Lynette and Michael are travelling Africa.
They return to South Africa from time to time. All services are available in your country too.
Visit their blog to find out where they are now.
INCLUSIVENESS - Life is to be ONE not Won
"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation" - Plato
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TEAM BUILDING PROGRAMMES
Lynette is a certified Life Coach, trauma counsellor, professional team building facilitator, NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Deep Democracy (conflict management) practitioner. She specialises in developing teams through Experiential Learning and play.
Experiential Learning is a very powerful Human Resources development tool – Learning by doing! As a Life Coach, she focuses on empowering the participants to give ideas, make decisions and to take action.
The activities used are designed to demonstrate a huge number of aspects of team dynamics, how the participants interact with each other and how they react under different circumstances. It is the individuals that make up the team, so emphasis is placed on the individuals first and then the lessons are taken to the broader context of the team.
The team always leads where the intervention will go!! All activities are facilitated with a full debrief after each activity, with participants giving feedback and relating the activity back to their personal lives, their work environment and their interaction with each other. The activities are powerful in that they reflect to the participants how they play their lives – The way they play the games is most often how they play their lives (there is no right way or wrong way!), and many valuable lessons can be learnt from that awareness. The awareness that they leave with gives participants something to work with if there are areas in their work and personal lives that they would like to change and things they would like to do differently. They also leave with a greater understanding and empathy towards the others in the team – their differences and their similarities.
The activities are designed to take the participants out of their comfort zone, gently being in each other’s personal space and doing things they would not have done before.
The interventions can also be run as purely fun and recreational events!!
GROUP PEACE AND APPRECIATION PROGRAM
The Group Peace and Appreciation Program is about gentle yet very deep group bonding and getting to know each other better ... at a deeper level ... thereby creating tolerance and understanding... bringing a sense of belonging , connectivity, compassion and empathy ... Appreciating each other ... Building a community with a common purpose – a
TEAM.
The Group Peace and Appreciation Program is gentle and experiential ... Topics include:
- Each one of us is special and unique - embracing the diversity of race, culture, age, gender and hierarchy - Not judging but accepting each others' differences.
- Within this uniqueness, we are all one. Celebrating inclusiveness!
- Attitude - The one thing you have absolute control of!
- Values - Individual and group values
- All behaviour has a positive intention
- Kindness in the work place – sharing and caring
- Fun and laughter - "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation" - Plato
A refreshingly holistic experiential learning experience - Experiential Learning is a very powerful Human Resources development tool – Learning by doing! So it is through experience and the reflection back on the experiences that learning and growth takes place. Using a unique combination and facilitation of team building activities, ice breakers, bonding and co-operative games ... with NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), applied life coaching and trauma counselling where appropriate, the Group Peace and Appreciation Program creates a platform for staff to share and to open up to each other - encouraging a new level of care, understanding, support, trust and friendship.
Some play is incorporated - Play is found everywhere – It is an original, creative, universal force. Through play, “playmates” experience a sense of belonging, safety and compassion ... a special connectedness and companionship sparking joy, peace and trust. Play is OK! During play, we don't know that we are different from each other. During play, we interact in a way that none of the differences make any difference. And so we move through accepting and appreciating, to celebrating diversity and accepting that we are all ONE! Inclusiveness!!
We provide a platform whereby participants can relax and experience work colleagues out of the work environment as people who are simply sharing the same life experience as them ... returning to work motivated and united!
The Group Peace and Appreciation Program offers an experience of a lifetime – It is gentle, not excessively physical, is non-threatening and encourages maximum participation. One of our specialities is including people who are differently abled and pregnant ladies fully into our programs.
Typical Program Content
NB: The program will be designed according to your specific requirements, on consultation with the relevant people.
Specific activities are chosen from this discussion and are also based on what the group wants to achieve and how they respond and interact together on the day. The venue and weather also play a part. (The whole program can be done indoors in the event of rain.)
Some of the activities may include:
- Ice Breakers
Specially designed and sequenced to achieve the following:
- Allow participants to relax and start to have fun
- To enable them to feel safe and comfortable in their new environment
- To allow participants to get to know each other better
- To gently start getting into each other's personal space
- To get the blood flowing to the brain and throughout the body, encouraging participants to be more open to learning and participating, enhancing focus and concentration
- To build trust in the facilitators
- Why are we here?
Goals and expectations for the intervention. A session determining what the group wants to achieve for themselves and the group through their team building intervention.
- Value elicitation exercise – Individual and Group Values
A powerful session creating an awareness of each ones individual values and values shared by the team.
Also:
- Working in pairs to elicit each individual's personal values
- How do your personal values affect your work performance?
- What happens when your personal values are challenged in the work environment? How are the group dynamics and individual and team performances affected?
- Moving on to determine core group values
- What can be done differently?
