Team Building with Eventus

Team Building & Induction Days for Schools

2014-07-10T16:20:00.000+01:00

Back to School Induction Days

Happy holidays - it's nearly time-out for schools and we're all looking forward to fantastic summer holidays!

However, many teachers will be planning next year's intake with special back to school Induction Days to help students settle in and get them looking forward to the year ahead. Here at Eventus we can help to make your Induction weeks really special.

Eventus is proud to have worked for years in partnership with many schools and colleges. Eventus provides experiential activities (learn by doing) and team building.

Our work with schools, colleges and universities has been growing steadily over recent years. With most schools we adopt a a genuine partnership approach; this help us do a better job for the school or college, and we, in turn, learn and develop too. Our work includes: Induction Events, Challenge Days, Enterprise Days, Graduate Development Days and Team Work / Team Building Days for students. The teamwork and ideas generated by the students is always a real inspiration. Our aim is to really get students working together, having fun and constructively thinking about teamwork

We also work with staff teams to provide engaging learning events and team building. The content of events vary greatly from short indoor activities to longer more active away days. A key outcome of all our work is to promote positive working relationships and a “can-do” team spirit.

"We have worked with Eventus now for five years and it is one of the highlights of our school year. Every pupil in the school has now experienced at least one challenge day and they all speak really highly of their experiences and with great fondness. You have delivered some excellent, inspiring experiences and some fond and happy memories for staff and students alike" Catherine Collier, St. Paul's High School

We also work with staff teams to provide engaging learning events and team building. The content of events vary greatly from short indoor activities to longer more active away days. A key outcome of all our work is to promote positive working relationships and a “can-do” team spirit.

For more information about how we can help visit our web-site www.eventus.co.uk

The Network, a Powerful Outdoor Team Building Event from Eventus

2014-06-27T21:57:00.000+01:00

Network is my favourite team building event of all time!

I love it particularly in the summer when we visit our beautiful forests.

It's fun and there's lots of learning to be had but it is a particularly powerful communications exercise. It is one exercise where you don't really need a facilitator as the teams review themselves for hours - there's that much stuff! Try it for your team today!

Apprenticeship Assessment Days

2014-06-11T16:37:00.000+01:00

Apprenticeship Assessment Weekend

Apprentice Assessment Days

It's been a busy weekend on the Babcock Apprentice Assessment Weekend and now we're recovering with a World Cup Treasure Hunt Event in Manchester today and an event in France for our licensing partner One-to-Team. Summer is a busy time with events!

We are very privileged to be working with Babcock International for the third year running. How many other companies nationwide take on over 100 apprentices annually? They are certainly a very successful organization.

How does Eventus help Babcock with their selection?

We help to run a final selection weekend. From the thousands that apply, we provide a fun team day where peers work together to complete short problem-solving exercises, and assessors carefully observe them working together.

What are they looking for?

a willingness to learn
ability to follow instructions and work safely
ability to work as part of a team
thoughtful and respectful of others
personal pride and self discipline
reliability
have pride in delivering a quality service/product.

Why does it work?

Problem-solving on the assessment day

Assessors can get a real feel for a candidate and can compare to those that seem to have similar skills on paper. Working on challenges as part of a team displays interactions between peers that may not be seen otherwise. Plus, the experiential nature of the tasks necessitates creative problem-solving as well as the ability to follow instructions, planning, careful execution and teamwork. These skills can be clearly seen on an experiential assessment day.

I am reminded of one particular youngster who was so caught up in the problem-solving challenge that when they had finished; ecstatic with success, he got hold of a ball, lying about nearby, and with one huge, exuberant kick, placed the ball on the roof of the venue, closely missing a large window. mmm.. interesting dilemma - "passionate" or "lack of discipline"?

Getting recruitment right at the start helps to lower turnover of staff and meet expectations of all parties involved. For more information on apprentice assessment days please contact us on 01558 668925, email info@eventus.co.uk or check out our web-site www.eventus.co.uk

Fun At Work

2014-06-02T13:22:00.000+01:00

Create a Fun Environment at Work and It Will Pay Dividends!

Fun At Work!

There is a really interesting article in this Sunday's Business section of the Sunday Times p. 10 entitled "Pay You? We'll even massage your back". It's all about creating a fun and trusting environment at work. It talks about when businesses are fledgling enterprises they are much more fun than when they grow bigger. But it's all about creating an environment in which people want to spend time, and in return companies receive more loyalty; enhanced creativity and low turnover of staff.

Some firms go to extraordinary lengths to keep their staff happy. Benefits on offer include:

My colleagues at work!

