On a bi-annual basis, we like to ask the Adventurers and Parent/Carers about the service we provide.
Back in June, we sent out an email with a feedback form, to gather that information and have since reviewed and responded to some of the key points.
We’ve gathered lots of honest feedback – the good and the bad. This includes what we do well, where we can improve, and how we can better meet the needs of both Adventurers and their Parents/Carers as we move forward.
Here's what we've found to be the most important points, and how we look to address them going forward:
The Stuff That Made Us Smile
We are really proud of what we do here at The Adventure Service; our team work hard to provide the Adventurers with the best possible support and care, as well as teaching them valuable, transferable life skills.
We aren't like typical day services; we hate sitting indoors, watching films, doing jigsaws and we certainly do not do anything with pritt sticks.
We like to be outside, understanding the world around us and interacting with it. But of course, you already know this...(if you didn't you can watch what we get up to here - The Adventure Service YouTube Channel).
The positive feedback we received filled us with an immense sense of pride and it proved to us that what we do is having the impact we hope it does, to so many different people.
Here's some of the ones that made us smile the most (scroll to see them all):
To reiterate what we have said above, the positive feedback we have received from those involved with the service has filled us with so much pride and pushes us to strive to be better and do more for the Adventurers, every day.
There's A Few Things We Can Do Better
Though we strive to provide the best outdoor actitives for adults with a learning disability in the country (okay, in the world) there are still, and will always be, thing to improve upon.
This information is so valuable to use and we thank the parent/carers who filled out the form for their honesty.
Without your feedback, we can only presume what we're not quite getting right. But your insights are invaluable and give us clear areas for which we can improve upon.
So, here are some of the keys areas that were highlighted, or repeated by multiple entries:
"Informing You of The Sessions Plan, In Advance"
This was quite a common note from the responses we gathered, and we it is something that we are acutely aware of. It must be frustrating to not know the activity that is planned for the following day until the morning of.
Not only because of the challenges that may face you with Adventurers who like the be in the know and work best when in a set routine. But also because the actitives we do can be vastly different. For example, if the session planned for the day is a paddle sports session, you're going to bring a very different set of clothing, compared to if the session planned were a caving session. This rings true for most of the activities we run, as the clothing the Adventurer will bring with them on the day, will differ.
However, due to the arena in which we operate (the great outdoors) it can be unpredictable and throw various challenges our way.
For instance, the Instructors may have planned a paddle sports session for the following day, but if there's a storm/high winds the morning of the session, then it isn't safe for us to head out on the water.
This runs true for every session we run, as the weather is a large determining factor.
These changes can also be quite unpredictable, and we don't want to upset or unsettle Adventurers due to changing plans.
Once the Adventurer is on site, we will be able to share the information as to what is planned for the day.
Unsure of what to bring with you on a normal day? Check out our guide of what to buy and where here.
So, do you not plan at all?
Understandably, from the above, it may sound like that this the case. Although, we can assure you that it certainly isn't.
Managers and Team Leaders work tirelessly in the office each month to plan, organise and run session to the highest standard.
All of the sessions are planned a month in advance and there is careful thought that goes into the dynamic of the groups and that sessions are suitable to that help the Adventurer work towards their progressive targets (unsure what progressive targets are? - read about them here).
Nevertheless, we can have the best intentions of heading out climbing, with beautiful clear skies forecast for the day. But come the morning and if it's blowing a gale and raining, it just isn't safe to venture out. So there has to be a change of plan.
For this reason, we don't inform the session that is planned until the morning, but we do appreciate that under some circumstances it can be frustrating.
But, given the complexity and dis-like for change for some of the Adventurers, this is the best system we have found, to keep everyone happy.
"Investing In Your Transport"
Over the past year we have had a torrid time when it comes to buses breaking down. We ran a study internally and found that in the last year (September 23 - September 24) we were without our full fleet of buses, for 2.5 days a week, on average.
Therefore, this means that there were more local sessions taking place than usual. This is not to discredit local sessions, as there can be many an adventure had in the surrounding areas of all three of our centres. But we are aware that to do some of the activities we offer, you do have to head further a field.
Here's what we're doing to improve our transport
To improve our ability to get out and about in the great outdoors, in a vehicle, the Leadership Team are meeting to discuss viable solutions to get improved buses on the road. We know that it's an area that needs attention and we are working hard as a team, on a solution to our transportation issues.
In an ideal work, we would simple have the funds to deploy brand new buses to all 3 services but, unfortunately, it isn't that easy.
In saying this, the lack of available buses at points, has given us the opportunity to use more public transport to get to various locations that are out of waking distance of each of our centres.
