CCAL’s Adventure Leadership Program

“You learn a lot more when you are cold, tired, hungry and wet” Julian Norris stated when asked about the value of Adventure Education. Adventure Education is a revolutionary way of learning about advanced leadership concepts. Instead of learning about leadership from a book, students learn from real life experience when participating in these adventures. With some level of risk involved, students are fully engaged, using decision making, problem solving and team skills when participating on this journey. Ultimately, some of the key learning results from struggle of the journey and not a prize at the end. It is more about what students learn in process of completing these journeys that makes the experience transformational.

The Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business provides multiple Adventure Leadership Education programs throughout the academic school year such as the Leadership Expedition, Wilderness Retreat and the Leadership Challenge Weekend (LCW). The Leadership Expedition and Wilderness Retreat are both courses, OBHR 559 and MGST 559.4 respectively, and quite different from what one might think school courses would be. These courses take students on multiday trips into the Rocky Mountains that allow for transformational experiences through various challenges and reflection. It is amazing how much an individual can learn within a short period of time, but the experiences gained are one of a kind. “This experience was crucial for me in so many ways. In hindsight, the course expanded my leadership skills and confidence, but also helped me in other facets of my life”, Kira Lagadin, a former Leadership Expedition attendee shares. The Leadership Challenge Weekend, which took place in October at Camp Chief Hector in Kananaskis, is an amazing 3 day weekend that allows students to have fun and meet lots of new people all while building leadership and team skills. This year, over 80 people attended the weekend and all of the participants had positive experiences to share. Aleksander Karaivanov, who has made it a priority to go to the LCW for the last two years, had this to say, “Comparing my growth over one year to the next, it is amazing. I see how different I relate to people in the same context while at the LCW. It is tough to see any real personal growth in any other setting, but at the LCW since it is a real life setting that I am placed in. There is no other way to learn these intangible skills. It’s not just being a better professional, but ultimately a better person. Being a better person is universal and applies to everything in your life.”

For more information on these opportunities, so you don’t miss signing up for next year click here. If you have participated in any of Haskayne’s Adventure Leadership Education initiatives and would like to share your experiences, please contact Kenny Huynh at huynk@ucalgary.ca.