Free food and drink
Head and shoulder massages
Unlimited holidays
Games rooms
Playgrounds
free holiday trips
team building
table tennis
quiet tree house
brainstorming breaks
in-house helter-skelter
team budgets for team events
Wishes granted when targets are reached
Family Fun Days
Away Days

I am very keen to hear what kind of incentive would make you worker harder and smarter or just be happy to go to work? Your replies would be of great interest. Please leave a comment below.

Sharon Naylor is a Director at Eventus Training & Events Ltd. Specialising in Team Building and Conference Events,

Forest Team Building Events

2014-05-21T14:11:00.000+01:00

Working Out Which Way to Go!

Fun Team Building in the Forest

There is no surprise that when the sun shines the phone rings more often! Who wouldn't like to be outdoors on a nice sunny day? As we speak we are in the middle of running a forest team building event for Lotus F1 in an area of woodland called Shotover, near Oxfordshire. So even the fastest and slickest Formula 1 set-up likes to swap tyres and steel for a pair of trainers and a map and compass on sunny days.

Our forest events are really popular this time of year. We have a few

Celebrating success on the Network Forest Team Building Event

different types: competitive events where teams tackle challenges as well as route finding and a more serious communications exercise that we call the Network. This my all-time favourite event out of the nearly 30 team building events we offer. It is the most brilliant communications exercise, uniquely devised by our creative MD. It is so powerful that the teams review themselves for a long time after we finish with them.

If you fancy a day outdoors with your team and want some valuable learning too check-out our Network forest event at www.eventus.co.uk or give us a call on 0044 1558 668925

World Cup Team Building Ideas

2014-04-02T15:53:00.003+01:00

World Cup Themed Events - If You Can't Beat Them Join In!

On the World Cup Treasure Hunt

Are you planning on holding an event, team meeting, away day or team building in the next few months?
If so, have you thought about giving it a World Cup theme?

It may not have escaped your notice that between 12th June and 13th July Brazil will be the setting for FIFA World Cup Football. In my experience every single event we've held during the World Cup we've had to schedule events around watching England on the box. So if you can't beat them join them and theme your event around the football. You don't have to be soccer mad, but it helps.

Here's a great idea for meetings and team building around the World Cup:

World Cup Treasure Hunt Arrange your own or try Eventus' World Cup Treasure Hunt, perfect for an afternoon or evening. It can be run almost anywhere ( attractive city or town is best!) and the best bit - it can be arranged to start and/or finish at a pub for match viewing! The treasure hunts uses GPS technology to find your way around. Your team collect clues and complete World Cup challenges along the route. The more clues your team collects the greater their chance of coming out on top of the league table and winning the trophy!

More fabulous meetings ideas, team building and away days ideas can be found on our web-site www.eventus.co.uk

Valentine's Day QR Treasure Hunt

2014-02-14T18:05:00.000+00:00

My Very Own Valentine's Day QR Treasure Hunt

Having just posted yesterday about a certain proposal by QR treasure hunt I awoke to find flowers in the shed and Lovehearts attached to lamposts - this was the order of Valentine's Day today!

No breakfast in bed for me. I woke to a Valentine's card instructing me to get up and follow the QR trail. What fun, except the weather was so shocking even the dog wouldn't go outside! I grabbed my waterproofs, wellies and phone with QR scanner and set off. First clue was found at the bottom of the no-through road sign at the end of the road. I hope no dogs had been sniffing around or worse! "Next clue is a bit tacky" it said so off I headed to the stables. Each was accompanied by a bag of chocolates - nice touch. Third clue was in the office and finally a bunch of flowers in the garden shed! Well done Phil – a great fun treasure hunt.
Eventus run all kinds of treasure hunts including QR Treasure Hunts. Contact us on 01558 668925 to find out more or visit our web-site www.eventus.co.uk

Marriage Proposal by Treasure Hunt

2014-02-13T15:28:00.000+00:00

Now we run loads of treasure hunts at Eventus but I never quite thought about how you could use it to get a message across quite like this ................ I’m Guido from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I proposed to my wife almost three years ago on Easter. I came up with the idea of proposing in her hometown of Tandil with a treasure hunt. The idea was to make her leave the house, and then fill it with candles to set the atmosphere. The objective was to set up an easy, understandable route with a cloud solution and a bulletproof system… so I used a web-based QR creator, the BlackBerry QR reader, Dropbox as a file system for all the pics and music, and auto-adhesive paper to stick the QR codes all over the city.
Click HERE to read the full story. Sharon Naylor is a Director at Eventus Training & Events Ltd, specialising in team building events, conference ice breakers and experiential training for more than 24 years in the UK and abroad. Kick-start any event with their amazing range of unique and fun activities www.eventus.co.uk

Great Team Working Ants Video

2014-02-07T12:03:00.000+00:00

Team Working Ants? I love this video!

