Team Building and Therapy Using The Conferencebike For Learning And Growing
ThisbookletwaswrittentoshareourexperienceswiththeConferenceBikeintheteambuildingandtherapyspaceandpassonsomeinsightsthatmightbeinterestingtoyouifyouareinvolved
intheareasofcommunication,motivationandtherapy.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Contents. TheConferenceBikeAsFacilitationTool........................................................................................3
TeamBuilding.................................................................................................................................5
SowhoisusingtheCoBi?...........................................................................................................7
Google....................................................................................................................................7
Hirschfeld...............................................................................................................................8
Limitedonlytoyourimagination...............................................................................................9
Therapy........................................................................................................................................10
Introduction..............................................................................................................................10
TheTampaLighthouse.........................................................................................................11
CampAbilities.......................................................................................................................12
HelenKellerNationalCenterforDeaf-BlindYouthsandAdults..........................................15
SoutheastOrientationandMobilityAssociation(SWOMA)................................................17
InClosing......................................................................................................................................18
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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The ConferenceBike As Facilitation Tool. TheConferenceBikeisauniquetricyclethatispedaledby7riderssittinginacircle.Onepersonsteerswhiletheother6pedal(ornot),asthebikemoveseffortlesslyalong.
TheConferenceBikeisnowbeingenjoyedbydiversegroupsallovertheworld.Itisatour-bikeinLondon, a tool for corporate team-building in Amsterdam, away for blind people to bike inDublin,ahuman-poweredschoolbusinAmericaandavehicletoconveypeopleatthemeparksinEngland,Germany,and Israel.Everyweeknewusesarebeingdiscovered: seminars, clubs,festivals,therapygroupsareamazedatthepowerfulsharingeffectthatthesebikeshave.
TheConferenceBikeorCoBi-7cameoutofperformanceartistEricStaller’s“UrbanUFO”seriesofmobilepublicartworksthathebeganin1985.
In1991EricStallerbuilttheOctos,acircular8-personbike,completewithfuturisticblackandwhitecostumeswornbyhiscrewwhenheperformeditinNYC.WhenhemovedtoAmsterdamin1991therewassuchanenthusiasmforOctosthatitoccurredtohimtoturnitintoaproduct.
HecollaboratedwithaDutchbikebuildertoprototype8-personandthen7-personiterationsthat he sold to a number of European parks. Here is where he learned that there is a bigdifferencebetweenaperformanceartone-offandaproduct,astheseearlymodelswereverymaintenance-intensive,ifnotpronetomechanicalfailure!
In2000,hemadetheacquaintanceofaGermanengineerfromVolkswagen,soinspiredbytheConferenceBikethathequithisjobandwentintobusinesswithEric.Togethertheyevolvedtherobustandreliablemachinethatitistoday.
Therearenowalmost400CoBies inmorethan20countries.Owner/operatorshavecomeupwithusesformybikesthatevenheneverdreamedof.Someofourfavorites:
§ VOYAGE POUR LA PAIX CoBies used by a mid-east peace organization in Paris withPalestinianandIsraelikidsridingandlaughingTOGETHER.
§ HELENKELLERNATIONALCENTERandFLORIDASCHOOLFORDEAFANDBLIND:institutesforthedeafandblindusingCoBiesforrecreationandasatooltoteachtrust.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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§ GOOGLECAMPUSgettingexecutivesoutoftheboardroomandthinkingoutsidethebox.Alsousedas'softtransportation',whenit'stoofartowalk,buttooneartodrive:taketheCoBi!
§ THEROYALENGINEERSOFTHEBRITISHARMYareusingaCoBitoraiseawarenessandmoneyforsoldiersinjuredinAfghanistanandIraq.
§ THEBRICKCHURCHinSt.LouisusesoneforSundayschool.Youngpeoplegettingsomeexerciseandgettingtoknowoneanother.
§ CIRQUEDESOLEILusesoneforcommunityoutreachinMontreal.
§ STONYBROOKandALFREDUNIVERSITIESareusing them fororientationandcampustours.
§ THECOLORADOROCKYMOUNTAINSCHOOLusesonetoraiseawarenessaboutfitnessandalternativeenergytransportation.
§ TheWashingtonDCVeteransAdministrationMedicalCenterhasaConferenceBikethatwasdonatedbyEricStaller'sfather.ItisusedbyemployeesandVeteransforrecreationalandfundraisingevents.
