Forest IKEA – an outdoor-challenge located in a post-apocalyptic setting

Aims of the tool

- Develop collaboration and raise team building spirit within group participants
- Practise time management and distribution of task within the group
- Gain knowledge and skills on how to collect materials and to build a shelter in the forest
- Empower individuals by strengthening self-confidence
- Acquire transversal skills for young people
- Reflect critically on the meaning of “home” from a personal, social and political point of view

Description of the tool

(1) Preparation Phase
- Step one: brainstorming, outline of the projects;
- Step two: planning and looking around the terrain to find a
suitable place;
- Step three: preparing the terrain, making the surroundings
safe;
- Step four: marking spots for tasks, check points and
navigation points including their GPS navigation information
needed for Action Bound application;
- Step five: Preparing tools necessary for participants of the
expedition;
- Step six: Hiding tools at marked places;
- Step seven: Preparing Action Bound application, including tasks and additional “Zombie Apocalypse” story to make the expedition more entertaining and motivating for the target group;
- Action Bound is a mobile application available for android and iOS for free which offers interactive learning experience by gaming relays, quizzes, adding tasks, pictures, pathways, stories to the task, etc.;
- Action Bound allows organisers to take participants on real world treasure hunt while acting only like neutral intermediates and creating an appealing story line;
- Step eight: testing the Action Bound and final check of the tools.

(2) Carrying out of the Expedition
- Participants were given basic instructions to work with Action Bound application which guided them through tasks and the story;
- First task for the participants was to get away from the metropolis place given that it is not safe after apocalypse and zombies might attack soon; The story in the app was accompanied by a story told by the organisers in the beginning of the challenge “Good luck in surviving”.
- Second task after participants arrived at first check in point was to find basic aid and tools for emergency situations;
- Similar tasks with different story-line repeated to discover more tools and move alongside the planned way closer to the place of building the shelter;

- The last point discovered offered participants a basic instructions including visual aids advising how to build a shelter;
- After arriving at the marked place participants were given a suggested time frame (around 1 hour) to complete the task of building the shelter;
- When participants finished the shelter they were guided to last point where they discovered “comfort pack” which included some food and drinks as a motivation trait;
- Participants were invited to enjoy the gifts while sitting in the shelter and discussing the concept of ‘home’, what it means to them and what would they need in this place in order for it to feel like home;
- After completing the tasks participants were offered a chance to spend a night in the shelter based on their decision, alternative solution was also provided (such as tents or bungalows);
- As an additional task participants found garbage bags in the first check point and were asked to collect any garbage they encounter on the route.
(3) Evaluation & Outcome Phase
- After the expedition reflection and feedback joint session of organisers and participants was carried out;
- Participants were given questions such as but not limited to:
- What did you like, or disslike?
- What were the learning outcomes for you?
- What role did you take in the group?
- How did you feel in the group, was the fictional storyline helpful for finding a role in a group?
- Do you have any recommendations?
+ Feedback from organisers to participants both
individually and as a group;