Tour Reports
Since 2004, 36 British presenters have been trained by Challenge Team UK and have presented to 87 500 teenagers.
Tour Report - Spring 2010
In Spring 2010 a team of four toured for 9 weeks, visiting 34 schools and 6 youth groups
in East Sussex, Hants, the Isle of Wight, Birmingham, Nottingham, St Neots,
London, Croydon and Kent. They performed 57 presentations to over 6000 teenagers. Seven of the schools were first-time bookings.
Feedback has been 100% positive. One pupil wrote; "i and, its safe to say judging on the amount of facebook status's about the talk, many others in my school enjoyed it and i thought you'd be happy to hear that some girls are thinking about not having sex til
marriage. i think it is an amazing program, presented in a very effective and interesting way. thank you for re-enforcing my belief that sex should be saved for marriage"
and a teacher said; "I thought it was excellent
... it was very well put together, non judgemental and humorous. All the role plays were well presented and the "talks" were in accessible language. [the pupils] seemed to enjoy the presentation and were engaged with it.
In the larger of the 2 groups I had to deal with one discipline problem but
he would be a problem anywhere so that says a lot about the engagement of
the students."
Tour Report - Autumn 2009
During Autumn 2009 a team consisting of 4 young adults toured Manchester, the North East, Hereford, Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall over 10 weeks. They visited 32 schools and 2 youth groups, doing 47 presentations to over 5500 teenagers. 9 of the schools were new, and 100% of the of the schools who’s feedback has been received had requested return visits. One school Governor said: "The Challenge Team blew the dust off ... by presenting "Save Sex for Marriage" with aplomb and grace, encouraging also young people to stand against peer pressure and showing them they can say "no". What a neat solution to all the problems we face to day in the way of STD, unmarried mothers, abortion and resulting problems of infertility etc! As a Church of England school we do have a responsibility to bring these facts forth and I thank Challenge Team for their courage to go against the tide with this presentation."
Tour Report - Spring 2009
During the Spring term a team of 2 girls and one guy visited 38
schools and 5 youth groups, presenting to 7500 pupils.
They presented in East Sussex, Hants, the Isle of Wight, Birmingham,
Nottingham, Leicester, Cambridgeshire, London, Croydon and north Kent.
Drivers had to be found throughout. We are very grateful to twelve kind people who acted as chauffeurs. Without these and the generosity of host families who provide hospitality en route we would be unsustainable.
Our thanks go to 22 wonderful hosts who provided bed, breakfast and evening meal, some for one or two nights and others for whole weeks or weekends.
We receive constructive criticism from time to time and occasional negative feedback. However, response is almost always incredibly positive. One teacher from a comprehensive in Gravesend wrote:
‘Very good. Engaging and interesting. The message was almost astonishing to students. Abstention?! Really? So it was a culture shock to our students – but a good and necessary one.’ Another teacher from a comprehensive in Heathfield wrote:
‘Bring ‘em back!’
Tour Report - Autumn 2008: A new Challenge Team was recruited in September
'08 and spent four weeks in Manchester, two days on the Isle of Man, three days in Scotland, one week in Bath and a final week in Devon and Dorset.
Altogether, this term the team visited a total of 33 schools and three youth
groups and spoke to 7,335 pupils.
Each term we seem to receive one strong letter of objection to our message,
but we also receive the most astonishing approval; One teacher said: "In 18
years this school this is the best presentation I have seen from outside
speakers"; A 13/14 year old girl told the team that she deeply regretted
having sex and felt ashamed. She said she was definitely ‘going to practise
chastity from now on’;
Another teacher said: "It was excellent.
The talks went down really well with both year groups, and the Head and other senior members of staff were impressed. I shall hand your leaflets to other PSHCE co-ordinators at our meeting next week!
";
Another teacher said: "I couldn’t believe it. It was so cheap."
Once again we benefited from the hospitality of really kind hosts who helped the team as they journeyed in every way. It would be impossible for Challenge Team to continue without this support.
The same team starts touring again for nine weeks in mid January 09.
During Spring 2008 a team of 1 guy and 2 girls visited 56 schools, 19 of
which were new, and 6 youth groups and presented a total of 91 times to
almost 11 300 teenagers. The team visited Sussex, Kent, Dorset, the Isle of
Wight, Hants, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Worcester, Herefordshire,
Suffolk, Cambridge, London and Croydon and were hosted by 21 families.
During
the Autumn term of 2007 a team visited 32 schools and youth groups in
Manchester & the North West, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Bath & Bristol. They
performed almost 50 presentations to over 6000 teenagers.
During
the 2007 Spring Term a Challenge Team consisting of four young adults
completed eleven weeks of touring . They visited 58 schools and three youth
groups, giving 91 presentations in total. Over 11,000 pupils witnessed a
presentation. The Team visited schools in Sussex, the Isle of Wight, Notts,
Derbys and Leics, Birmingham and Worcs, London and Surrey, and Bristol and
Bath.
During
October 2006 a Team toured Manchester and the North West, where they did 38
presentations at 16 venues across a 3 week period to more than 5000
teenagers.
In
Spring 2006 Challenge Team UK visited 44 schools and ten youth groups,
making 72 presentations. In all, over 10,000 pupils witnessed a
presentation. Areas of the country where schools were visited ranged from
Torquay to Gravesend, including Sussex, Hants and the Isle of Wight, from
outer London to Bath and Glos. and from Herefordshire, Worcs., Birmingham
and Oxfordshire to Cambs., Leics., Notts. and Derby.
Summer
2006 also saw the Team make their first visit to Scotland, presenting at
eight schools, where they were well received.
In February & March
2004 Challenge Team UK made its first tour using British volunteer presenters. A
second tour was made in February & March 2005. In the autumn of 2005 a Team was
resident in Manchester.
In the three years 2000 to 2002 Challenge Teams from Canada made short tours and visited schools in the UK. They received a tremendous reception from both staff and pupils.
