Amaze me Leader manual 2017

HOW TO: AMAZE ME LEADER MANUAL

FOREWORD You are holding in your hand a manual for producing an Amaze Me Leader project.

Amaze Me Leader is a Leader project that 



generates rural development gets young people involved in the activities Leader produces

The manual is based on experiences gained from the Amaze Me Leader adventure seminar organised in Finland, August 2017. The manual provides you with information about planning and preparation for Leader projects as well as many other insights and ideas. You will also learn how we make a safe and high-quality adventure week filled with learning and fun. Get ready to be AMAZED!

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CONTENT What is Amaze Me Leader Amaze Me Leader in Finland 2017 Learning  Experimental learning  Reflection  Grouping  Summary

Behavior and rules  Behavior  Attitude  Incurance  Damage  Leavig the adventure  Intoxicants

Roles and duties  Cooperators  Action groups  Adventure Hosts  Public relations

Safety  Safety plan  First aid  Tiny first aid manual  Behavior and Rules

Making Amaze Me Leader  Marketing  Registration  Camp letter  Maps and navigation

Programme planning  A one week program  Trial run  Arriving and Get together  Transition  Daily timetable

    

Action points Accommodation Farewell party Feedback Camp magazine

This manual is made by

Katri Ojapalo 2

WHAT IS AMAZE ME LEADER Amaze Me Leader is an international adventure seminar that is produced for young EU citizens between the ages of 18 to 29.

It’s a rural development project which aims to generate young people’s interest in the Leader programme’s activities, entrepreneurship and rural development by using elements of adventure in a natural environment.

Amaze Me Leader is inspired by travel and competition TV shows.

In our concept we present and introduce Leader as an adventure seminar and we stress the learning element more than the competitive side. The tasks are designed to inform the participants about Leader –funding programme, provide local youth with the opportunities to be part of rural development and advance multicultural understanding in new ways. To make the programme feel like more of an adventure we do not inform the participants of the programme’s tasks before arrival at the adventure seminar.

The adventure seminar takes the participants on a week-long adventure around Finnish rural region and five local action groups. The aim is to inform them about rural entrepreneurship and the role that Leader has played in rural development.

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TASKS 

Support rural entrepreneurship through using experience based education methods.

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Apply experimental education to promote entrepreneurship skills among young people.

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Raise young people’s awareness of Leader activities.

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Provide local young people with the opportunity to be involved in rural development.

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Find new ways to promote mutual understanding between people from different

The goal of the international adventure seminar is to give youths an opportunity to see how things that are familiar are done differently in other countries. During the week learning takes place by doing and hopefully the new knowledge and methods gained can be used in their home countries.

Amaze Me Leader in Finland 2017 In 2017 Amaze Me Leader was organised in Finland. During a one-week seminar a total of 52 participants from Finland, Latvia, Scotland and Estonia travelled around Lake Saimaa getting to know rural entrepreneurs and associations that have raised the quality of the life and social and business activity in the area.

The event was jointly organised by the Leader groups PohjoisKymen Kasvu, Veej’jakaja, Piällysmies, Rajupusu, Leader LänsiSaimaa ry. and Rural Network and the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk), which coordinated the execution of the project.

Each day had a different organiser, either one of the Leader groups or Xamk. Each group organised different action points, which were run by local entrepreneurs and volunteers. The themes of the action points were, for example, rural entrepreneurship, cooperation, experiential learning and ecology. The natural world and having respect for it was underlined in the activities. Each action point and entrepreneur received Leader funding, thus the participants were able to see how the funding can be used. At each action point, participants made something themselves. These action point tasks included, for example, making nails at a smithy, learning a traditional dance’s choreography and creating marketing photos for companies. The aim was to give both participants and the local entrepreneurs an

opportunity for experiential learning. The participants brainstormed ideas for entrepreneurs to help them develop their company in the future.