Meaning that the Adventurers are building on those life skills, gaining independence and continually working towards achieving their potential.
"Some Centres Seem To Get To Have A Go At More Varied Activities Than Others"
Given the nature of our business, providing the same activities at each centre can be tricky.
Here's why:
To run a certain activity, our Instructors have to be qualified in that area. For example, to run a paddle sports session, they have to be a paddle sports leader. For archery, they have to have under taken their archery course. The same for climbing, caving and so on.
So, given that our Instructors have a set centre, the sessions for which that centre can run, depends upon the Instructors that work there. This then means that there may be a wider variety of qualified Instructors at one centre, compared to another. Which, means that sessions may (and do) vary from centre to centre.
How do we combat this?
To ensure that we are providing outdoor adventure each and every session, every Instructor that comes on board with us has to undertake a pathway. This pathway involves them becoming qualified in two outdoor activities within their first two years of employment.
This could be becoming a Hill and Mooreland Leader (so they can run scrambling, weaselling and hill walking sessions) and a Paddle Sports Leader (so they can run paddle sports sessions). Or a caving Instructor and a climbing Instructor. Whichever two they choose.
So, it's clear to see why there then becomes natural variations in the different session that run out of each centre.
Training for a new qualification can also take a significant amount of time too. For a Hill and Mooreland qualification, the Instructor needs to have recorded 40 quality hill days, which is no mean feat.
This doesn't mean that they can't run sessions as at all. There are an endless number of sessions that an Instructor can run without any qualifications at all. But some of the more adventurous actitives require a National Governing Body qualifications for an Instructor to be able to lead a group.
We also look to link groups from each centre up, too. So a caving Instructor from Mansfield Woodhouse may meet take a smaller group and meet up with a group from Top Valley in the Peak District, for a day of caving.
“Continue To Search For Activities To Add. Maybe Consider A Person-Centred Activity That Can Be Worked On Over A 6 Week Period To Improve That Persons Skills Level For Future Development"
Since the beginning of the year we have been developing a new target system for the Adventurers.
We wanted to develop a new target system so we can track the progression of the Adventurers and show to Parent/Carers and the Adventurers how well they are developing.
If you want to know how that system works, we wrote an article explaining it all here - A Guide To How We Set, Plan & Use Progressive Targets.
However, if you're looking for specific information regarding a particular Adventurer and their targets, please get in contact with Emma Nixon (Emma@theadventureservice.com) who is our Adventurer Experience Co-Ordinator.
“Staff Retention. Familiarity, Consistency And Personal Knowledge Are All Key For Adventurers With Difficulties”
It is of the upmost importance for the Adventurers to have consistency when they join us for their adventure and we ensure that all Adventurers have their individual routines recognised and are in place for when they come.
When it comes to staff retention, we understand the importance of Adventurers seeing the same faces and for people to understand their routines.
However, given the nature of the industry in which we operate (which has the 3rd highest staff turnover in the UK, only falling behind hospitality and retail) coupled with the outdoor industry (which is notorious for it's high turnover rate) keeping staff within a role can sometimes be tricky.
Here's what we're doing to improve it
We're not shying away from the fact the demands of the job can be high, but we've put a lot of measure in place to ensure that staff want to, and feel able to continue their hard work.
Here's just a few of the things we do to, in the way of benefits for our staff team:
Enhanced maternity, paternity and sick leave.
Employee Assistance Program and Mental Health Support Helpline
Employees accrue additional annual leave with each year of service
Progress Meetings to discuss what's working and what's not
Variety of working patterns
Transparent pay scales
Introducing New Faces
Inevitably, people come and go and when we employ new staff, we do comprehensive training both inhouse and external to ensure that they are prepared for every possible scenario that may occur when out with the Adventurers.
But also, as we are expanding our offering, new staff will come into the business.
Understanding individual Adventurers
Each centre should now have a staff team that solely works for that centre. There are odd occasion where people will cover at another centre, due to absences, but this is becoming much less frequent. This means that the staff team are far more likely to establish relationships with the Adventurer, due to seeing them on a consistent basis.
We also have a ‘gerbil’ for each Adventurer. These are folders that have in them their Positive Behaviour Support Plan and Risk Assessments.
When the Instructors arrive in the morning, they ensure that they read through each support plan, for each of the Adventurers they are working with that day. Thus ensuring that they are familiar with their needs and how to best support them.
Thank You
Thank for taking the time to fill out the form in the first instance and hopefully we have captured the best areas, as well as those we need/are addressing.
We understand that their is still a lot of work to do and that we're by no means finished.
However, we are excited to improve upon what has been fed back, and in turn help more Adventurers achieve their potential through adventure.
See You Out There!
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