Workforce Engagement - TAS IS THE BEST!

If there’s one thing The Adventure Service is extremely pleased with, it’s our wonderful staff team.

Helen, Mala and Sarah at the Bushcraft Site.

As some of you may remember, last year we won the Workforce Development Award at the Institute Of Outdoor Learning Awards. We were ever so proud as we put so much work and effort in to push our team to be the best they possibly can.

Last years Workforce Development Award.

This year, we decided to enter for the Workforce Engagement award at the 2019 IOL Celebrating Outdoor Learning Awards. We thought we were perfect for this category as we are an inclusive employer who takes a massive amount of pride in our staff training, the work we do and sessions we deliver.

Our Celebrating Outdoor Learning Awards Finalist logo.

Helen and Terry attended the awards evening at the Ibis Hotel in Birmingham City Centre, where they were treated to networking, drinks and a three-course meal. Apparently over 4,000 people voted across all categories. Unfortunately, The Adventure Service didn’t walk away with a win. But we are insanely proud of what we’ve achieved and the fact we were finalists.

Helen and Terry at the award ceremony at the Ibis in Birmingham.

Here’s a bit of information about the staff team we are so honoured to have and develop…

We currently employ 22 members of staff that are all trained in different and relevant areas so we can deliver the best high-quality outdoor adventure to all our service users. We also take students on work experience from colleges and schools (Both Mainstream and SEN). We work closely with West Nottinghamshire College’s Health and Social Care students and have multiple come on 10-week placements each year. We also take volunteers, many that have become permeant members of staff. We have staff that were employed through the Shaw Trust Programme and staff members that have disabilities.

Some staff members taking part in some training.

We are all about the development and engagement of our staff. All the team, including admin, are offered a wide variety of outdoor training opportunities, internal and external, and annual refreshes. This includes Outdoor First Aid, Bushcraft Competency, PaddleSports, NNAS (National Navigation Award Scheme), Hill and Moorland, Mountain Leader, MAPA (Managing Actual and Potential Aggression), Food Hygiene, Epilepsy Awareness, Makaton and Safeguarding Adults and Children.

Instructor, Dave, having a laugh.

We have recently introduced a Wellbeing Team, that focuses on our staff wellbeing at work. The team look at elements such as mental health, substance abuse, healthy eating and health protection. We also in the process of introducing anonymous surveys, for our staff to express concerns for us to action. This is working well for us now.

Our Marking Manager, Lauren, really enjoys her job. Here she is making grass heads.

Our staff team is diverse and work so well together. We are more than just colleagues; we are a family. We are friends inside and outside of work and always welcome new staff. Every single member of staff has our Adventurers best interests at heart, meaning everything we do is for the health and well-being of them. Our workforce engagement ties up fabulously with our value statements. Lastly, who could forget about our wonderful Adventure Dog, Broc.

Broc the Adventure Dog.

We are so proud of our staff team and all they do for our amazing company.