The participants were divided into groups of 3-4 people, and they were assigned a rental car for the whole seminar week. The idea was that people with the same nationality or the same Leader groups were not put together in a car. Hence, the participants had to get to know new people and learn about new cultures, fulfilling one project aim of finding new ways to promote understanding between people from different cultures in a new way. Each day, the participants received instructions from an X-Routes app for navigating and travelling; the app was installed in their phones and is based on the Google Maps navigation app.

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LEARNING Experience based learning Amaze Me Leader is an adventure seminar, which uses experimental design, experiential education and allows the participants learn through experience-based learning – learning by doing tasks with little or no supervision.

climbing it and feeling tense but experiencing success than it is to read about it.

Central elements in experiential learning are self-drifting and reflectivity. This so called all-encompassing learning theory emphasizes a person’s ability to exploit and affect their own experience and use that process in their own learning process.

Experience-based learning includes many pedagogical tools that Experiential learning has been adapt by adults because it help educators use adventures and exciting experiences as reinforces learning. educational elements.

Taking part in adventures must always be voluntary as adventures can never be completely planned, which is why there is always an element of failure. It is important to take these failures as opportunities for learning and self-improvement.

Nevertheless, the adventures must always happen in a safe environment and under supervision.

Experience-based learning is central to the Amaze Me Leader tasks that develop experiential education. Experience based learning is often described as “sticky”, meaning that the act of doing and experiencing helps a person’s memory retain knowledge more permanently than just hearing and following a lecture. It is a completely different thing to see a rock by

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Reflection

the learning experience remains partial and reflection will not be advanced as desired. A well-processed experience will revise In reflection we picture and consider what we have learned a person’s aims in an encompassing way and enhance the previously and how we can reconsider something if needed and experience. When revising experiences, a person considers their use the previously unconsidered opportunities that open up. own reaction to the experience and generates different modes There cannot be learning without reflection, thus to generate of action for the next time something similar is experienced. The a deeper understanding, theory and action must also be purpose is to develop new thoughts and ideas for future use. understood.

One of the most used self-reflection methods is a learning diary.

We recognise success and failure and do not consider one better than the other for learning. Reflection is a process of actively looking at and processing what has been learned and analysing it to compare notes against previous learning. To attain as good a learning result as possible, it is essential that a person can disassociate feelings and attitudes from situations clearly.

Reflection is a tool with which one examines different aspects of experience. A single learning experience does not necessarily teach or reveal anything and there is also the risk that an experience is constructed incorrectly. For example, an experience that blocks other experiences from arising is incorrectly structured and inhibits the continuance of the learning process.

A basic way to reflect is to return the mind to an experience, event or incident; re-experiencing the feelings and thoughts associated with that same event. It is also important that negative feelings and thoughts be returned to, otherwise

Above: Kolb’s learning circle 6

Grouping To maximise learning the environment needs to be good for it too, which is why the grouping of participants is important to make at the start. In a comfortable and safe environment it becomes easier to do your best, especially if you trust the people around you Grouping is a process where it is important that group members become acquainted, interact, trust and work with each other.

Grouping starts when group members become more acquainted; a tight group takes time and to develop a really trusting envi- Summary ronment but that’s the key to real grouping Theory is very important; take care of the theoretical part. We want participants to learn new information and experience Grouping not only includes group members getting to know each other better, every member of the group should feel safe things in fun way and in a good environment. Organisers can help with that. and good, ensuring that working in the group will have a good flow. Thus, in an encouraging learning environment, a group will Experience-based learning is the most effective way to get support its own learning and prevent discrimination. knowledge to stick in the memory for a long time. By gaining experience of something new, people develop and learn about their skills, feelings and thoughts based on how they interact, function and work together and alone. Consequently, experiential learning is most effective if its participants can really put their hands in the dirt and learn by doing. It makes ideas take 7 flight.

By using reflection the participants create the opportunity to place their thoughts in a clearly understandable sequence, discuss ideas, share opinions, learn new methods of thinking and acting, while possibly generating the opportunity to take further action in the future. Advisors have a major role to play in enabling effective reflection to ensure the best learning .