Another great video from the DuvalGuillaume Creative Agency

Eventus is a Team Building, Training and Events company based in the UK. We have a reputation for fun, innovative and creative events for over 24 years. We bring you the best team building ideas and inspiration for getting your teams to work better together. You can access our team building events and ideas from our web-site www.eventus.co.uk

Everest Themed Conference Activities

2014-01-21T15:23:00.000+00:00

Climb Everest from Your Conference Chair!

Everest Conference Event Props

Just getting the props ready for our Summit or Bust Conference Event on Friday in Walsall. Phil's been busy painting and stencilling. There's been tents and props a plenty to fall over in the last few days!

Trekking to Everest Base Camp

Mountaineering really is a brilliant theme for a conference. It has all the metaphors of rising to the challenge, overcoming obstacles; pulling together; reaching the pinnacle, top etc. The teamwork required to climb Everest in such a challenging environment is one that can be applied to many organisations.

Phil on Labouche East

Everest Themed Conference Event

Last year the girls and I made it to Everest Base Camp and Phil climbed Labouche East. Today I was suggesting that he really should consider climbing Everest for real! I wonder if the Exchequer would view it as a legitimate business expense?

Need help with a conference theme?

Contact us here at Eventus. We can help clarify your objectives for the event and come up with an exciting themes and activities around which everything else will dovetail.

I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Team Building Event

2013-12-03T12:05:00.000+00:00

I'm a Celebrity - It's Hotting Up in the Jungle!

Jungle Encounters

If you're gripped to ITV's jungle Jane's and Tarzan's you might like to know that Eventus is now in its second year of running an event called "I'm a Team Player Get Me Out of Here". You can join your colleagues in the forest and encounter a number of our furry friends and not so desirable beasts as well as meeting a whole host of forest encounters.

Hopefully though you won't be back-stabbing through the jungle - what a nightmare - all seemed so calm and lovey-dovey to start with but now it's bitching, back-stabbing and uncomfortable back-tracking. But you may discover more about the Amy's, Rebecca's, Matthew's and Joey's in your team!

Slippery customers

Discover More About "I'm a Team Player Get Me Out of Here!"

Furry friends

Your team navigates through the "jungle" encountering a number of jungle-inspired team challenges. How will your team cope with Animal Encounters, Jungle Hawkeye, Jungle Survival and a host of other engaging team challenges?

No one however gets covered in stinky bugs, falls into dung piles or squirms in underground cesspits (shame I know!). And we won't be asking you to eat any nasty animal bits and pieces either! Instead we have some terrific jungle-inspired challenges that test ingenuity, teamwork and resolve.

It really is one of our most brilliant team building activities to date and loved by all who have dared! Dare you to take a peek at http://www.eventus.co.uk/team-player.asp

Christmas Team Building

2013-11-29T14:57:00.001+00:00

Christmas Team Building with Eventus

A miracle has been achieved in the office today!... A half tidy office!

The office was a right old mess and we were expecting a visitor. To be fair Alistair is always pretty tidy, Phil and I are the main culprits, mainly me!

Office antics

Trouble is we were getting ready for our brilliant fun Christmas team building events and there were boxes and boxes of props just arrived in the post. It was like an early Christmas all round.

Promised visitor arrived 30 minutes early and so we did not have time to show-off the final effect - still it was good enough. (That's it for another year)

Photo Rally Team Building Event

The fabulous props are for our Christmas Photo Rally event. Always a great event for a conference and a bit of Christmas cheer.

Pub Games Event

The other event causing consternation is our Pub Games event in central London coming up shortly. It's not the event or equipment - it's the unloading and parking in central London - what a nightmare. We have 45 minutes to unload masses of equipment and then park the van. Where does one park a large van close to Victoria station? Any answers gratefully received.

Still looking for Christmas Team Building Ideas?

What about a Christmas Treasure Hunt?

Always an old favourite for getting teams working together and having fun and a great way to build teams while exploring a new or familiar area. Wrapped up against the elements, your teams search for Yuletide clues. Search areas can include your conference centre or hotel, an attractive village or historic city centre. Will your teams uncover enough clues to open the Treasure Box and share the beautifully wrapped Christmas presents with everyone? Find out more about Eventus' Christmas events

Quiz Conference Activity on the Thames

2013-11-26T13:33:00.000+00:00

Silver Sturgeon arriving at Savoy Pier

Last week I had the privilege of working aboard The Silver Sturgeon, one of the largest ships on the Thames.

The event was for a company called Apteco who were entertaining and educating more than 200 of their partners.

