About Experiential Learning for Youth
NexLevel Challenge Youth Retreats Teach Through Experience
This ‘learn by doing’ approach lends itself to the life-changing shifts we create, for many reasons:
- Young people need to believe in themselves to be successful in life, but too often they doubt their own capabilities. Experiential learning forces them outside their comfort zone, involving them in tasks slightly above their current level of functioning. It gives them the opportunity to discover what they can achieve if they push themselves.
- Working in teams gives participants the opportunity to develop teamwork and leadership skills. They build lasting friendships with others outside their usual social network, and have fun with young people from all backgrounds.
- Students are forced to use their initiative to find ways to learn according to their own unique style. Experiential learning works equally well for those who are visual, auditory or kinesthetic learners.
- Experiential learning involves taking action and then evaluating the outcome of that action. In an environment where they do not even realize they are learning, participants learn to work in a team to make decisions, experiment, analyze, and solve problems. The experience is empowering and life-affirming.
Experiential Learning in a Wilderness Setting
The incredible power of the NexLevel Challenge experience lies in the wilderness setting and our ability to work, not just with the mind, but with the whole child:
The mind: Learning to respect the wilderness, participants learn through observation and experience, discovering new ways to think about and interact with our environment.
The body: The wilderness experience provides a combination of fresh air, good food and physical challenges. Participants are often surprised by their own physical strength and as they challenge their physical limitations, which can create great changes in their body image and their self-confidence.
The spirit: Immersion in the natural world gives participants a rare opportunity to slow down, reflect and reconnect with the environment. It refreshes the spirit and provides a feeling of tranquility and well-being.
The emotions: With this rejuvenation of the spirit, and the experience of relying on others, participants develop the sort of close relationships that allow them to open up and share their emotions and their dreams like never before.
The wilderness setting at the Red Lodge Guest Ranch is a magical place where youth can escape the emotional confines of their everyday lives and develop an unusual sense of self-awareness, self-respect and empathy. Here they will make relationships and have experiences they will value for the rest of their lives.
Request More Info or call 403-714-1550 or 1-866-840-2840 now.