To extract all the positive aspects from all the actions, it is important to form groups at the beginning and maintain them throughout the adventure seminar, allowing the building of a fun “we-spirit” that makes participating more enjoyable.

Here are some ideas for forming actions groups and for methods

Reflection methods 

Circles

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Group work

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Pair conversation

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Learning diary

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Meditation

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Own aims

The advisors has the largest share of the work to do because it is they who must formulate the questions and ask the participants to answer them. When planning questions, it is necessary to remember people’s aims and what we want the participants to learn.

For example, questions like “What happened?

Why did it happen? What can be done in the future about it?” can be asked. The rounds are the easiest section and the gentle, general reflections are also easy. However, the more a group is divided into smaller groups, the more intense the reflection.

Grouping actions 

Get to know –practice

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Ice breacker questions/ warm up questions

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Missions/race competitions

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Games

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Just for fun/amusing action

With these actions it is important to mix up the car groupings and maybe do something with the whole group.

At the start, it is useful to find similarities and learn something that connects people to each other. Sometimes it is fun to play against each other and sometimes doing something amusing is the best way to create a transparent and trusting environment within a group.

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ROLES AND DUTIES

Amaze Me Leader 2017 was organised and hosted by five Leader LAGs in cooperation with South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) and the Finnish Rural Network.

The organisers prepared for the risks involved in cooperation between the various operators through a clear-cut division of duties: each action group is responsible for accommodation, meals, activity points and other supervised activities in their own area. The AML Managers, the AML Coordinator and the Coordination Secretary are responsible for the implementation of the event in its entirety.

COORDINATOR Xamk was responsible of the coordination and of initiating the large cooperation. Xamk launched the project and took care of the administration in compiling the project plan, drawing up a cost estimate, altering it and making copies of decisions available for local action groups.

Coordinator was also responsible for planning a preliminary

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schedule and compiling reports, applications for funding, and dealing with requests and reports from action groups. After the event coordinator received and inspected all invoices (compared to the cost estimate).

LOCAL ACTION GROUPS Local Action Groups (Leader LAGs) present the required Leader expertise to the participants and organise presentation of Leader activities in their area. This is a local action group’s opportunity to present what makes their area special, for example, the kind of entrepreneurs found, the activities and unique features of a rural area.

Action groups have at least one day in a programme that they are responsible for organising. They plan the entire event for that day by drafting a programme for the event, finding the necessary workers, creating an organisation for the event if necessary, delegating duties for the duration of the event, making a risk analysis and safety plan for the day.

During their own event day they set up the starting point, greet the participants, monitor the participants’ progress, instruct the participants, host the event and award the daily prizes.

ADVENTURE HOSTS Adventure Hosts involve themselves in the adventure in order to help the participants. They host participants the whole week and travel with them. Their job is to provide information and be advisers for the group. Adventure Hosts are with the participants all the time and get to know how the group is. If there is conflict in a group, the Adventure Host is the one who should realise it first because they know the group. They are there to help the participants through the week and to help them extract every positive aspect of the week.

pants and host the event. They are also affectionately known as: “A Jack of all Trades�.

PUBLIC RELATIONS For Amaze Me Leader we had a group of members from the Rural Network, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and students from Xamk who took care of marketing material and public relations for the seminar. They contacted media both locally and nationally. They recorded the adventure seminar in pictures and videos in order to edit and produce camp magazines and videos.

Also local politicians were hosted during the tour.

Throughout the week, the Adventure Host holds an Adventure Office every morning and evening at the places of accommodation, which is where information disseminated.

An Adventure Host performs duties such as the planning of logistics, like car routes checkpoints, risk analysis and safety plans. They take charge of interaction with participants before the seminar: conducting enrolment, informing the participants, answering questions, enrolment, making and sending information in paper form, asking for ID, sending invoices, monitoring the payments, sorting the list of participants for the kick-off event and dividing the participants into teams.