All aboard early at 8am and there was no escape until 5,30pm!

First task was to tackle an enormous pile of lanyards adding name badges and the all important voting handsets.

Huge pile of lanyards to sort out!

Fortunately it was all hands on deck to get the lanyards sorted and last minute preparations.

Coffee and cakes

The ship is luxurious and surprisingly spacious.

All the guests piled on at 9am for coffee and cakes. 9.30 and the conference kicked off with MD giving the welcoming speech followed quickly on by the surprise interactive quiz with voting handsets. Now it became clear why everyone had a voting hand set around their neck and were divided into 2 teams: "marketing" and "techies"

The London Eye

Tower Bridge

The interactive quiz we had prepared earlier had a nautical theme of course! Fun stuff combined with more serious questions and the teams were well away laughing and discussing every question. Every question was followed with a countdown and buzzer and nimble fingers needed to get answers in quick!

"Who took a ferry across the Mersey in the 1960's?"

Was it:
1. The Searchers
2. Gerry & The Pacemakers
3. The Merseybeats
4. Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Give me your answer in the comments box please!

20 rapid minutes later the Techies emerged victorious. It was a great conference ice breaker!

Nearly finished!

The conference was now in full swing and the voting handsets were used to vote on a whole series of questions, competitions and to get feedback throughout the day

Geoff Ram later stole the show with his Marketing showpiece, then a sail down the Thames with an overload of fabulous food!

For a short while I had the upper deck to myself - bliss - a great conference on a boat!

For more information about conference ice breakers, energisers, quizzes and hand held voting systems visit the Eventus web-site

Teams

2013-11-08T10:30:00.000+00:00

Successful organisations today know that teams make a big difference in achieving goals. Teams that are strong, flexible and productive can be the competitive edge needed to produce better results, and achieve higher quality outputs. To achieve these objectives, teams have to start doing things differently. Team members need to communicate more effectively with each other and tap into one another’s creativity.

Team building is designed to provide the skills needed to improve teamwork. The team building learning journey is to help participants develop increased awareness of team dynamics, practical skills for maximising team performance, and develop a belief in the power of teamwork.

Through team building, participants gain an integrated set of skills that can be applied any time and any where. The result of applying these skills will be serious TEAMWORK – something which is stronger, more committed, more productive and more personal.

Each group has its own unique needs and interests, so each team building session is different; the insights, learning, lessons and outcomes will vary with each group. To help each team accomplish its goals, an experience based approach means that a lot of the knowledge that participants gain will be rooted in the hands on tasks and exercises in which participants will be involved. Key concepts will then be presented to reinforce and clarify what they have learned. Participants will discover the skills and methods that work best for them and how to continue to implement these effective practices once they leave the learning environment.

Why should you consider team building?

There are many reasons people believe they should consider team building, but here are just a few:

· * The need to quickly respond to change and to respond with agility and flexibility

· * People need a sense of belonging, and high performing teams offer that need

· * Decision making and problem solving is better handles by teams that work together

· * Skilled team members need to be constantly improving and growing in order to stay competitive and serve the organisation.

· * Teamwork allows resources to be used more effectively.

Techniques for team building come in many shapes, sizes and styles. One of the greatest things about team building is that it allows your organisation or team to regroup, celebrate success, do essential team development, or simply have some fun away from the constant demands of business.

Research has shown that when a group takes time to focus on and recognise their success, this validation tends to result in additional success for the team. Motivation, energy, positive emotions, and a more engaged workforce are natural outcomes of team building events. When a group of people is truly engaged and excited about going to work with the people around them, an organisational culture that allows for the achievement of great results is the natural outcome.

So if you would like to see what team building options Eventus has for you, please CONTACT US NOW! We are always happy to help!

Teams are Important

2013-11-06T16:00:00.000+00:00

We always go on about the importance of teams and teamwork - but what is the use of teams? Derek Stockley explains...

A typical definition of teamwork is:

A group of people, contributing their individual knowledge and skills but working together to achieve a common goal/task.

But what is the importance of teamwork? What is the use of teams?

Most people agree that using teams and teamwork provides benefits to both individuals and organisations. In today's environment, modern technology and new ways of doing business are changing the ways we use teams, but the underlying principles and benefits remain. Distance is less of a barrier. Many people find themselves in teams where individual members are based all over the country, or in some cases, all over the globe.

In some companies, team members based in different time zones can progress a project 24 horus a day, six days a week. People can complete drafts late afternoon and return to work the next morning to have the completed product waiting for them. This effectively saves one working day. Virtual teams are increaasingly common. Members of a team may never meet face to face. They collaborate from different parts of the world through telephone calls, email, file sharing technology and other online meeting methods.

