Broadly speaking, RCD categorise ropes course as either developmental or recreational.
For the most part a recreational facility is designed for a very high through-put of people with an emphasis placed on reducing the need for supervisory staff.
Although a recreational ropes course can sometimes be used for developmental purposes, the reverse is less true because restricted throughput generally makes recreational use commercially unviable. In essence, a higher fee is charged for those on a developmental programme so a higher level of supervision and slower through-put is more acceptable. Recreational applications rely on a high volume of participation.
A ropes course that enables qualified and experienced facilitators to focus on a variety of personal and team issues with their clients ideal for confronting fears and anxieties. Challenges may be physical or emotional. Trust is frequently a key issue. Problem solving and leadership may be part of such programmes. They encourage co-operation, decision making, self confidence, risk taking skills, goal setting abilities and team working skills. Technical skills can also be taught and perfected.
