One of my personal favorites is the Charity Bike Build.
This week we presented it again to a company, who was actually the first client to purchase this program thirteen years ago. It has gone through its revisions and updates and is always open for client customization; however, the basic premise remains the same. That we present a healthy competition of creativity, engineering and even some physicality, on top of that the bikes are donated to a local children’s charity.
What makes a successful team building program is surprisingly not the charity component. We take the participants through a journey; an opportunity to connect with themselves and others, and the well-devised activities are set to trigger memories, in this scenario of your own experiences of having a bike. By the time the donation element of the program arrives, the true impact will be felt!
We look at the team building, not the gimmick or trend.
Have you ever given loose change to a person ringing a bell standing outside the grocery store? Does the memory remain with you? Are you aware of what you gave? Do you go home and think about where your change went? Or, have you, like me, thought oh I had better give them something, because I don’t want to appear rude? Or, that’s convenient that’s my good deed for the year done and those loose coins were annoying me.
Now, if you actually took that same change and went to the charity location and offered a day of service, you would see how and why donations are required. You would see the physical differences between those who have and those who do not.
Charities are set up because of a need. An experience led to that need being felt. Someone died because they didn’t have the funds for the appropriate care. Someone took another recreational drug because they didn’t think they were worthy. It’s fine if we all just give, yet, real change can be made if we truly understand what we are giving to. So, for TeamBonding as a company, when a client chooses to use team-building as a method to give back, it is our opportunity to also give back to you, and show you the possibilities of what each employee can bring.
A connection is a major component of team building. In most of our programs, there is an element of sharing personal stories. Sometimes it is delivered in a fun way, or as an anonymous opportunity, or it is hidden, meaning you are doing it without realizing. I have heard and seen a wave of pride when it was shared that a participant was homeless before getting the very job that they were doing within that company. That a person had just gone into remission from cancer, that someone saved a life, ran a marathon or won a karaoke competition that weekend. People are remarkable.
This week during a bike build, a young man shared his story of thanks. That there he was in a team, building two bikes, to make a total of forty bikes being donated. At the age of six, he had received his first bike, exactly that way. If it had not been for a program like The Boys and Girls Club, he would not have received opportunities and experiences that changed his life. Perhaps, indeed, made his life. And, here he was now working for a company who understood how people want to be, with his time that afternoon spent with fellow work companions building bicycles to give away. We all got the relevance. So the magic circle continues and the impact was felt. That’s why we say – harness the power.
Charity team building helps build bonds, strengthen communication skills, and boosts morale while making a positive difference in the lives of people who need it the most. We have seen success by simply making bikes, teddy bears or bags of supplies, and donating as a group to the ones in need. View all our charity programs here.