Organisations have embraced teams and teamwork as an effective way of doing business. The last 20 years have seen the replacement of 'supervisors' by 'team leaders'. Companies have embraced these concepts because they work. Employee motivation and morale improves dramatically when people feel valued and when their contributions make a difference. It is good to be part of something worthwhile.

Some organisations fail to gain the benefits that teamwork can provide. Team composition is critical for success. The definition above highlights three important teamwork fundamentals.

A team is a group of people made up of individuals who each contribute their individual knowledge and skills. Synergy, where the collective whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts, often occurs where teamwork is working well. Teams benefit because individuals often do not have all the knowledge and skills necessary.

Working together is essential. Harmony and a positive attitude are critical. If the team is not working together, then the expected gains will not materialise.

An understanding of the common goal/task is also critical. People have to be clear as to why the team exists and what the purpose is.

In the absence of any of the above three features teams will fail. Not everyone has a positive experience. Teamwork has to be well managed. A balanced team composition is essential. Team members have to be carefully selected. The full range of knowledge and skills required must be present. Team members need to be committed to the task. If you have the right team composition and approach, team synergy can take over. But it has to be set up correctly. The team members have to be willing and ready to participate.

Teamwork as a concept has grown over the last 20 years. However, teamwork success is not automatic. Teams have to be established for the right reasons. Team member selection is very important, as is ensuring that the team purpose is clear and agreed upon.

Has this helped you realise just how useful your team is?

To read some of Eventus' free team building resources, please visit our website

Motivate!

2013-11-04T15:00:00.000+00:00

Motivation is a key ingredient to successful teams and team members. It is the driving force for many and the starting point for all. Charles T Schmidt Jr from the University of Rhode Island highlights how motivation is developed, not only in teams, but in all of us as individuals.

The quest for improving performance at work is one of the essences of management. Clearly there are many factors involved in this - having the right equipment, people with the right knowledge, skills and abilities, and the right kind of organisational framework. But even with all these in place, something else is needed: the people must be willing to do the work. They have to be motivated in some way to undertake the tasks which will contribute to the organisation achieving its objectives.

Motivation may be defined as some driving force within individuals by which they attempt to achieve some goal in order to fulfil some need or expectation. It is the force that energises behaviour, gives direction to that behaviour and underlies its tendency to persist. It determines a person's behavior and the resulting performance is a product of both ability level and motivation. Managers must seek to raise this level of motivation and direct its driving force towards the achievement of organisational goals.

Mitchell sees motivation as 'the degree to which the individual wants and chooses to engage in a specified behaviour' and identifies four key characteristics - it is unique to the individual, it is an intended choice and under the worker's direct control, it is not the behaviour itself but rather the force or actions that arise, it does no necessarily lead to performance - this is a function ability and motivation.

The concern with getting the best from a workforce goes back to the dawn of organised labour. At its crudest, doing the job was literally a matter of life or death - failure to perform effectively could mean that crops didn't grow, losing a job meant no other work and probable starvation, and slave and feudal labour forces were characterised by violent punishment of 'slackers' The survival instinct can be a powerful motivator!

Organisations have, fortunately, become rather more enlightened since those days. In the early days of Industrial Revolution, the notion of the paternalistic organisation grew up with some mill, mine and factory owners looking upon their workers akin to a family to be cared for, with themselves as the father figures. The pioneers of this approach were Robert Owen in Scotland and the Cadbury and Rowntree companies which adopted such measure as providing employee housing, company shops, health scheme and schooling. In essence, this recognises that, rather than just relying on the basic human need to survive and live as a motivational force, performance can be considerably enhanced by ensuring a healthy and content workforce - one that is positively inclined towards the organisation and happy to work for it.

If you would like to find out about the ways Eventus can help you and your team get motivated then visit our website for more information! We offer a variety of team building events and tailor made programmes.

TV Team Building

2013-11-01T15:30:00.000+00:00

I'm a Team Player...Get Me Out of Here is a highly competitive, fun and fast-moving team building event loosely based on the popular TV show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

Each team navigates their way through the "jungle" encountering a number of jungle-inspired team challenges. How will your team cope with Animal Encounters, Jungle Hawkeye, Jungle Survival and a host of other engaging team challenges?

Unlike the TV programme no one gets covered in stinky bugs, falls into dung piles or squirms in underground cess pits. And we won't be asking you to eat any nasty animal bits and pieces either! Instead we have some terrific jungle-inspired challenges that test ingenuity, teamwork and resolve.

A highlight for many is handling some wonderful critters including a giant salamander (Hercules), scorpions, hairy spiders, and snakes. And, as for the meerkats, only one word will do - adorable!