During the event they set up the starting point, greet the participants, monitor the participants’ progress, instruct the partici-

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MAKING AMAZE ME LEADER MARKETING

REGISTRATION

The marketing of an Adventure seminar goes through a network of organisers and the participants come via Leader groups, thus good marketing material should be made available. It is also useful to use different media platforms to send the message to as many places as possible.

The registration of participants is most easily done electronically. The registration form can be drafted online and the link provided enables people to register.

At the beginning of the registration it is crucial to gather information about the Amaze Me Leader participants, such Currently, videos are an easy way to present an event and as asking for copies of their driving license, the participant fee recreate the feeling of an environment while raising interest in receipt and valid insurance certificates. The participants go being part of an adventure seminar. For Amaze Me Leader 2017 through the seminar on their own insurance, Amaze Me Leader we initially made some marketing and teaser videos and then does not provide insurance. If a participant does not have their made videos of every day of the Amaze Me week, documenting own insurance, they are forbidden from taking part in the event. for future marketing.

The participants will also will be asked to pay a participation fee to cover some of seminar’s costs.

As the participating youths will know little about the programme, making interesting looking material with good content The registration asks for name and contact details, a contact is essential. Presenting the tasks and ideas behind Amaze Me person in case of emergency, their Leader group and their Leader motivates youths to participate. country of residence. Allergies (food or otherwise), medication, injuries and disabilities are asked for and participants are also asked to rate their swimming skills for safety reasons. At the end of the registration, it is useful to allow time for a meeting when all participants can ask questions and make comments.

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behaviour, rules for safety, the weekly programme – days, arrival times and departure times, tasks and some links to acquaint participants with the event areas. Lastly, instructions for contacting other organisers – emails, phone numbers.

If necessary, a second camp letter can be sent a week before the adventure seminar to answer FAQs and add crucial information.

MAPS and NAVIGATING CAMP LETTER Amaze Me Leader is adventure seminar in which the participants do not know beforehand their exact programme. This is why a camp letter is important to make clear as that is the only information, participants will receive about the events and activities beforehand. For example, if there is going to be lots of walking or even hiking, it needs to be mentioned that you will need good shoes or a swim suit is required.

For Amaze Me Leader 2017 there was an X-Routes app, which everyone could download onto their phone. The App used Google Maps to allow participants to navigate from A to B. The instructions opened one by one when check points were passed and action points completed, or places of accommodation or eating places were left. Every check point had at least one small task to do before the participants received their next instructions.

Wishing the participants welcome and providing them a brief summary of the idea of Amaze Me Leader should be put at the start of a camp letter. Organisers will need insurance, rules of

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SAFETY When talking about adventure and experiential learning, questions about safety will be faced. For an adventure, there is always some element which cannot fully be planned for beforehand. Hence, we must as thoroughly as possible recognise all risks and know how to handle them if an emergency arises, which is why a safety plan and risk assessments must be made.

In any action: safety is first.

SAFETY PLAN Every country has its own laws and safety standards for events.

The instructions include information about Finnish laws, e.g. public access rights. Please, ensure your country’s laws are obeyed for during such events and act as required.

A good safety plan is one of the most important things to put into place. A comprehensive and clearly detailed safety plan indicates a well-planned event. A cornerstones of Amaze Me Leader 2017 was the adventure seminar week’s safety plan, which contained complete information for every action point

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and place of accommodation.

Thus, we can be sure that we are ready for everything and everyone knows the risks.

The safety plan should describe what kind event Amaze Me Leader is, what kind of group it is, what its programme is and all the addresses to be visited, the safety of the event (the risks of the actions and how to minimise risks and how to act if an accident occurs), fire safety, evacuation, communication during an emergency, important numbers and the risk analyses of every action point.

Commonly listed risks in an adventure seminar are different kinds of accidents (cuts, illness, sprains), traffic accidents, being lost, hygiene, activity in or near water, fire/gas/sauna, social issues, external danger, animals/ plants/ insects, the equipment used for activities, swimming and accommodation.

