Princeton-Blairstown Center

Our number one priority is the physical and emotional safety of participants, chaperones and facilitators.   Our facilitators have the knowledge and skills to keep participants physically and emotionally safe, but the responsibility largely falls on each participant’s ability to listen and follow  directions.   Our facilitators use various techniques to teach and maintain emotional safety within a group by being a role model for teaching respect, compassion, and tolerance to maximize each individual's learning potential.

Challenge by Choice

PBC's activities accommodate all levels of challenge so participants are engaged and participating up to their fullest potential.  We call this Challenge by Choice.  PBC participants often experience mental, emotional, and/or physical challenges which are integral to experiential education.  However, participants should feel free to make their own decisions about how they will meet these challenges.  PBC does not encourage any form of unhealthy pressure from participants or chaperones.  Facilitators work with each group so that participants learn techniques to encourage and support each other and the group as a whole.  

Full-Value Contract

The philosophy of the Full-Value Contract is adapted from Project Adventure (Schoel, Prouty, and Radcliff, 1988, p. 94).  The Full-Value Contract is a tool used to establish the group goals and is unique to each group and their needs.  This tool can also be implemented beyond the PBC experience and is effective in the classroom or workplace.  

 A sample of the goals in a Full Value Contract are:

• To be physically and emotionally safe;
• To fully participate to your potential (Challenge by Choice);
• To work together and to work towards individual and group goals;
• To listen;
• To communicate respectfully.

Facilitators

PBC facilitators have the equipment, the training and the good judgment to facilitate activities safely.  Our facilitators participate in an intensive 4-week training program that provides them with the facilitation and technical skills required for the position.  With the help of chaperones and other adult group members, facilitators teach ways of keeping everyone physically and emotionally safe throughout the adventure course activities.  The participants’ ability to keep themselves and the other group members safe determine which activities will be offered and the level of challenge.