The Borderlands PDP organized a two Day long “Team Building Program” for Royal Norwegian Embassy on November 14th to 15th, 2011 at Borderlands Eco Adventure Resort. There were total of 19 participants involved in the program.

Upon arrival at the resort the participants were welcomed and briefed on safety & resort’s facilities. The program began with some Ice breaker activities followed by some exciting problem solving initiatives which were performed in 2 separate teams. All team activities elicit learning, merging together, managing conflict, formulating strategies and visioning for a collective future. The next day commenced with yoga class and indoor session on managing stress which was associated with many health benefits and reducing negative organizational stress. The final activity was a real team bonding test when the team members went rafting on the Bhote Koshi River. The participants were encouraged to steer the raft through some rapids enabling them to understand each other better. Before the Team Building Program came to an end, there was a collective debriefing during which the participants talked about what learning they got from the program and how it would be applicable in the work place.

The Borderlands PDP organized a Two Day long Team Building Program for the staffs of Unilever Nepal Ltd on September 23rd to 24th, 2011 at River Side Spring Resort. The main aims of the program was to build trust and support mechanisms, retaining employees, planning, effective communication, building confidence, Coordination, team effort and leadership, adaptation for organizational change and to have some fun, relax and enjoy each other’s company beyond workplace and to build a sense of togetherness.

Various team building activities, initiatives including the low rope course and rafting on the Trishuli River with the theme “Keep It Real” were used during the program. The entire outdoor programs and indoor sessions were highly participative providing a stimulating mix of activities, exercises, role play, and facilitator led review. The program was built around a series of high impact, motivating activities and challenges with participants working in small teams engaged in memorable experiences, fun and challenges that highlighted the practices of communicating more effectively, working together with diversity, visioning, adopting appropriate leadership style, building trust, support mechanisms, strategic planning and problem solving.

Borderlands PDP ran a week long Leadership Development and Community service Program for year 12 seniors from the Lincoln School Nepal from 6^th – 12^th November. The program which took place at Borderlands and the village of Gumthang had a total of 21 students and 5 teachers. The program was geared towards building partnership between Lincoln School Kathmandu and Bachala Devi High School from the Sindupalchok district. In addition to this some important elements of team work, bonding and making new friends, learning tools and techniques to working together, trust, mutual respect and being comfortable outside the comfort zone were also highlighted during the program.

The program began with some ice breaking session which enabled the students to find common ground and get to know each other. Working in pairs the participants took some time to explore and exchanged ideas for discussion for the next couple of days. The hike to the school crossing a long suspension bridge and the warm welcome by the village made a heartening start of the school partnership. The students then engaged in various activities from introducing computers, distributing and demonstrating science equipment and setting up the library. Basic first aid, importance of cleanliness and earthquake preparedness were also demonstrated to the school. Folk dance and cultural shows were presented by the local school while a video presentation on migrant workers and a close session on intimate cross cultural exchange were highly successful in establishing a link between the two schools for the future years.

Outdoor adventure activities which included canyoning, low rope course, rafting and problem solving initiatives with appropriate de briefings helped and encouraged the participants to overcome fear, face challenges and think creatively in adverse circumstances. The students were highly participative with emerging natural leadership and development of social skills and a collective communal sense.

The overall outcome of the week was very much in line with expectations and what the students had hoped to achieve of the program.