But it's not just animals. You'll be hunting for game, building group shelters, signalling for rescue, setting traps, whittling useful camp gizmos, foraging for materials and lots more. Experience your very own "jungle journey"!

I'm A Team Player...Get Me Out Of Here! takes place in a forest near you, or can even be arranged in the grounds of your meeting/conference venue given the odd acre or two. Please contact us for more details of this new and exciting team building event.

If you enjoyed I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here, then you'll love this!

Team Building with a Twist

2013-10-30T11:00:00.000+00:00

Auction House is a competitive team building event in which teams pit themselves against one another in an exciting auction. However, this is an auction with a difference. There are no antiques or old masters up for grabs but rather the "rights" to a wide range of madcap moneymaking schemes.

Each team (of between 5 and 7 participants) is a group of trouble-shooters brought together to solve the unsolvable, do the undoable and crack the uncrackable - and make a tidy profit into the bargain!

Auction House kicks off with a briefing at which each team receives their auction catalogue and spending money. The catalogue outlines the moneymaking schemes (a wide range of fun team challenges) on offer. Each "lot" offers a cash payoff for successful completion - the payoff reflecting the level of difficulty associated with each project.

Teams have 30 minutes to investigate the various investment projects available to them (and to all the other teams), and to decide upon their strategy for the auction. Sealed Bidding, Dutch Bidding, Open Bidding and Mystery Bidders all add to the tension as teams endeavour to fill their portfolio with the projects they feel offer the greatest likelihood of success. Should they go for a construction project that offers a high return but is complex and risky? Or should they opt for a communication exercise that is low risk (and less well rewarded) because they have a team member who thinks they know how to do it?

To add to the fun, some teams may decide to form a bidding alliance with other teams, while another decides to go it alone.

Investment projects are set up in and around your event venue. They may be indoors or outdoors. They will include a wide range of fun problem solving team exercises; some cerebral in nature, some physical, some involve creative problem solving, or communication skills. Our objective is to offer a wide range so that teams need to carefully consider the resources and skills within the team before deciding upon their bidding strategy.

On completion of the auction stage, teams race to complete their projects within the allocated time slots, and then bank their winnings. Top earners, when the deadline is reached, win the prize and accolade of "Auction House Champions! ".

Auction House can be completed purely for fun, or can conclude with an informal review during which participating groups look back over the event and identify achievements (individual and group) and learning points. This team event is ideal for conferences, awaydays and team building.

School Team Building

2013-10-28T12:30:00.000+00:00

A growing number of enlightened schools, colleges and universities are now including an activity day or session provided by Eventus into their annual programme of events. Do you provide...or would like to provide:

Induction Days

Team Challenge Days

Enterprise Days

Engineering Days

Staff Team Building Days

Look at these fantastic reviews:

The team from Eventus who organised and led the day were great. They encouraged the students with humour and energy and they got an excellent response out of a well motivated and very positive group of new 6th Formers. Our thanks go both to Eventus and to the students who were not only impressive in their attendance but also in their attitude and full hearted participation, really entering into the spirit of the day. It was an excellent start to the year and bodes well for the 6th form in the coming year.
The Staff and 6th Form of Clayesmore SchoolBoth days achieved the outcomes we wanted and I was thrilled with the events again. A huge "thank you" to everyone at Eventus. You are a great bunch of people and we really enjoy working with you and look forward to doing so again next year.
Catherine C - St Paul's High School
The efficiency, energy and commitment which the Eventus team bring to their events never fails to disappoint.
Adam W. - Reed's School
Thank you all for providing our 6th Form with such a well run, friendly and positive experience. One comment was "it was awesome!" I really look forward to working with you all again next year. We were very impressed and will 'sing your praises' Many thanks!!
Elaine W. - The Blue Coat School

We know that budgets are tighter than ever so, to help, we offer very substantial discounts to schools, colleges and universities. This is possible because experience has shown us that when we do a great job for you, you'll have us back year-after-year.

However we have only a limited number of places available at specially reduced prices. To find out more or to reserve your place - call NOW on 01558 668925

And just in case your still not sure, here are some of the outcomes our school, college and university customers tell us Eventus provides:

speeds-up the getting-to-know-you stage (Induction Events)
creates a buzz of positive energy
develops communication and confidence
builds problem-solving skills and other key team working skills
leadership opportunities
integrates with the curriculum and other activities
encourages a collaborative team approach
creates a feel-good factor
demonstrates to parents/stakeholders that you provide great opportunities

...and, on top of the above, is great fun!

We work with all year groups from Year 7 to Sixth Form to graduate intakes. Staff teams range in size from 12 to 80. In a typical 1-day format we provide two team-based activities. For a half-day event, one activity is usually delivered. You're not restricted to the choice of activities however we have found all of the following work well with what is often large groups.

