Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University invited us to support its Staff Health & Wellbeing Week through the provision of a Wildgoose Scotland GPS-enabled Street Olympics event – a sports-themed city centre team challenge.
Event Detail
• Date: 10th June 2015
• Venue: Starting from and finishing back at Arc Gymnasiun, GCU Glasgow Campus
• Format: Street Olympics GPS-enabled team challenge & treasure hunt
• Guests: 70 participants
Objectives
The week is an annual event designed to provide something for everyone when it comes to health and wellbeing – treating mind and body, and included fundraising activities, information stands, massages, Reiki sessions, Nordic walking, golf swing sessions, mini lifestyle checks and free healthy-eating options. In addition GCU saw the opportunity to offer on the Main Event day of 10th June something team-based and competitive that was in line with the theme of the week, and Street Olympics provided a great fit. To coincide with Men’s Health Week, the Main Event day was also a dedicated ‘Wear Blue Day’, to raise awareness of Prostate Scotland, a charity that provides information, advice and help on prostate health.
What we did
One of the big draws on the afternoon of Main Event day was our Street Olympics treasure hunt challenge designed around the city centre to engage staff teams – many sporting blue in recognition of “Wear Blue Day”. The goal? To get out and about in the city, and have some sporting fun. Each armed with an iPad mini, pre-loaded with the game and its live scoreboard, teams used the on-screen mapping technology to visit the GPS hotspots around the city. On reaching hotspots, challenges were activated on-screen and teams completed a variety of sports-themed questions and tasks. They also used their skills to capture their efforts by photo and video on the iPad for the judges to score.
Who took part
Ten mixed staff teams from across a variety of University departments from the Glasgow Campus took part. Teams were also invited to select a team name, build their team spirit and had the option to raise funds for Prostate Scotland at the same time.
What they said
Here’s what some of the staff who took part said:
• Was so much fun!
• Wish we could do it again!
• Best fun I’ve had in ages!
• When is the next one?
Melanie Armstrong, lead for the H&WB Week programme of activities and events said this:
“Our vision at GCU is ‘to be a successful international university delivering access and excellence, with a strong commitment to the common good’. The annual staff H&WB week is all about giving something back to our staff, focusing upon their health and wellbeing. GCU as an organisation is very much about supporting others, widening access and encouraging social inclusion. Having a fun team building event, where staff can raise funds that support the common good mission and vision, was a key part of the whole week’s activities. Wildgoose Scotland did us proud and our staff that participated, as well as those that sponsored them, have all benefited in some way. Thank you!”