Bushwalk Leadership Training | Accredited Courses for South Australians

Some Accredited Courses for South Australian Bushwalkers

Bushwalking Leadership SA

Bushwalking Leadership SA (BLSA) offers two programs

1. Day Walk Leadership Program.

"The Day Walk Leadership program is similar to the Bushwalking Leadership Program but differs in that it prepares leaders for Day walks only. It does not cover camp site management, extended navigation and , of course, overnight management. It does assume some experience of day walking but also can taken as an introduction to bushwalking leadership.The day walking leader program has four components, is flexible and designed to meet the needs of particular groups such as walking clubs and community groups. As such it is usually run on an 'as needed' basis."

1. Theory component which can be run either as short evening sessions or as a full day session.
2. Weekend field instruction and experience trip where navigation, search and rescue, group management and extended, overnight care is covered.
3. Completion of a number experience walks where another leader is observed in varying conditions
4. Finally an assessment is completed which comprises a theory test and a group management assessment walk.

2.  The Bushwalking Leadership Program leading to the Advanced Bushwalk Leader’s Certificate (see below)

The Bushwalking Leadership Program is open to any walker who has had experience and or training in overnight bushwalking. It is primarily a LEADERSHIP course for leading groups on overnight walks and assumes that applicants are already competent bushwalkers.

1. Assistant Bushwalking Leader Certificate (BLSA)

This 7 day residential course provides instruction in navigation and map reading, addresses issues of group management, leadership, trip planning and emergency procedures including search and rescue techniques. The last 3 days of this course put theory into practice with a self reliant bush walk.

2. Interim training:

Candidates are required to complete a range of walks in different environmental conditions and with different groups. An Adviser is allocated to each candidate to provide assistance and guidance as required. The interim training period comprises:-14 days practical experience, completing 2 and 3 day walks.

• as a participant
• as a leader
• in a variety of weather conditions including cold and wet
• in a variety of venues including the Flinders Ranges north of Wilmington and in the Grampians or equivalent with a variety of groups: including juvenile or school group and an adult group.

A Record Book is issued and used to record experience during the interim training period.

3. Bushwalking Leadership Certificate (BLSA )

 Upon successful completion of the interim training period, candidates must successfully complete the following assessment components:

• Theory Exam
• Seminar weekend or equivalent
• Personal Skills Assessment (2 days)
• Group Management Assessment (2 days)

4. Advanced Bushwalk Leader Interim Training
   
Following successful completion of the Bushwalking Leader Certificate, candidates may wish to continue to the advanced phase. 14 days practical experience is required, completing 3 and 4 day walks:

• as a participant
• as a leader
• in the Central or Northern Flinders Ranges
• in the highland areas of Eastern Australia, New Zealand or Tasmania
• in hot and dry conditions

In addition candidates must complete training in steep terrain group management and complete General Mountain Training or its equivalent.

5. Advanced Bushwalking Leader Assessment
   
Upon successful completion of the advanced interim period candidates must complete the following assessment components:

• Theory Exam
• Advanced Group Management Assessment

View other relevant posts in this Bushwalk Leadership Series


This article by Bush Walker is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.