Creating high-quality programming is essential for fostering learning and development among youth. Outdoor adventure education programs have long been associated with the development of important transferable skills, such as leadership. This study used multi-level modeling to examine the association between six program quality…

The Full Value Commitment is an essential tool for facilitators that defines how members of a group of adults or youths operate while moving toward the group's goals. This article outlines what goes into establishing a Full Value Commitment and provides an overview of samples that are easily replicated. Through establishing group members' verbal…

Contrary to a rule to never teach students to lead climb, an instructor taught several youth to lead climb at a parent's request. These students planned to pursue rock climbing on their own after they left school, and preparing them was deemed a safety precaution. Analysis of this "close call" offers guidelines for introducing students…

Project Adventure (PA) offers certification for adventure program managers and two levels of challenge course practitioners. PA feels certification is timely because other fields have certification programs that work well, PA has been using competency-based certification for their own staff successfully for 8 years, the field has recently…

Discusses Alan Hales's model of safety management in the context of caving. When two sets of hazards, human and environmental, are present together, risk occurs. Objective risk is uncontrollable and should be avoided in educational settings; subjective risk is controllable. Presents positive and negative strategies for engaging or avoiding…

A survey completed by 189 persons attending the 1983 National Association for Experiential Education Conference resulted in a rank ordered list of 39 competency areas, considered essential to the effective outdoor leader. Respondents placed greatest importance on items related to safety, group counseling, and interaction. (JHZ)

A review of research in cognitive and social psychology reveals the importance of situation assessment in the development of decision-making expertise. A naturalistic training model is presented for outdoor leaders that includes training for ill-structured problems, a heavy workload, time stress, and high stakes, as well as multiple players and…

The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is an internationally recognized outdoor school with five branch schools located in Wyoming, Alaska, Kenya, Mexico, and Washington. The philosophy of NOLS is to develop judgment and leadership skills in its students. Three priorities guide this school: (1) safety and care of the individual; (2) safety…

The handbook is intended for three leadership groups: leaders of land-based trips in the Pacific Northwest with youth or adults for an agency such as a city recreation department, experienced leaders, and leaders conducting high-adventure programs for juvenile delinquents. The handbook contains current information regarding: (1) trip planning and…

Sexual harassment can be devastating and have tremendous impact on the emotional well-being, physical health, and vocational success of those who experience it. It is especially important for outdoor education program staff to proactively address sexual harassment because these programs often take place in remote locations that may make escape…

Laurentian University (Ontario) offers a 4-year holistic outdoor adventure leadership program that promotes personal growth, develops leadership skills, and trains individuals to be safety-minded in various outdoor settings. A strong environmental ethic is promoted through courses in biology and Canadian Native culture. Practicums, internships,…

This teaching guide provides basic information on training outdoor leaders for a wilderness course at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyoming. The first chapter, "Teaching at NOLS," overviews teaching fundamentals and describes teaching techniques such as the use of demonstrations, modeling, formal classes,…

Focusing on the Outdoor Leader Basic Training Program, a major component of the Wilderness Encounter Training and Certification Project developed in Virginia to serve adjudicated youth, this document outlines the Leadership Certification process for Wilderness Encounter Programs. First is an overview of wilderness programing and the need for a…

An outline for training leaders of outdoor adventure activities containing both the method by which leaders should be trained and the material which should be presented during the training is presented. Because the outline concerns itself with the skill of leadership, it is applicable to a wide variety of outdoor educators including those involved…