Thebikeiscontrolledthroughahydraulicbrakesystemandsteeringwheel.Eachbikeis8feetlongandweighs400pounds.
WewantedtotakealookatsomeofthedifferentapplicationsasawaytoinspireandencourageyoutofindwaystointroducetheCoBiasatoolinyourrepertoire.Itsuniquecharacteristicsallowustobridgegapsthatareotherwisehardtoclosebetweenthebody,themindandemotionswithinoneselfaswellaswithothers.Itisanaturalfacilitatorofpositivegroupdynamicswithaperfectmixtureoffun,movement,communicationandchallenge.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Team Building. Teambuildingisoneofthosebusinesstopicsthatwillevokeafeweyerolls.Thefirstthingthatcomestomindformanyarethosesuperficialactivitiesthatforcepeopletogetherintosomesortofawkwardscenario,withalloftheparticipantshatingtheprocessandwishingitwouldend.
Astudy fromMIT’sHumanDynamicsLaboratoryshows thatwhen it comes topredicting thesuccessofagreatteam,themostimportantelementishowwelltheteamcommunicatesduringinformalmeetings:
“Withremarkableconsistency,thedataconfirmedthatcommunicationindeedplaysacriticalroleinbuildingsuccessfulteams.Infact,we’vefoundpatternsof
communicationtobethemostimportantpredictorofateam’ssuccess."
InaHarvardBusinessReviewfeaturearticletheauthorfindsthatgreatteams:
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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§ Communicate frequently. In a typical project team a dozen or so communicationexchangesperworkinghourmayturnouttobeoptimum.Butmoreorlessthanthatandteamperformancecandecline.
§ Talkandlisteninequalmeasure,equallyamongmembers.Lowerperformingteamshavedominantmembers,teamswithinteams,andmemberswhotalkorlistenbutdon’tdoboth.
§ Engageinfrequentinformalcommunication.Thebestteamsspendabouthalftheirtimecommunicating outside of formalmeetings or as “asides” during teammeetings, andincreasing opportunities for informal communication tends to increase teamperformance.
§ Exploreforideasandinformationoutsidethegroup.Thebestteamsperiodicallyconnectwithmanydifferentoutsidesourcesandbringwhattheylearnbacktotheteam.
For example, we now know that 35% of thevariation in a team’s performance can beaccountedforsimplybythenumberofface-to-faceexchangesamongteammembers.Weknowaswellthatthe“right”numberofexchangesinateamisasmanyasdozensperworkinghour,butthatgoingbeyondthat idealnumberdecreasesperformance.
Wecanalsostatewithcertaintythatinatypicalhigh-performance team,members are listeningorspeakingtothewholegrouponlyabouthalfthetime,andwhenaddressingthewholegroup,eachteammemberspeaksforonlyhisorherfairshare of time, using brief, to-the-pointstatements.Theotherhalfofthetimemembersareengaginginone-on-oneconversations,whichareusuallyquiteshort.Itmayseemillogicalthatallthosesideexchangescontributetobetterperformance,ratherthandistractateam,butthedataproveotherwise.
Source:https://hbr.org/2012/04/the-new-science-of-building-great-teams
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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So who is using the CoBi?
GoogleisusingConferenceBikesforteam-building.
Theycurrentlyhaveninebikesinusefortransportationandteambuildingontheircampus.Theyhavehadthemforyearsinoperation.
PhotocreditMarcyBeard
HeadofTransportationatGoogleBrendonHarringtonsaysabouttheConferenceBike:
“Imagineonepersonfacingforwardandthentheothersixpeoplearoundacircle.Andthewaythebikeismanufacturedandconstructed,everyonecanactuallypedalatthesametime—allcontributingtopropelthebikeforward.Butsincethey’refacingeachother,theycanchatwitheachother,theycanshareideas,theycanhaveateammeetingifthey’dlike.”
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Teamactivitiesareusefulinmanysettingsinvolvingagroupofpeople.Forexample,acompanymeetingmayusecompetitiveactivitiesasteambuildingexercisesorto“breaktheice”betweenpersonnelfromdifferentlevelsinthehierarchyorfromdifferentlocationsordivisions.