- What actions are going to be taken to live your values in the work environment?
- Self Exploration
A session of identifying each ones likes, dislikes, loves, passions, fears, what makes them angry, what they respect ... and many more.
- Group sharing
Each person will be asked to bring with them:
- A small item / object meaningful to them
- A short verse / quote to share
- A song / piece of music to share
What do each of these things say about them?
- Clearing
A wonderful tool to use back in the office (or even at home!) to improve communication and to use in conflict management.
- Attitude of gratitude
Sharing and recording what grateful for ...
- Appreciation Circle and Appreciation Envelopes
A time to appreciate each other – saying or writing something good and something positive about your colleagues. What do you value about each other and yourself?
- Vision and Value Boards
Done in smaller groups - Each group will be given a poster sized card, magazines, glue and scissors. They will then together cut and paste pictures onto their posters of their ideal vision for the Company. They can depict aspects of their work dreams and aspirations and values, colleagues and friendships, leadership, goals, the environment etc. They will have the opportunity to share with their group why they have used specific pictures and what they mean.
All posters will then be put together to create one big vision board for the Company. The posters can be laminated or framed and put up somewhere in the Company.
- Team Building
- Group dynamics - Playing together and getting into each other's personal space
- Bonding and building team spirit
- Communication – Tightening the bond
- Developing trust and care
- Time to laugh and to work together to achieve a common goal
- Wheel of Life
Done for each individual – Creating an awareness of all segments of their lives:
- Fun and recreation
- Physical environment
- Health
- Career/Life purpose
- Personal development/Spiritual alignment
- Relationships (family and friends)
- Romance and intimacy
- Money
Identifying which areas are out of balance and what actions can be taken to bring their life better into balance.
- Strategy Planning (Strategy = The steps to get to the goal)
A session where, in smaller groups, the team redefines their vision, mission and values, either using what exists within the company, or allowing the teams to create their own ... leading up to designing their ORE – Our Reason for Existence. Moving forward to set goals and action plans.
Vision: Your goals / your dream ... Your ORE – Our Reason for Existence
* We exist to ...
Mission: Your purpose. How you realise your goals / your dream
* We realise our vision through ...
Values: The standards that you set to guide you in realising your goals / dream. Also known as ethics.
* We believe in ...
The groups then share their wisdom, giving short presentations to the whole team.
- Story Telling
Inspirational stories with a lesson!
- Where to from here?
- Revisiting the goals and expectations
- What is going to be done differently back in the work place?
- Making a pledge to yourself and your colleagues
- Co-operation partners – Someone to support you implement the changes
FUN IN THE SUN
The “FUN IN THE SUN” Team Development Program is a mix of ice breaker activities, bonding, team building, co-operative, problem solving and mind games ..... experiential learning. (Learning by doing!!) All designed to let the participants relax, get to know each other better and bond, improving team spirit, trust and communication. With lots of laughs!!!!!! It is not merely a team building program, as the team already exists, it is a program designed to DEVELOP the team.
RETURN TO CHILDHOOD
The “RETURN TO CHILDHOOD” Program is similar to the Fun in the Sun Program in that a similar mix of activities is used, but the focus is more on having fun ... spending time outdoors (or even indoors!) with colleagues, having fun, laughing at yourself and others and playing like a child again ... bonding and getting to know each other better and on a different level ... simply being ... through play!!! The perfect opportunity to play, have fun, relax, bond, be inspired and motivated and to say thank you!!! (With a few lessons to take with you forever!!)
ANIMAL TEAM BUILDING EXPERIENCE
Why with Animals?
We can host your team building intervention at any gentle venue in Nature with lions or with other animals. The intervention will be facilitated around the environment and whatever animals are present to support us.
Research shows that animals have a healing effect on humans both psychologically and physiologically. The only beings who can show and teach us true unconditional love, consistently, are the animals.
It is our wish that by bringing vastly diverse groups of people together in the presence of lions and other animals, that they will be supported and guided back to being who they truly are, to being Lion Hearted, rediscovering their own lion heart courage and speaking their truth in love, kindness and appreciation for themselves, for each other, for humanity as a whole and for Nature.
“I just really like me when I'm in their presence.” Gail Kleinschmidt – Founder of The Lion Heart Project
And why in nature?
Nature does not judge. Therefore, what better space in which to learn and experience acceptance and inclusion – the ability not to judge and to love unconditionally? We also hope to instill a deep love and appreciation for animals and for Nature, ensuring and promoting the conservation of lions and all wild life.
“What is man without the beasts? If all beasts were gone, man would die a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, also happens to man. All things are connected. Whatever befalls earth, befalls the sons of Earth.” Chief Seattle
“To go without wilderness is to shred the very Nature of who we are.” Unknown
“If you observe it, you will conserve it.” Chris Boshoff
“Nature does not demand that we be perfect. It requires that we grow.” Unknown
The ANIMAL TEAM BUILDING EXPERIENCE is based on a combination of the GROUP PEACE AND APPRECIATION and LION HEART ALLIANCE WITH LIONS team building programs.