A safety plan needs to be familiar to organisers and participants alike. Organisers need to read it before the event and the participants need safety information to ensure a safe event.

RISK ANALYSIS

It also includes important phone numbers for the risk situations.

Every action point organiser must read the manual beforehand Every action point and accommodation place must have its own and take it with them to their action point. To make instructions risk analysis. A risk analysis is written for every action point and we used information taken from, e.g. Red Cross websites. includes who is responsible for it, who has made the risk analysis and a phone number to contact if an accident occurs during an activity. All risks, such as slipping on rocks, are asRisk analysis sessed on a scale of 1-5. The avoidance of risk is defined as is Action point: Experiental action the taking of action when an activity that might be risky takes Made by: Maria Amaze places. An evacuation place in case of fire must also be identified.

Risk

The action point organiser is responsible for safety during the activities because they have planned the action and knows the risks best. They need to be ready to act during any accident situation Every action point should have a first aid kit containing all the equipment for managing risks which could occur at their action point.

Chance 1-5

Seriousness 1-5

Climping accident 2

1-5

Swimming accident 2

1-5

Bout of illness 2

1-5

TINY FIRST AID MANUAL Amaze me Leader 2017 provided a first aid manual for each action point. The manual contains instructions with pictures depicting how to act in different kinds of situations, accidents and illnesses.

Group does not show up 30 minutes after the goal time elapses

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1

How to avoid risk?

What to do when risk happens?

Guida behavior, educate instuctors

First aid, call 911 (112 in Finland) call to organisers

Info about participant’s swimming skils, guida of behavior

Helping, first aid if needed, call to 911, call to organisers

Info about participant’s health, first aid kit

Scale of the seriousness of the illness, first aid if needed, call to organisers

Groups have all phonenumbers, obligation to declare problems encountered

Phone the group, clarify situation, guidance and giving instructions, going to help

Evacuation place: Car park

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Attitude For the week, everyone will need an adventurous mind and attitude. There may be stressful moments but with an open BEHAVIOR AND RULES mind and attitude, everyone will survive. An adventure seminar We want to provide everyone with an adventure seminar that is must include tasks during the week; Amaze Me Leader is an full of exploration, promotes learning and allows innovativeness adventure seminar, meaning there has to be various camping in safe environments. There are many participants, so there are activities and physical challenges – hopefully, not too stressfull. some things that are good to do with everyone to make the time more enjoyable. For instance, it is useful to include all the Insurance required information about the programme in an email and Participants will need personal and equipment insurance; each make hard copies and then go through that information again individual is responsible for his own insurance, equipment and upon arrival. This creates a clear idea of the structure and obluggage. In practice, the participants’ own travel and home jectives, leading to a positive attitude from the very start. Here insurance cover the adventure seminar. Amaze Me Leader does is some information on the essential tasks used in Amaze Me not provide insurance cover for participants!

Leader 2017.

Behavior Many people participate in Amaze Me Leader. This is good to realise beforehand as there will be queues and times where people have to wait for their own turn. Everyone is in the same situation; trying to work as a team, thus every person has to make space for everyone else and ensure no person is left outside of the group. Anyone can select their own task. Also, try to talk to everyone at least once during the week 15

It is possible that people or property will be involved in an accident during the week. As preparation for such eventualities, the participants are required to take out a travel insurance policy for the duration of the event upon enrolment.

Additionally, minors are required to present written consent from a parent or guardian that clearly specifies the reasons for the child’s participation.

Damage The organisers of local activity points and Amaze Me Leader will not be responsible for any damage to a participant’s personal equipment.

Each person is personally responsible for their own behaviour in traffic. If they are given a speeding ticket, they must pay it.

Leaving the adventure A participant can quit an adventure at any time but leaving in the middle of the adventure is at the participant's own expense.