Likewise, parties or other gatheringsmaywant competitive activities as a pastime or game.Although such activities arewell-known and numerous,many require physical skills or priorknowledgetoplaywell.Thisputsmanyparticipantsataseriousdisadvantage,therebylimitingthe effectiveness of the activity. The CoBi creates a level playing field that allows players ofdifferentskilllevelstoparticipateonamoreequalbasis.
Hirschfeld
AneventagencyinGermanyofferstheCoBiinthecontextofateam-buildingseminar.Theysayparticipantsexperiencehowtocollaborativelysetagoalevenifitisnotinview.Theydevelopedaparkourwithobstacles,timelimitsandarequirementtocommunicatewithanotherteamovertheradiotodiscoverthegoal,quicklyfindingoutwhotheteamplayerswere.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Limited only to your imagination Someonecameupwiththisidea:
“ToplayConferenceBikebasketball,twoteamsridearoundacoursewhileattemptingtoscorepointsbythrowingballsintoabasketontheotherteam’s
bike.Allagesandabilitiescanplaytogether!”
http://www.sevenseat.bike/
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Therapy. Introduction TheConferenceBikeiscatchingonintherapeuticcircles.Afterbeingpioneeredbyafewearlyadopters,theCoBiisstartingtodomorethanturnheads.Themulti-functionalityandversatilitythat allows it to be used and useful on many levels from social to physical to improve iscompelling.
Thelowprice,lowtechandlowmaintenancecomparedtoothertoolsiscompelling.ThereisstillmuchtobediscoveredinthecreativeapplicationoftheCoBitofacilitatehealing,recoveryanddevelopmentonaphysicalandpsychologicallevel.
ProminentParkinson’sdiseaseresearchersaroundtheworldarefindingthatassistedbicyclinghelpstobattlethesymptomsofthisdebilitatingneurologicaldisease.Whilethisresearchwasdoneonstationarybikes,themobileCoBiwouldprovideadditionalbenefitsincludingbutnotlimitedtosocialinteraction,mobility,andfun.
CampAbilitiesisactivelyusingtheCoBitoboostdeaf/blindchildrenandteen’sconfidenceandexerciseatthesametime.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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TheTampaLighthouse
TheTampaLighthousewillsoonbereceivingtheirCoBi.
TheysaytheCoBiwouldincreasetheexistingrepertoireofteam-buildingandfitnessactivitiesthatTampaLighthousehasstartedforitsteenageandadultclientswhoareblindandvisuallyimpaired. Itwould provide crucial bonding opportunities for these students/clients and theirfamilymembersandbeapotentialsourceofadditionalfundraisingforouragency.Acommonfundraiserwithinourfieldisanexperiencecalled,“DiningintheDark”.Howfunwoulditbeto“bike in the dark” to raise money for programs for the visually impaired!? A LOT! TampaLighthouseservesupto25studentsintheTampaTransitionprogramandover1600adultsatbothTampaandWinterHavenlocations.
ThealsosaytheCoBiwouldgetourkidsintoshape!Itwouldallowsomanystudentstoworktogethertowardsacommongoal, increasefitness levels thereby increasingbrainactivityandotherhealthfulbenefits,andcreateasenseofaccomplishmentinthesechildrenwhoareveryoftenusedtootherpeopledoingthingsforthem.Thedistrictservesover300childrenwhoareblindorvisuallyimpaired,withupto60studentsparticipatinginthemonthlyclubmeetings.
TheCoBiwouldbringsomethingFUNtoPolkCounty!LighthousefortheBlindservesupto30studentsintheWinterHavenTransitionprogramandover1600adultsatbothTampaandWinterHavenlocations.
Thebenefitsarelimitedbyourowncreativityandimaginations.NotonlywilltheCoBi-7provideincreasedfitnessactivities,socializationandbonding,andopportunitiestobuildself-esteemandself-confidence,itwillalsobringawarenesstothecommunityatlocalandstatewidelevelsaboutchildrenandadultswhoareblindorvisuallyimpairedaswellastheprogramsandservicesthatareavailabletothem.Westronglybelieve,asthediligentprofessionalsthatweare,wewouldbenegligentandremissinourdutiestoNOTprovidethejoyandexcitementthatcanonlybeofferedbytheCoBi.
