The purpose of this study was to evaluate summer camp counselors' perceived competency prior to and after an 8-day training at an independent for-profit overnight camp. The participants in this study were 101 camp counselors who were employed at an overnight summer camp in the northeastern United States. Counselors' perceived competency was…

Establishing trusting relationships between leaders and participants is one way that outdoor leaders can create an emotionally safe and productive milieu that supports the attainment of desirable outcomes. Multidisciplinary literature offers considerable insight into leader trust development and the outcomes that are linked to trust in a leader.…

Provides outdoor leaders with suggestions for items to include in a leader pack. The pack should include a first aid kit, as well as survival and emergency gear. Recommends using a journal to document information about participants, events, and accidents. (KS)

Presents leadership models for outdoor education which emphasize flexibility and a balance between achieving the task and exercising affective skills. Leadership styles run on a continuum from high leader control to high group control. Stresses safe practice in outdoor activities. Offers recommendations to improve outdoor leadership. (KS)

Tips for successful hikes include explaining to young hikers what their trip will be like; learning the trip route including weather patterns, indigenous wildlife, unique topography, and water resources; establishing a leader to help keep the group together; and other basic elements of good hiking. Includes backpack essentials for hikers and…

The study identified land-based outdoor leadership competencies deemed necessary by outdoor leaders in the western United States. Using resources such as outdoor leadership literature, competency-based teacher education manuals, consultation with outdoor leadership specialists in educational, private, and governmental agencies, and personal…

Discusses safety management at the National Outdoor Leadership School. Describes safety responsibilities of staff and administrators, staff training and skills development courses, administration and paperwork, student responsibility for safety, field support services, evacuation support system, safety audits, and the safety review process. (SV)

Any outdoor educator knows about rules. Outdoor educators spend a considerable amount of time at conferences talking about them: risk management plans, accepted safety practices, and first aid protocols. You name it, they've got a rule. When a Buddhist friend asked if rules really made programs safer, the author's first response was yes. His…

Criticizes the New Zealand approach to outdoor leadership, which relies on teaching risk assessment and management from manuals and checklists and which asserts that risk-management skills are transferable between risky sports. Suggests that sound outdoor practice involves more than "legal duty of care," and recommends reliance on…

Analyzes present trends in accidents occurring among groups engaged in outdoor or environmental education in England and Wales. Assesses the causes of the accidents and the qualifications of the group leaders. Provides statistics and examples of several incidents. Emphasizes the need for expert leadership to avoid hazards. Contains several tables…

This book is designed to help instructors and students master and teach the Wilderness Education Association (WEA) curriculum while in the field. It is formatted in self-contained lesson plans which describe the overall goal, the specific objectives, the body of knowledge, and the materials necessary for teaching about a specific topic within the…

An expedition is different from other forms of overnight wilderness travel in that it involves extended time and distance in the field; it is beyond the reach of immediate rescue; and the party is self-contained regarding gear, provisions, and decision-making responsibilities. Successful expeditions may prove to be powerful, life-changing…

This paper reviews aspects of Canadian and U.S. law related to liability and negligence of outdoor programs and suggests strategies for risk management. To prove negligence, an individual injured in an outdoor program must prove that the outdoor leader had a duty of care to the participant, standards of care were breached, actual injury was…

The National Standard Program for Outdoor Leadership Certification does not answer all needs for outdoor leadership, but it does provide nationally recognized curriculum and evaluations, availability of criterion for certification, persons with various educational degrees also certified for outdoor education, and a safe, enjoyable, and productive…

Outdoor leadership aims to assist outdoor participants in making logical and safe transitions from the routine of everyday life to a positive interaction with the natural world. Designed for outdoor leaders and administrators of recreational, educational, and adventure programs, this book provides an overview of current professional practices in…