Working outdoors can do wonders for teamwork and collaboration. Interdependence is a valuable skill that can help teens in the long run. It can be cultivated through projects, and being on a team makes it so that one has a defined goal to work towards, and collaboration makes it easier. Efficiency is key in teamwork, and how people cooperate with one another is crucial. If one person does not get along with their team but pulls their own weight, whereas another person gets along with their team, but doesn't get their work done, who is the better teammate?
Arguably it is the one who actively works towards the singular goal, rather than the one who is amiable with his or her partners. Teamwork is key, as it allows for shared experiences that help bond people together. This is how one builds camaraderie with others, with communication. Getting to know people is hard. How people solve problems is another thing entirely. Working outside helps with that, as it boosts creativity and thinking outside of the box, so to speak. Teens might not want to work outside, so one has to make it engaging for them. For example, The Coop Concept did icebreakers the first couple of days when they created garden beds and sanded picnic tables for Chambers Elementary School.
These icebreakers helped ease the teens into doing work outside. Additionally, they helped the teens to get to know their peers. How the teens overcame obstacles in their pursuit of their goal was to collaborate and work together to get the job done. Aurora says, "Starting out the assembly line was slow at first, but after a while we got the hang of it, and it went by much quicker." Creating an assembly line is no easy task, but each person that does their part will create something that is more than the sum of their parts. Each person doing their job will foster greater teamwork skills.
Creativity, as well as the ability to communicate is key for not only navigating the outdoors, but to work towards goals. Individual goals as well as collective ones can be worked towards through collaboration as well as dedication.
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