Theyareraisingdonationstowardspurchaseandmaintenance.Todonatepleasecontactthemhere:http://www.tampalighthouse.org/donate-now
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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CampAbilities
AnothergreatexampleisCampAbilitiesisinBrockport,NYwww.campabilities.org
We spoke to Founder and Director Lauren J, Lieberman, Ph.D. recently. Lauren Lieberman,earnedherdoctorateinadaptedphysicaleducationatOregonStateUniversitywithanemphasisonsensoryimpairments.ShetaughtatPerkinsSchoolfortheBlind.
SheiscurrentlyaprofessorandteachesAPEatTheCollegeatBrockport,StateUniversityofNewYork.
Shehas co-authored severalbooks including: Strategies for Inclusion,Games forPeoplewithSensoryImpairments,GoingPlaces:TransitionGuidelinesforPhysicalActivityforChildrenwithVisual Impairments,Paraeducators inPhysicalEducation,andcontinuestodoresearch inthisarea.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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In addition to her teaching career as a Distinguished Professor at SUNY Brockport, LaurenLiebermanrunsCampAbilities.CampAbilitiesBrockportisaone-weekeducationalsportscampforchildrenand teenswhoareblind,visually impaired,anddeafblind.Thecamp is setup toprovideaone-on-oneinstructionalsituationforeachperson,whichisoftenonthecontrarytoothercampsdesignedforpeoplewithvisualimpairments.
DuringtheirCampAbilityCamps,thechildrenandteens-aged9to19-usetheConferenceBiketotransportthemselvestoandfromactivitiesaroundthecampusandtotraveltotownforlunch.Becauseofthesizeofthegroup(around50)theydivideupinto4groupsandeachgroupgetstousetheCoBiforonewholeday.
TheCoBiisidealbecauseitsupportsthechildrenandteenstodoaphysicalactivitythatdoesnotrequirebalanceorvision.Physicalactivityisarealchallengeforthedeaf/blindandthevisuallyimpaired.Accesstosuitableequipmentandprogramsisverylimitedandlimitstheirabilitytopursueactiveexercise.TheclosesttoaConferenceBike,saysDr.Liebermanisa3-seaterkayakthatprovidedaplatformforsocializinginasmallgroupwhilebeingactivetogether.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Therearemanyotherapplicationsonecouldimagineinothertherapeuticfields.Dr.Liebermanalso works with children with spinal injuries who are challenged with paralysis on theConferenceBike.
Duringsummercamp,theCoBiallowsthegroupstosocializewitheachotherdoingsomethingspecial.Astheontheirway,theyareoftenheardsingingtheircampcheerandothersongs.Itisauniqueexperiencetobedoingsomethingthattheirpeerswithoutvisualimpairment,athomeoratothersummercamps,likelywillnotexperience.Usually,it’stheotherwayaround.
Itallowsthefacilitatortogivetheircampersanewexperienceofthemselves.Forexample,achildwhoisaveryslowwalker,theytendtoholdthegroupback.Theirexperienceis“thekidwhoeveryonehas towait for”andalsohas the consequence that theyareoften late foranactivity.SlowerchildrenaregivenaplaceontheCoBiturningthelimitationaroundintoadesiredoutcome.Theybecomethe“kidthatgetstoridetheBike”.Itstrengthenstheirself-esteem.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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Anaturalsideeffect isthattravelingwiththeCobiraisesawareness.Ateverystopacircleofinterestedpeoplewillquicklygatheraround,curiouswhatthismachineandthepeopleonitareallabout.Whennottransportingchildren,it’stheperfectfundraiser.
HelenKellerNationalCenterforDeaf-BlindYouthsandAdults
SANDS POINT, NY—Despite the bitter cold, six intrepid studentswho are deaf-blind and asighteddrivertookatricyclebuiltforsevenoutforaspinafterLongIslandphilanthropistErwinStallerpresentedtheConferenceBiketotheHelenKellerNationalCenterforDeaf-BlindYouthsandAdults.TheConferenceBikewasinventedbyMr.Staller’ssonEric,anartistandinventorwholivedinAmsterdam.
TheConferenceBikehassevenseatsarrangedinacircle,permittingstudentswhoaredeaf-blindtocontinue"speaking"tooneanotherusingtactilesignlanguageastheyrideandasighteddriversteers.Thesighteddriverfortoday’stestdrivewasHKNCexecutivedirectorJosephMcNulty.