Indoor Team Building

2013-10-25T14:30:00.000+01:00

Escape! is an indoor team building exercise of a more cerebral nature guaranteed to generate stimulating debate! Escape! is suitable for almost any number of participants, working in groups comprising five to ten team members.

The event is introduced with a rousing chorus from Also Sprach Zarathustra (Strauss) better known as the theme music for '2001 - A Space Odyssey'. The scenario takes place on board an orbiting space station. Each participant is a space officer candidate about to embark on the final stage of the officer selection test. Candidates will need to work effectively in their teams; in particular this examines how the group uses and shares information and understanding and how this is then used to reach agreement and take decisions.

The game is based around a series of cards. Each card illustrates one room within the space station. The content of each room is shown, together with a number of doors that lead into interconnecting rooms. The challenge is to find a way to the space portal (exit), negotiating all hazards en-route. Teams need to ensure that their "life-clock" does not run out. There are radiation hazards, predators, and tough decisions to overcome as the team builds up a picture of the space station. A limited supply of Gold Credits, given to all players on starting, can be used to purchase Galactic Hints (sage advice) or antidotes to some of the hazards encountered.

Escape! rewards a calm, consensual approach. Teams need to consider all the information they have been given, and then agree on their next step. In every instance there is only one prudent choice. All other routes are risky and are likely to result in the Grim Reaper (a staff member in fancy dress) paying a visit!

Escape! works best in a competitive format. The pressure to make quick decisions can be unbearable. But it is the team that escapes from the space station without encountering the Grim Reaper, collecting with them as much loot as they can, that wins the day!

This is a great conference event, or is ideal to introduce a team building element even if space is restricted.

Christmas Team Building

2013-10-23T10:00:00.000+01:00

Our Pub Games team building event is pure fun from start to finish! We bring along a great selection of traditional pub games and then let the fun unfold.

All the well-known favourite pub games are here - Skittle Alley, Shove Ha'penny, Quoits, Darts - plus quite a few great pub games that you might not have come across before such as Shuffleboard, Ringing the Bull, and Aunt Sally. We have scaled-up in size some of the games to make them great for team play. However, all are based on traditional pub games...many of which have been played for centuries.

Your Compere for the event will introduce the games, quickly outline the play involved in each game, and then help teams to get started. Teams sizes vary to suit (anything between 3 and 10 people per team can work well).

On the sound of the hooter, all teams begin their first game. It's race on to score as many points, strikes, or ends as possible before the hooter sounds again to mark the end the round. Teams need to organise themselves well if they are to maximise their scoring on each game. And perhaps not surprisingly, the pace is full-on...a great way to unwind!

Referees (our event staff) ensure rules are scrupulously observed(!) and will join in the fun. At each hooter, teams move on to their next game. But although this is a fast-moving event, there is always time to visit the bar to get the next ones in!

The evening concludes with a prize-giving both to the winning team and to the outstanding (or abysmal!) performances in the various games.

Our Pub Games Event is ideal to follow an evening meal, as a social event for a conference or as the lead-in to an evening meal. It also great as a fun and light-hearted round-off to a business meeting or team building event. Start and finish times can be adapted to suit you, however 1½ to 2 hours duration is typical. A perfect way to keep the team together following a meeting, conference or away day.

International Team Building

2013-10-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

Our Great International Marble Run is a highly competitive, fun and fast-moving team building event involving collaboration, negotiations and competition. Each team is allocated an international territory and are organised into consortia; this means that teams need to work collaboratively with some territories whilst competing with others!
The challenge is to transport marbles by pipeline from the city of Alpha to the city of Bravo crossing international boundaries en-route. Each team may only operate inside their national boundaries - an area of the function room (or grass/hard-standing area) clearly marked out by bright hazard tape.

Teams each have access to a set of construction materials. Teams receive incoming marbles from one or more neighbouring team and then pass them on to the next neighbouring team in their consortia. This requires collaboration between teams to pool and exchange resources to ensure that the pipeline works as a complete entity.

Individual teams can improve their pipeline by building in special features (drops, bends etc.), by paying attention to structural integrity and by the decoration and adornment of their pipeline with national emblems and symbols. Extra fun can be built-in by requiring pipelines to crossover rival pipelines at various points! At a specified time, marbles are released over the whole pipeline. An Award Ceremony at the close recognises a variety of achievements such ambition demonstrated, artistry, engineering innovation and of course whether the pipeline works or not!