Hence, we can advise on transport but we do not pay for transport or provide it in such cases.

Intoxicants Smoking is only permitted in smoking areas. It is prohibited to smoke in cars, at activity points, or around other participants.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is not permitted. Nor is drinking alcohol or taking other intoxicants allowed during an event and at the accommodation area. Allowing a person to drive while they are under the influence of alcohol or any other drugs is prohibited.

Local organisers and their support teams are allowed to remove drunken or disruptive individuals from an event area.

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PICS

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PICS

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PROGRAM PLANNING WEEK PROGRAMME An adventure week programme consists of a few main points: arrival and meeting, action days, a farewell party on the final evening and the departure day.

It’s good to plan days so that they are as varied as possible. This way there should be enough things of interest for everyone: something old, something new. Remember to check there is food for everyday and that the food will not be the same three days in a row.

Participants have come to the seminar through Leader groups, so they should be interested in how Leader works in your specific local area. For example, explain how Leader funding was applied for and given and how your area would function and look without that funding.

Presenting a locality and one’s own country of residence through food has proven to be special for participants. They have come to a new country to experience its environment, culture and society and what it has to offer. Be proud of your own country.

Seminar days will essentially consist of driving between action points, readying accommodation and similar activities. Food is

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organised locally to provide participants with energy and experiences to keep everyone energetic the whole week.

During the week, time-allocated but surprise tasks are initiated, although on a friendly rather than an ultra-competitive basis.

The main tasks are to educate and learn as well as experience the week to the fullest.

TRIAL RUN The trial run will help organisers get to know action points and allow them to check that everything is in good condition. It is simply good planning to have a check list of everything that needs to be clarified about action points, like parking, because if questions arise there is time to deal with them and share information and opinions.

A trial run is also the best moment to check paths, trails and road access. Also, if people are visiting a place for the first time, they may realise new aspects, such as how to ensure everyone finds the right place and work out at approximately what time they will arrive.

A trial run reduces risks prior to the event itself, allowing the organisers to spot any problem points so that nothing is left to chance. A trial run also allows for the seizing of new opportunities – if there is time.

ARRIVAL AND GET TOGETHER

TRANSITION

The first day is really important for presenting the environment of an Amaze Me Leader adventure seminar. Participants do not necessarily have much information about the week, hence getting acquainted and learning the structure of the seminar is important.

The teams will be made up of young people of different nationalities and they will be provided with a car and a media device for reporting on their progress and contacting organisers if there is a problem. Each team will be given a map with action points and places of interest marked. The idea is that all car groups will go through the same sets of activity points. At the It is important that organisers welcome participants at the activity points, different activities will be organised and every airport or ferry and give instructions on how to travel to the first participant will have to be involved at all times, and the meeting place. Initial interaction is important and it is essential organisers will try to avoid queues developing for an activity. to give positive feelings about how the week is going to be.

Participants were divided into smaller car groups to provide On arriving at the place of accommodation, participants will a cross-cultural mix and ensure the participants are not known enrol, be given their first information on what to do at their to each other beforehand or from the same country. This means accommodation and where to meet when everyone has arrived. participants get to know new people and that an unfamiliar At Amaze Me Leader 2017 participants also received “survival� language group doesn’t dominate conversation in a car. bags, which included general but often overlooked supplies: an Amaze Me Leader notebook, a tube scarf, a rain coat, mosquito repellent, a pen and a drinking bottle, The get together kick-off welcomes everyone to the adventure; participants will be given information on behaviour and safety instructions and the groups will begin to get to know each other through action. This is also when participants will get to know their upcoming team, i.e. their car teams.

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Day 2.

Person in charge: Anne/ LAG B.

TIMETABLE FOR THE WEEK Each day has its own host organisation, e.g. a leader action group. The host organisation is responsible for their day’s programme of 2 to 4 action points, accommodation, food, the planning of transition from place to place and the day’s schedule.

They can organise days how they want but must remember to include tasks and the aims of the week.