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Mr.Staller,aresidentofLloydNeck,NYwhosefamilyendowedtheStallerCenterfortheArtsatStonybrookUniversity, decided to donate the ConferenceBike to an organization serving thevisually impaired after he was diagnosed with macular degeneration, a leading cause ofblindness.HechosetheHelenKellerNationalCenterbecausehisgranddaughterisdeaf-blind.
"We’rejusthappytobeabletohelp,"saidMr.Staller."Iknowfrompersonalexperiencejusthowdifficultthesedisabilitiesare,andIknowthestudentsattheHelenKellerNationalCenterwillhavehoursofenjoymentontheConferenceBike.
"We’reabsolutelythrilledtobethebeneficiaryofthisfantasticvehicle,saysMr.McNulty,whoaddsthatthecentercurrentlyhastandembicyclesthatallowonepersonwhoisdeaf-blindtoridewithasightedperson,buttheconferencebikeallowsseveralriderstoconverseusingtactilesign language while they ride. "Our goal here is to help people who are deaf- blind leadindependentlivesinthecommunityoftheirchoice.Theamazingvehiclepermitsourstudentstoenjoyasagroupwhatis,typically,anindependentactivity."
TheConferenceBikeisbeingusedbypeoplewhoareblindinPennsylvaniaandIreland,butthiswasthefirsttimeitwasusedpeoplewhoarebothdeafandblind.
"Weliveinanageofmobilityandconvenience,butourlaptops,cars,andcellphonesareisolatingusmoreandmore,"saysEricStaller,whosayshe’ssoldapproximately40bikesin10countries."The ConferenceBike is a tool for bringing people together. The response is the same fromLondon toTokyo toNewYorkeverybodysmiles!Becausewe’regivingpleasureand,perhapsopeningaworldtopeoplewhoaredeaf-blind,todayisespeciallysatisfying!"
Sinceitscreationin1967byanactofCongress,TheHelenKellerNationalCenterforDeaf-BlindYouthsandAdults(www.hknc.org)hasbeenadrivingforceinhelpingpeoplewhoaredeaf-blindthroughouttheUnitedSatesleadindependentlives,andliveandworkinthecommunityoftheirchoice.Itoffersanarrayofnationalprogramsforindividualswhoaredeaf-blind,theirfamiliesand the local agencies that serve them. Its SandsPoint,NYheadquartersoffers services thatincludeevaluation,rehabilitation,vocationaltraining,andplacement.
Team Building and Therapy UsingtheConferenceBikeforLearningandGrowing
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SoutheastOrientationandMobilityAssociation(SWOMA)
SWOMAisaprofessionalassociationfocusedonOrientationandMobility;itincludesOrientationandMobilitySpecialistsaswellasotherprofessionalsfromthefieldofvisual impairmentandblindness. The geographic area it represents includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana,NewMexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. There is an annual conference held to provide professionaldevelopment and networking opportunities to members and others that would like toparticipate.
AsyouwalkthroughtheSOMAconferenceMondayandTuesday,you'llseegroupsofpeopleridingtogethersmilingandlaughing!IfyoucomebytheCoBi-7booth,youwouldbewelcometogoforaridetoo!
TheCoBihasaneffectonpeoplethatistrulyamazing--everyonewhorideslightsupsmiling!Itlowersinhibitionsandafterjustafewminuteseventotalstrangersaretalkingwithoneanother.Therearenowmorethan350CoBies in20countries, includingschoolsandorganizations forchildrenandadultswhoareblindordeaf-blind.
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In Closing. Aswecansee,therearemanypossibleapplicationsfromseriousspecializedtherapytosimplerelaxationandeverythinginbetween.
Weareprobablyjustatthebeginningofunderstandingthecomplexityofwhathappenswhenpeoplegettogetheronavehicleofthiskind.Thereareclearbenefitsindividuallyandasagroup.Itcanbeusedasanassessmenttooltounderstandwhereteamsareandidentifystrengthsandweaknesses.Itcanbeusedtobuildteamspiritandopencommunicationchannels.Icanraiseconfidence and trust in oneself and in a group. It transforms strangers to fellow travelcompanions.
ItseemsasthoughnomatterwhatsituationwefindtheCoBiin,itisalwaysaddingvaluetotheexperienceandislessameansoftransportation,thanatoolfortransformation.
Wewouldbeveryhappytotalktoyouaboutyourspecialapplication.Pleasesendusanemailtocobi@conferencebike.com,andvisitourwebsiteat
www.conferencebike.comformoreinformation.
