Unique cooperation provides Projective a moving team building session
Projective, a specialist in project management in the financial sector, has joined forces with the Koninklijke Militaire Academie (Royal Military Academy) and Stichting BAS (BAS Foundation), an organisation committed to enabling the disabled to participate in sport. The cooperation recently kicked off and stood at the basis of captivating moments during the firm’s offsite summer team meeting.
Similar to other consultancies, the project managers and consultants at Projective primarily work in house at the locations of their clients, and, as a result, opportunities for the whole team to get together are rare. Therefore, every six months, Projective organises an offsite meeting for the entire team from the firm’s offices in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The event forms the décor for discussions on strategic priorities for the next six months, general updates, as well as matters geared at team building and fun.
This year, the offsite took place in Breda, with a strategic outbreak for the first day and a team-building activity on the second day. What the Projective team did not know, was that they would not be doing this alone, but in the presence of a number of special guests. Three organisations that, at first glance, have nothing in common, were brought together on a single day, providing everyone with what the firm describes as “an unforgettable experience”.
Marijn van Unen, project manager at Projective and together with Kirsten Koolmees responsible for the organisation of the offsite days, explains: “We wanted to do something special this year. I am a volunteer at Stichting BAS myself and there is no better way to get people out of their comfort zone than by playing sport with cadets and disabled sportspeople.”
“For our cadets who voluntarily supported the teambuilding session, the day provided opportunities for social integration and practical training in a number of skills,” according to Lieutenant-colonel Laseroms of the Koninklijke Militaire Academie (KMA). “They themselves were responsible for the organisation of ten challenging sports activities, a number of which were inspired by their military training with the proviso that they must be capable of being done by the particular target group.”
On Saturday morning, the project managers were collected from the hotel by the cadets and immediately subjected to a rigorous military warm-up. In the meantime, the members of the Stichting BAS gathered in the KMA. The two groups were mixed and divided into ten teams. The sports activities ranged from pole soccer and a log race to an assault course and push-ups. After a few hours and many fits of laughter later, the teams gathered for lunch.
Harry van der Avoort, Director of Stichting BAS, established the organisation in 2001. Every week, activities are organised for around 200 disabled sportspeople. These are accompanied by 75 enthusiastic volunteers. “When Projective asked me to work together on a teambuilding activity, I didn't hesitate for a moment. The sportspeople at BAS are keen on such things.”
This is the third time that Stichting BAS has worked together with KMA, but the first time that a company was involved. With more than 100 participants, the event boasted a record turnout. Marijn van Unen admits the day made an impact: “When I saw my colleagues helping the disabled people during lunch, and saw the laughing faces, I was really touched. On the day friendships for life have been made.”
Founder and CEO of Projective, Stefan Dierckx, agrees: “I think we can be proud of what we have achieved. Our dominant theme this year is “Connect”. I cannot think of a better way to illustrate connecting with one another than through the honesty of the courageous participants of Stichting BAS.”