8:00

Breakfast Packing

9:00

Leaving—Start the car engines

10:00—11:00

Action point 1

11:00-12:00

Moving to Action point 2

12:00-13:00

Action point 2

If each day has a similar timetable, participants develop a feeling of familiarity and are less likely to want to rush from one place to another, which happens when the whole programme is unclear.

For example, a day should start and end around same time and meal times should be the same.

13:00-14:30

Eating. Moving to Action point 3

14:30-15:30

Action point 3

On the right there is an example of a one-day timetable. It needs to be loose enough so that there is no rush; timetables cannot be too tight, we do not want people to rush while driving in traffic.

However, there can be the possibility that the participants do the action points in a different order. If that will occur, clear instructions must ensure there is no misunderstanding.

15:30-17:00

Snacks and moving to the place of accommodation

17:00-18:00

Accommodation

18:00-20:30

Supper and evening activities

20:30-

Back to the accommodation Possibility for shower and sauna

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Visiting the LAG office between 9-16 Refueling

ACTION POINTS

Please leave time for audience questions.

Each action group is responsible for the planning and implementation of the activity points in its area. Each action group organises a minimum of 2 activity points in its area. This gives the groups a relatively free hand to create a representative sample of Leader activities in their area in a way that will interest young people and promote our goals of applying experiential education within entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurship in rural areas.

For example, be prepared to present the use of Leader funding at an action point: e.g. an entrepreneur who has stand-up paddle board business. First, describe how the business started and what kind business and services are offered. Then there should be the possibility to try these services or help the entrepreneur by doing something for him, for example, helping clear the landscape of litter or present new business ideas on how to develop the SUP board business.

When planning action points, it is good to remember the week’s tasks. What we want participants to learn and how. We want participants to have new, good experiences by doing tasks on their own – with their own hands. We call this experiential learning — learning by doing. Amaze Me Leader 2017 had action points such as making nails in a smithy, fishing, collecting berries and generating new business ideas for entrepreneurs.

Action point organisers are responsible for the safety of the action they choose. They should know the area and the activity.

Most businesses make their own safety plans beforehand but it is useful to ask them to conduct their own risk analysis about that specific activity. If an action point has a high risk of accident, then the place needs to be changed. Participants and organisers should not be placed in unnecessary danger.

Action point organisers should also state how the Leader group received funding as the aim is to present Leader activity and entrepreneurship. Hence, it should be made really clear to participants how that precise action point is related to Leader activities: organisers should present themselves first and what they do and then, for example, ask rhetorical questions to provide answers about how Leader has helped them achieve their aims.

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ZZZ . . .

ACCOMMODATION Accommodation must be big enough for everyone. This will promote group interaction. For Amaze Me Leader 2017, accommodation varied from tents to cottages and gymnasium floors. All places need to be checked for fire risk.

At the place of accommodation, there needs to be a plan beforehand as to where each person will sleep. Accommodation needs to go smoothly. Someone must be on night duty if participants need something or something happens – sleep is important when people drive all day long, so the person on night duty must ensure everyone has a pleasant environment in which to sleep.

Furthermore, ensure that there are enough toilets and places to shower for all – males and females.

At the place of accommodation the host will maintain an adventure office. In the morning, they will do a breathalyser test for that day’s driver. If they have zero alcohol in their blood they will be given car keys, which are then collected every evening.

Through the office, the participants will receive their

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information for the day and the day’s hosts can monitor the well-being of the participants. Thus, it is easy to talk with everyone and grasp problems before they become bigger.

FAREWELL PARTY On last evening, there will be a farewell party at which the adventure seminar will be brought to an end. Please thank everyone: participants, organisers and volunteers. Every person who has made Amaze Me Leader happen is invited .

On the last evening it’s good to jointly reflect together on what everyone has learned, what will be taken home and to have good time with each other one last time. Participants will receive a certificate of honour to show they have been part of this Amaze Me Leader adventure seminar.

