Introduction and Description

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In contemporary educational organisations, characterised by rapid change, increasing complexity and growing expectations for collaboration, the capacity of teachers and school staff to work effectively as cohesive, trusting and resilient teams has become indispensable. This course offers an academically grounded and practice-oriented exploration of team building as a strategic dimension of school development, staff wellbeing and organisational effectiveness. It situates teamwork not merely as an interpersonal skill, but as a structural condition that shapes communication, decision-making, professional learning and the overall quality of educational environments.

 

Drawing on theories of group dynamics, socio-emotional learning, organisational psychology and collaborative professionalism, the programme examines how strong staff teams enhance the relational climate of schools, improve communication flows, increase staff motivation, and support collective responses to pedagogical and organisational challenges. Participants engage with indoor and outdoor experiential activities, reflective practices and facilitation strategies that illuminate how trust is formed, how conflict can be transformed into learning, and how shared responsibility emerges within professional communities.

 

The course is offered in both 5-day and 10-day formats, allowing institutions to select the level of depth that best suits their professional development needs. The 5-day version provides an intensive foundation in team-building principles, hands-on activities, and practical tools that teachers can implement immediately within their school contexts. The extended 10-day programme offers deeper immersion, including additional experiential learning days, expanded facilitation training, and opportunities to design comprehensive team-building plans tailored to the specific culture and developmental needs of participants’ institutions.

 

For schools engaged in Erasmus+ Key Action 1 and Key Action 2 projects, effective teamwork is a critical success factor. Coordinating mobilities, co-creating project outputs, integrating innovation into school practice, and sustaining international partnerships all require strong internal collaboration and shared leadership. This course equips staff with the skills, confidence and mindset needed to navigate these collective processes with clarity, trust and cohesion.

 

By the end of the programme, participants will not only have experienced a rich repertoire of team-building methodologies—both indoor and outdoor—but will also have developed a nuanced understanding of how collaborative cultures are built and sustained. The course empowers educators to foster positive staff relationships, strengthen professional communities and cultivate organisational climates where collective capacity and wellbeing can flourish—key dimensions of quality, impact and long-term sustainability in today’s educational organisations and Erasmus+ initiatives.