TEACHERS' TEAM BUILDING
All programs described here are ideal for teachers' team builds, with programs being adapted to suit each school's unique needs.
TEAM BUILDING FOR THE DISABLED
The programs can be designed to allow people with disability (physically disabled, blind, partially sighted and deaf people), and pregnant ladies, maximum participation.
PRE-CONFERENCE ICE BREAKERS
The importance of Ice Breaker Activities:
Done at the start of any intervention and the perfect way to kick off a conference. Ice breaker activities are specifically designed and sequenced to achieve the following:
- Allow participants to relax and start to have fun
- To enable them to feel safe and comfortable in their new environment
- To allow participants to get to know each other better
- To gently start getting into each other’s personal space
- To get the blood flowing to the brain and throughout the body, encouraging participants to be more open to learning and participating, enhancing focus and concentration
- To build trust in the facilitator/s
AIMS AND OUTCOMES
In addition, the activities are specifically designed with the following aims in mind:
- Getting to know each other better
- Bonding
- Building team spirit
- Encouraging tolerance and understanding
- Creating a sense of belonging and connectivity
- Creating co-operation
- Improving motivation
- Improving communication within the group
- Team development - Building a community with a common purpose
- Developing trust, care, compassion and kindness and creating empathy (Trusting each other AND yourselves)
- Building self-esteem
- Creating an understanding and awareness of individual differences – respecting different cultures, abilities and roles - Celebrating inclusiveness!
- Breaking down barriers
- Problem solving
- Lateral thinking
- Creativity - Doing things differently! Out of the box!!
- Discovering "dormant" leadership abilities
And all the time ... Having a huge amount of FUN!!!
LOGISTICS
Duration: A few hours to a full day ... Or even a weekend getaway!
Group size: 2 people and upwards (logistics for large numbers will depend on venue capacity)
Group Profiles: Suitable for any group of people working together ... Corporates, teachers, NGO’s, sports teams etc.
Programs are designed and adapted accordingly.
Venues:
- Totally mobile – Any venue of your choice!
- Your own offices/school
- Your conference or getaway
- Indoors or outdoors. Rain or shine. (Can easily be taken indoors in the event of rain.)
Ideally an outdoor space with grass, under trees, with an indoor space available. We like to move between a conference indoor space and the outdoors – and of course the conference room serves as a rain and cold weather back-up.
Costs: Available on enquiry. Dependant on group size, duration and location of the intervention
(Special rates for NGO's and private groups.)
We require a 50% deposit to secure the event. The balance is payable in full prior to the commencement of the program. Bookings are subject to availability.
Facilitation: Lifetime Experiences, started in April 2003, is solely owned by Lynette Rink. She has a group of qualified and experienced multi racial facilitators that she draws on, depending on the group size, required outcomes and venue.
Facilitators' refreshments, meals and accommodation (where appropriate) to be provided.
TEAM BUILDING LECTURE
The Team Building Lecture is aimed at Event Management students, secretaries and anybody involved in organising events and team building interventions, and can fit into any curriculum. It aims to broaden participants’ knowledge and understanding of team building and the benefits thereof, how to identify their clients’ companies' true needs and create an awareness of what is available.
Facilitator training can also be provided with training done on facilitation skills and activities to use.
Some of the topics covered:
- Experiential Learning vs Team Building
- Recreational team building vs outcomes based team building
- Identifying your company’s real needs – Objectives and adding value
- The Experiential Learning Cycle
- The benefits of team building – what can be achieved
- Linking your clients’ needs to the venue and the service providers (Choosing the right venue and the right activities)
- The importance and benefits of Ice Breaker activities
- Taking participants out of their comfort zone
- Ensuring maximum participation
- How to sustain the positive results
Integrated into the discussions and lecture are games and activities to demonstrate points discussed. We will spend time outdoors, using Experiential Learning to illustrate how the games are used to achieve the required outcomes. The activities focus on bonding, communication, cognitive thinking, problem solving, conflict management, business processes etc. Each activity will be debriefed to explore the learning experienced and relate the activity back to the work environment.
