Tarun Chandna speaks with SANGEETA YADAV about the importance of an outdoor learning system for children, which is offered by In Me and the activities involved in this unique programme
Tell us about InMeIJ
Inme campus are typically eight day long outdoor programs for 9 to 17-year-olds that use adventure, art and community to create powerful learning experiences. Our programmes are more than just a series of outdoor activities or a camping holiday. The programmes use the power of the experiential method where participants pick up life skills, gain confidence, become independent, learn to work with others, and have opportunities to dig deeper into their potential. These programmes range from 7 days to 21 days.
What is the purpose of launching this in IndiaIJ
The objective of the programme is to help children explore possibilities, stretch beyond ones limits and get in touch with their infinite potential— all while having fun in the wilderness. Important life skills can be developed experientially while having fun. While such programmes are popular in countries like Singapore, Australia, we launched these programmes in India to expose the children to the benefits of being in the outdoors.
Tell us about the moduleIJ
The on-campus programmes includes eight day experiences in one of our five campuses across the country. When a child registers at Inme, they choose two activities that he/she wants to do at camp while registering. Children stay in tented accommodation on camp and participate in activities, challenges, learning and informal fun sessions around the campus. Our programmes have trained and certified instructors and course leaders.
The advance level includes Challenge that includes cycling, trekking, diving, rafting, kayaking and skiing expeditions. These are run by senior course leaders. On any of our programmes, we do not allow the participant to communicate with the parents. We update our face book page twice daily.
What are the challenges in this fieldIJ
Many times, children are looking only to have fun and spend time away from their parents. They aren’t willing to stretch themselves as needed in an outdoors programmes. Parents want quick and visible results. life skills development doesn’t happen overnight and needs repeated exposure on our programmes to have the desired outcome.
Moreover, schools often look at leisure/sightseeing trips and have to educated about this field. These programmes need at least five days for the desired outcome. However, schools often don’t have this much time set aside.
Budgets are often limited and these programmes come across to be a little expensive. These programmes are held at our wilderness locations and the travel is sometimes long and tiring.
What is the costIJ
Our programme fee starts with Rs5,000 for a week long programme and goes up to Rs95,000 for the international cycling programme. For schools, costs are derived on the number of days, number of participants and activities to be covered.
What are the activities involved in thisIJ
Adventure activities like white water rafting, rock climbing, ropes course, back packing, wilderness craft and mountain biking. There are other activities beyond adventure that focus on awareness and attitude like rifle shooting, village visit, kite flying, movie making, photography, first aid, magic and many more. There are activities around teamwork, initiative, collaboration and problem solving. Some of these are mission impossible, mines & hurdles, all across, trust fall, bull ring and many more.There are cycling expeditions too. Deep sea adventure is also there.
Upcoming plansIJ
We are running about 35 programmes in May and June in our campuses across India.