Finally, the marble pipelines that your teams build represent a great metaphor for the need for organisations to provide a seamless service or product delivery to their customers - this can only be achieved if all teams are aligned to the same goal. This high-energy event really taps into teamwork - it is ideal as a conference event, an energiser, or to add a team building element to a meeting, seminar or training course.

Crystal Maze Team Building

2013-10-18T11:00:00.000+01:00

The Labyrinth is loosely based upon the popular TV game-show The Crystal Maze. It is one of our most popular team building events, being very adaptable to nearly all venues. The simple format involving loads of great teambuilding games quickly gets people working together, achieving results and having fun.

Participants, (ideally in teams of 5 to 7 people) tackle a series of intriguing problem solving team challenges. The Labyrinth can run partly or entirely indoors - useful if the weather is poor. If you have a meeting room and access to the outdoors, then we can take the decision on the day itself - indoors or outdoors - either way you get a great event! If you need help finding a venue somewhere in the UK give us a call or take a look at our Venues page.

Within each activity zone (a cordoned-off area) lies a team challenge. On entering the activity zone, your team has 15 minutes to overcome the challenge within. Success or partial success, in overcoming the problem solving game will be rewarded with time bonuses or points to be carried forward to the final stages of the event.

At the end of the Team Challenge Stage, all teams participate together in a Finale Challenge. Points accumulated in the first stage decide each team's position on the starting grid...however all teams are still in with a chance! Winners of the Finale Challenge are declared Labyrinth Champions and take home the prize!

The Labyrinth challenge can be completed purely for fun, or we can include additional time for teams to review and discuss how they are operating. Reviews can be facilitated by our (or your) training staff or we can offer guidance and structure so that groups can self-review. Either way, we ensure that reviews keep a constructive focus helping groups to identify ways in which they can move forward.

In summary, this is a versatile and fun team building event that, like the TV gameshow The Crystal Maze, will have wide appeal!

Fast-paced Team Building

2013-10-16T14:00:00.000+01:00

Photo Rally is a fun and active team building activity that is ideal for larger groups and conferences.

Photo Rally includes a mad dash in and around your conference venue, while teams get the chance to take loads of hilarious photos and try out bucket-loads of silly props and costumes! Yet despite all the hilarity, this is an intelligent team building event that will tap into creative juices whilst encouraging interaction and teamwork.

Culture vultures say that every great story can be condensed down to a single phrase or tagline. So, we see that the great love story of Romeo and Juliet boils down to the powerful message that... "love is greater then death". Similarly, the tagline of that famous western The Magnificent Seven is...

They were seven. And they fought like seven hundred!

During Photo Rally your teams create their own story based on a classic tagline . To add fun, their story has a theme and we throw-in a collection of mad props and costumes. Add this to dashing here-there-and-everywhere looking for the right photo locations and you have the makings of a memorable team building event!

This is a great event to get your participants out and about, seeing something of their surroundings and re-energising.

Armed with their set of hilarious photographs, team race to create giant storyboards, adding captions and illustrations to complete their very own story.

As a perfect finish, we have our mini-Oscar ceremony in which we recognise and reward the creative, the inspired, the brilliant and the plain daft!

Alternative Team Building

2013-10-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

This Circus Skills Team Building Activity helps participants to discover new skills in a fun and active way.

The seemingly impossible challenges of learning how to juggle; how to spin a plate; how to use a flower stick; and how to throw and catch a diabolo are quickly mastered. Even during our condensed one-hour "energiser" event everyone will experience success and the buzz of gaing a new skill.

During this team building event, the fear of failure or of looking silly are put to one side. Participants are encouraged to support one another and to both seek and offer help to colleagues.

By acknowledging success a "virtuous circle" is created that encourages everyone to "keep on at it" even when initial difficulties are encountered. When working in this way participants are always amazed at just what they are able to achieve!

Typically, the event runs by subdividing participants into teams. Each team is introduced to a new Circus Skill before moving on to look at the next discipline. During this time, each participant is encouraged to have fun, to experiment, to ask for help and to offer help.

Later on each team will be asked to demonstrate their newly-acquired circus skills in a team presentation to be viewed, of course, by all other groups! All the skills need to be covered. So who will juggle? Who will spin a plate? Decision-time!

Cue the cheering and clapping as your participants display fantastic new skills. Some participants are so enthused they won't want to stop!

Our Circus Skills activity is a memorable team building event - everyone enjoys learning a new skill and gaining a party-piece to boot! Participants also recognise and value just how much can be achieved as a result of creating a constructive and supportive working environment.

This event is great as a half-day activity when close-working bonds can be established by working on developing new skills. It also is valuable as practical exercise within acoaching skills training event. However our Circus Skills activity, in a condensed format is also ideal as a conference energiser to get people laughing together and stretching minds and bodies.