The ACCESS Program’s Staff Retreat ended with staff creating wonderful memories

On 1-3 March 2023, the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services (ACCESS) Program organised a staff retreat in Kep province. The purpose of the retreat was to review and reflect on the ACCESS Program and highlight lessons learned. It was also an opportunity to further build team spirit and close collaboration across the teams.

During the retreat, staff members attended a number of pre-planned activities. Each activity was facilitated by committee members based on their pre-assigned roles and responsibilities. These activities included group activities reflecting on the ACCESS Program, hiking on the hillside, sharing personal experiences and other entertaining activities on the island. It also included a surprise team-building activity and a socially-inclusive kitchen where ACCESS staff were divided into four groups to cook different types of cuisines, including western food, Khmer food, Halal food, and desserts. This activity inspired staff to share innovative ideas, fostered teamwork, and provided entertainment for all involved.

As part of the activities on the third day, ACCESS staff had a chance to visit the Epic Arts Centre, which is an inclusive art centre that works to support the deaf and disabled communities in Kampot by providing instruction in visual art, dance music, and crafts.

The retreat ended with great memories for everyone based on the manner in which participants had learned, shared, and rejoiced together.

The committee also collected feedback from the staff on the retreat and activities, in order to make improvements for the planning of the next retreat. Most staff stated that they were highly satisfied with almost every aspect of the event.