CLIENTS
Satisfied Lifetime Experiences clients include:
- ABI
- Auditor General
- Autopax
- Bayer (Pty) Ltd
- Cipro, Department of Trade and Industry
- CoachLab – Innovation Hub
- DA Soweto
- Damelin – Event Management Lecture
- Deloitte & Touche – Business Enablement IT
- Department of Public Services and Administration (DPSA)
- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Ministry
- DPR Management Solutions – Office professional and PA Conference
- Edirisa - Uganda
- Emanuel's Recruitment Agency
- Epic Events
- Eskom Finance Department
- Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC)
- Gold Reef City Casino – Customer Relations Department
- Ingelosi Management Solutions – Office Professional and PA Conference
- International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
- Knowledge Resources
- Knowledge Upgrade Management (KUGM) – Secretarial Convention, Namibia 2006
- Land Rover
- Mamepe Promotions
- MasterCard
- Nedbank Business Banking
- Ngobani & Company Auditors
- Prestasi Call Centre
- Pretoria Institute of Architecture (PIA)
- Pure Joy Guest Lodge
- Rotary Little Falls
- Standard Bank PeopleServe Recruitment
- Standard Bank Sandton Priority Suite
- Terrapinn Limited
- Timphram Training – Education Leadership Conferences
- Tomcat Software
- Tonway Tyres
- Tshwane University of Technology – Event Management Lecture
- Vodacom
- Volvo
REFERENCES
Some reflections of gratitude and appreciation ... Love in action ...
Lynette is what I call a 'Play Guru' who inspires professionals to seek the relationship between their inner child's health and their professional success. Her work is very inspiring and our students have all found her to be a tremendous help. We at Armabrand are extremely grateful for your commitment and contribution to the lives of these brilliant young people!
Timothy Maurice Webster, Armabrand
The gentle way you deal with people is really commendable. I cannot but over emphasise the ease you grasp and translate issues – such that one easily has a better understanding. Many thanks!
Tshego Magooa, Director, Office of the Minister, Department of Trade and Industry
Thank you for a great day, we all had such a fun & informative day. Thank you for empowering us today. It's amazing how much energy you both have for the whole day. This got to be the best experience shop I've attended. Indeed you’ve touched our lives.
Sipho Masigo, DA Soweto, Councilor for the City of JHB
You really have addressed my objective. Appreciated! Thank you!
Tlhoriso Sepenyane, Senior manager, Auditor General Recruitment Department
You did a great job by setting the scene for the rest of the day. Everybody was of the opinion that the day way a success and that we created a "new" level of alignment and focus.
Eddie Grobler, Senior Vice President & General Manager, MasterCard
Thank you very much for your professional support which led to such a well organized function and a magnificent experience!!!! The feedback I received from everyone who participated is that this year’s teambuilding was the best ever! And everything was so well balanced. You were excellent in dealing with aspects of managing diversity. Once again, thank you very much for such an excellent service!!!! We will certainly share our experience with our colleagues within and outside our department.
Catherine Mashile, DPSA
I think this past weekend has really been “an experience of a lifetime” as you said in the beginning. It made me realize exactly how different people are and how differently they react to certain things. I must say your facilitators can really bring out the best in one.
Gopolang Setumo, Co-ordinator, Coachlab, Innovation Hub
Thank you so much for your most inspiring talk yesterday to the club. The guys were even talking about it at the board meeting last night.
Aiden Brown, Little Falls Rotary Club
Thanks for this wonderful piece and please keep it coming:-))))) I had so much fun at the workshop and you are right, life actually depends on play.
Chizoba Unaeze, Office Professional & PA Conference
Thank you for reminding me of the child in me.
Menzi K, Office Professional & PA Conference
Smiling at someone is charity – you give SO much away. May God increase you!
Tasneem, Office Professional & PA Conference
Thank you for a really special experience!
Jenny Rose-Meckler, Weekends Away
Great fun & fabulous experience. Thanks!
Devi, Eskom Corporate Finance
Great beginning and ending. Loved the story – I found my crack. Good job!
William, Eskom Corporate Finance
Thank you again for leading an excellent team building experience for us. You did a great job!
Doug Merrey, Institute of Water Management
I was one of the ladies last weekend at Dikhololo. Thank you for a wonderful time we all had so much fun. I feel refresh and ready to take on my work load.
Sarah van Rooyen, GSSC
Guys thank you for making it easy to participate in the games, making us feel more positive about our self and last but not least making it a learning experience. I have a new rule in my life, I am having fruit salad with yoghurt for lunch or fruit, and I think about most of the positive things we have done. Thanks Guys!
Bigg Hugs & Huge Kisses from all of us at AP, GSSC
Thanks for everything and your outstanding facilitation of the teambuilding. Everyone is so excited and I am already receiving positive feedback from the client and individuals from the particular department.
Doctor, Mamepe Promotions
Thank you for an excellent day, I got a lot of positive feedback and would definitely recommend your company for future team building sessions for other branches as well!!! It was a life changing experience for all of us!!!
Hope van Molendorff, Prestasi Call Centre
We had a wonderful day and most importantly we learnt something new about each other.... We hope that the same spirit remains in the camp... Thank you for your effort and we most certainly look forward to working with you again.
Vaneshree Pillay, CIPRO |