FEEDBACK One or two weeks after the adventure seminar has ended it will be time to ask for feedback from the participants, who will have had some time to recognise what has happened. At this point, the adventure seminar will start to become a memory in the past and it will be easier to consider it and reflect on what it meant, realise what was really good and what could be better. It also helps participants reflect on their experiences and feelings and deeper learning.

CAMP MAGAZINE In 2017 we produced a camp magazine about the adventure seminar week. Every day one or two car groups were given the task of writing down their feelings and experiences and taking some pictures for the magazine. In the morning, they were given a tablet, paper and questions that all helped with the writing.

Get together in Helsinki Tell us how your trip to Helsinki went? What did you experience on your way to Helsinki (peak points and challenges)?

What do you expect from this week?

Do you have any wishes for the coming week?

What kind of feeling do you have about the trip? Are you excited?

Leader: how much do you already know about the week?

The rest of the week How was your morning? What kind of mood/feeling did you wake up in?

How do you feel about these activities?

Describe the entrepreneur’s work / rural developer’s work that you saw today.

Now before you go to sleep, please tell us about the best parts of your day and the challenges you faced.

The last day Unfortunately, today is the last day of your adventure.

What are you going to miss most about your adventure with us?

What did you learn from this trip?

What will you take back home with you?

What new things did you learn about Leader?

Two students collected and edited the stories in a magazine, which also gave information about that day’s Leader actions and funding. This way the participants received a good memento and useful information about the week before leaving for home.

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DUTIES AML Coordinator Launch of the project and administration



Compilation of the project plan



Drawing up a cost estimate



Changes in the project plan?



A copy of the project decision for action groups

Coordination of the project



planning a preliminary schedule



compilation of reports

Applications for funding



requests and compiles reports from action groups



filling in the application for funding

Reception and inspection of invoices (compared to cost estimate) Monitoring Group



invitations



agendas



memos

 meeting venues 25

AML Managers Planning of logistics  car routes for participants  workers’ car routes  checkpoints Planning the entire event  draft programme for the event  search for the necessary workers  creation of the organisation necessary to organise the event  division of duties for the duration of the event  risk analysis  safety plan  preparing the posters required During the event  setting up the starting point  reception of participants  monitoring the participants’ progress  instructions for the participants  hosting the event  Prize giving, daily prizes Experiences and information  gathering  compilation  sharing  writing a report on the event  suggestions for improvement for the next organisers Route testing  planning  schedules and programme  accommodation

Duty

During the event  setting up the kick-off event  reception of participants  adventure office  accommodation  breathalyser tests in the morning  prizegiving where necessary  monitoring the well-being of the participants

PR/Information campaign

letter  asking for a copy of an insurance policy + compilation  sending invoices for the participation fee  monitoring the payments of the participation fees  list of participants for the kick-off event  division of participants into teams



seeing the participants off on their journey

 

problem situations handing out regional instructions for the cars

 

Insurance

PR/Information campaign  sharing the information with the network

Participants



enrolment



informing the participants

 answering advance enquiries

 enrolment  drawing up and posting an information



requests for quotes



comparison of quotes and selection



insurance data

Instruction leaflets for the participants’ cars  compilation (first aid, contact details, other necessary information)  copies



placement in cars

Final arrangements  gather up the telephones  gather up the cars for return  seeing the participants off on their journey

Reporting/own area  expenses  experiences  other observations Searching for potential partners (activity point organisers, places to visit)  contacts  negotiations  planning  PR/information on the event

 

local media schools and educational institutions  partners  relay of advertising material Schedule for the area Invoicing for expenses Accommodation finding the location requests for quotes and selection

  

safety plan roommates/cabin mates night guards Computer access at the accommodation site  hardware  Internet wiring/router  tables etc.

Meals

 

dinner breakfast (+ packed lunch where necessary) Final event



Requests for bus quotes final event + selection  gathering the participants’ details



informing the participants

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Have an AMAZING adventure!

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