’ exercise. This was followed by completing a task that initially they all chose without thinking to complete on their own, but after some consideration, realised that they were all trying to achieve the same thing and working together would be far more efficient and have a stronger outcome. This was then followed by each student having to find a way of presenting a ‘lesson’ from geese. By working together as a team, geese improve their flying efficiency by 71%. The students had to work together to understand and provide workable examples to the group from the lesson that they had to present. The final activity of the morning was a computer malfunction activity. They soon realised that appointing a number of leaders for various roles would aid the group to greater success.

In the afternoon FS Stephen Henderson (aka Jai) provided such a positive environment for the students in a climbing wall session. The trust and openness that they were shown at the base gave them the opportunities they needed to reinforce personal responsibility and integrity, as well as giving them the opportunity to practice their motivational speaking to one another.  One student in particular, Trystan, showed real courage as he allowed himself to be open to the opportunity, which in the previous year he had closed off to. He attributed much of this change in mind set to the confidence he had gained but also the constant encouragement he had been given by his peer Brandon.

“I wasn’t going to do it. It feels REALLY good that I did. I am happy with that.” When talking about the support of his peer Brandon being pivotal in encouraging him to have a try he said “Brandon helped me a lot. I needed that.” Trystan, 14

All of the students had their own successes on the wall which they understood would be individual but all equally as important, whether the goal be to get to the top or to have the confidence to have a go.

When asked what he thought of the wall, George, 14 said:

“I didn’t like it, I was shaking but I am really pleased I have done it.”

SAC Kira Skerrett, RAF Cranwell volunteer “I like the chats and the conversations I have with the students. It helps break the barriers. Today one of the girls said she had gained a lot of confidence from this morning.”