There are a couple of good books of Team Building activities. Try "The Big Book of Team Building Games: Trust-Building Activities, Team Spirit Exercises, and Other Fun Things to Do" or "Quick Teambuilding Activities for Busy Managers: 50 Exercises That Get Results in Just 15 Minutes". Both can be found on Amazon or in your local bookstore. Our office has tried exercises from these books before and had a great time with them. Some of the exercises will likely need to be 'tweaked' for your group but they give a great starting point. Good Luck!

An idea our History Center did one time: Prior to the event, have a staff person go out and take close-up photographs of specific motifs located usually on the top/front of buildings downtown. Divide the participants into teams and have each team go out - with pencil and paper in hand - and identify the buildings that have the motifs pictured. We were amazed at how many of us live in our community or drive through it to work each day, but never look up at any of the beautiful old buildings downtown! It sounded sort of dumb at first, but turned into an experience the whole team/class enjoyed! You can derive several leadership qualities in this exercise. Good luck!
Marcia

If your company is willing to spend the money, you might consider sending a team of people to the BG US Challenge (www.challengerworld.com). They are having 2 events this year, one in the Pocono Mountains and one in New Mexico. I participated in the first one they had in the USA in 2005 with my company. It is basically a 2 day adventure race and it was the BEST experience of my life! It also created a wonderful team and we've gotten along ever since. We have to train throughout the year (hiking, running, mountain biking and paddling) and that is also a great team builder.

Organize a clothing drive, work at a food bank, clean up a neighborhood, volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Leadership "games" are always contrived, and while they may make you feel good initially, their lessons are quickly forgotten. A contribution of time, energy, and knowledge to the community can last forever and will always strengthen a team of individuals who share the experience.

If you have a local United Way, why not team up with them to do something good in the community? They can probably suggest needs that will meet your leadership activity requirements.

Hi Martha,
Junior Achievement has a Success Skills program in many parts of the country which does just what you describe. They are ALWAYS looking for professionals to volunteer. The curriculum is turn-key enough to make it easy for you to prepare and deliver yet flexible enough to add your own personal touches, experiences, and interesting stories to motivate the kids. The program concludes with a field trip to the volunteer's place of work and, if possible, mock interviews.

You are right in saying that it is also a team building experience if a group of individuals volunteer in one or more schools.