Neil Davis Friluftsliv PBL

2018-10-16T09:32:49+01:00February 8th, 2016|

Neil Davis Memorial PBL - getting ready to go

Neil Davis Memorial PBL – getting ready to go

The intention of the inaugural Neil Davis Memorial PBL was to get students away from ski lifts, giving opportunity and attention to appreciating outdoor experiences in a wintery wilderness context. So it seemed somehow fitting that in the weeks preceding the ‘Project-based learning’ week, we had experienced a large snowfall, then a week of strangely warm weather with winds that removed most of the snow, then, in the days immediately before the start of the week, a hurricane hit the west coast somewhat to the north of us – bringing huge snowfall and widespread power outages.

The trip description had advertised strenuous snow shovelling, food of dubious quality and the importance of a certain disregard for comfort. Unfortunately, a Costa Rican had to miss the trip, leaving us with two Danes, two Dutch and a random South African. Given reservations that there might not be enough snow, we erected a lavvu for the first night, then spent a few hours adding snow to the potential roof of the potential cave. The next day, sweaty shovelling indeed created a homely cave; a welcome shelter from the incessant falling powder and breeze outside. Nearly half a metre of powder on the slopes made for comfortable face-plants – an approach to skiing apparently shared by both Danish and Dutch nationals. We had magnificent friluftsliv experiences, including simple meals richly appreciated by all participants in the frozen desert-like Gaularfjell!

We are very grateful to the Davis family, Mike and Lee, for providing the funding to make this annual event possible.

Red Cross First Aid PBL

2018-10-16T09:32:50+01:00February 8th, 2016|

The Red Cross First Aid PBL (project-based learning) is a 12-hour course delivered over three days, organised by the Red Cross First Aid team at the College. The team consists of twenty-three second-years who will have been receiving weekly training for many months. Each year, all the first years participate in the First Aid PBL.

Wednesday 27th of January was the start date this year. The PBL was something the First Aid Team had been looking forward to since the very first day they were accepted into the team. After three weeks of intense planning and preparation, the first years were gathered in the auditorium and, following the tradition, the course was opened with a simulation of a skiing accident. Sven Herman (Norway) went skiing down the stairs, crashing into a crowd of people. After ‘the casualties’ had been rescued and attended to by the first aiders, the first years received a short introduction to the Course’s content and the schedule of the following days, before they were divided into ten groups and guided to classrooms with their group leaders.

The first day consisted of the basics of first aid led by group leaders, where they were introduced to the following: DR.ABC (look for Danger; does the casualty Respond, Stop and call for help, check Airways, Breathing and Circulation), CPR, calling for ambulance and body checks. This was first taught theoretically with illustrations, before the first years began to practise on each other – CPR was, of course, practised on CPR dolls and not on their breathing friends!

Following on from the first day, the second day went into more detail. Workshops showed different conditions with instruction on how to treat them. Some of the topics included were bleedings, hypothermia, epilepsy and burns. Each of the workshop leaders had come up with creative ways of teaching, including both scenarios and suitably gory make-up. The first years were eager and noted down all the information they were given. The day ended with a big quiz to test knowledge, followed by evening tutorials for the ones who wanted some further practice.

Friday was the third and last day, and was the day of examination. The first years started out with a written test in the auditorium, followed by a skills check in bandaging and CPR. The highlight of the day was probably the three big scenarios being arranged and acted out by the First Aid team: a car crash, a climbing accident and an exploded chemistry lab. Here, the first years (and even the First Aid team themselves) really got to feel the adrenalin pumping, as they were dealing with smaller or bigger amounts of fake blood, screaming casualties and smoke-filled rooms.

At the end there were about 100 tired first years, together with an exhausted, but highly satisfied, first aid team, walking back to student village.

Katharina Baardseth (RCN ’14-’16) – First Aider

Welcoming Hans Von Sponeck

2018-10-16T09:32:51+01:00January 30th, 2016|

Hans with Mohammed and BlessingIt has been a real privilege to welcome Hans Von Sponeck to our campus. Hans worked for the United Nations for more than thirty years and in 1998 was appointed UN Assistant Secretary General. During his service, he worked for the UN Development programme in Ghana, Turkey, Botswana, Pakistan and India. Since his resignation from the UN he has served as a member of the board of UWC Adriatic and UWC Mostar and has both headed up the UWC Iraq Focal Group and been responsible for selecting Iraqi students to attend UWC schools and colleges.

In the Silent House with students on the Survivors of Conflict programmeHans helped to select Mohammed (currently a first year at RCN after a Foundation Year) for our Survivors of Conflict Programme and is here on campus this weekend to visit Mohammed. We also chose this weekend for the visit as it is the designated weekend in our annual calendar for RCN’s Model United Nations. Hans was invited by Blessing (Secretary General of RCN’s MUN – Zimbabwe) to give the opening address to the General Assembly and formally to announce the MUN open for 2016. Hans also attended different committee sessions as well as shadowing Mohammed to the DISEC Committee.

During his visit, Hans took the time to meet the members of staff at RCN and RKHR who contribute to the Survivors of Conflict Programme and, at another point in his itinerary, to talk with the other student participants in this programme in the Silent House.

We look forward to welcoming him back to RCN sometime soon.

Holocaust Memorial Day

2016-01-27T08:22:00+01:00January 27th, 2016|

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day (27th January). ‘Don’t stand by’ is the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2016.
The Holocaust and subsequent genocides (for example, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur) took place because the local populations allowed persecution to take root. Whilst some actively supported or facilitated state policies of persecution, the vast majority stood by silently – at best, afraid to speak out; at worst, indifferent. Bystanders enabled the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and subsequent genocides. Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel has written powerfully about the impact of bystanders:

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

For more information on Holocaust Memorial Day, please click here.

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