Outdoor Activity Instructor Apprenticeship
Content
Requirements - Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
All Outdoor Activity Instructors must have all of the following knowledge, skills and behaviours.
| Preparing for sessions | |
|---|---|
| Knowledge (Know it) |
Skills (Show it) |
| How to collate and use information about the participants in order to run the session such as group size, age, mental and physical ability, and relevant medical information. | Find information on: the activity type and timings; outcome requirements; participant age; medical information; equipment and resourcing allocation; venue; weather conditions. |
| How to meet desired outcomes of the session eg. recreation and enjoyment, increasing self-confidence, learning about a local habitat. | Prepare sessions to achieve the required outcomesg. enjoyment, thrill seeking, personal or team challenges, acquisition of new knowledge or skills. |
| The approved options for adapting a session to accommodate predictable environmental changes. | Select methods to meet all participant needs eg. visual impairment, mental and physical ability. |
| The organisation’s procedures and standards relevant to the session being delivered. | Select methods to respond to potential changes in the environmentg. wind increasing in a sailing session or rain making conditions slippery underfoot. |
| Activity venue locations and access arrangements. | Collect appropriate equipment and resources. |
| Ensure the venue is set-up and ready to be used. | |
| Delivering sessions | |
| Knowledge (Know it) |
Skills (Show it) |
| The relevant operational procedures related to session delivery to meet Health & Safety, environmental sustainability, safeguarding and data protection requirements. | Maintain self and group safety when delivering the session. |
| Why an appropriate activity briefing is important, what it needs to include and where to source the relevant information. | Deliver an effective session briefing with clear instruction and following organisational procedures. |
| How to guide participants to the venue in a safe and efficient manner. | Perform a competent demonstration of the skills required for the activity or subject at the appropriate level for the session. |
| Information about the training activity or subject at the required level to deliver the session. | Provide on-going instruction to encourage learning and progression. |
| Basic good practice protocols and techniques for giving instructions and demonstrationsg. visual, verbal. | Follow organisational operating procedures to adapt to changes in the environment. E.g. thunderstorm, a wind shift to offshore in a surfing session. |
| How to identify hazards in the environment they are working and the dynamic changes that may occur | Select and implement organisational procedures to deal with routine problems.g. broken equipment. |
| How to minimise environmental impact and support sustainability eg. picking up litter, not broadening paths. | Provide basic First Aid to respond to accidents in a safe, prompt and effective manner. e.g. injured participant. |
| How to respond to problems: A grasp of common problems and issues related to outdoor working in general, and the businesses specific products offering. | Initiate organisational procedures to summon support in the case of incidents or accidents. |
| How to respond to and deal with incidents or accidents that may occur during the session. | |
| Meeting session outcomes | |
| Knowledge (Know it) |
Skills (Show it) |
| The organisations set approaches for instructing or teaching each activity in order to meet the defined outcomes of each session. | Use the organisations set approaches for learning delivery. |
| Simple techniques to ensure engagement and participation by all eg. energisers, sharing responsibilities, appropriate pace. | Support individual and group engagement and participation in the session eg. energisers, sharing responsibilities, appropriate pace. |
| How to use open questions and observation to check understanding and progression of learning. | Change the pace of the session to match participants’ speed of learning. |
| How to recognise participants that have additional support requirements eg. nervousness, short attention span, disengagement. | Identify and support the individual participants’ needs eg. give personal attention, active listening, allow additional time, encouragement. |
| Simple techniques for dealing with conflict and challenging behaviours. | Apply simple techniques to deal with conflict and challenging behaviour eg. redirection, increasing responsibility. |
| Simple techniques and questioning styles to aid review of sessions in meeting required outcomes. | Use simple review techniques to check the achievement of required outcomes e.g. thumbs up; rounds; memorable moments. |
| Completing sessions | |
| Knowledge (Know it) |
Skills (Show it) |
| How the venue should be left and equipment and resources returned - including adherence to any reporting policies. | Signpost participants to progression routes. |
| Complete a session within time, including the restoration of the venue, return of equipment and resources and any logging or recording requirements. | |
| Use participant feedback and own reflection to suggest improvements to sessions. | |
| Organisation requirements | |
| Knowledge (Know it) |
Skills (Show it) |
| How the organisation, and profession, should be represented to include knowledge of the breadth and range of the organisations products and operating standards. | Communicate with customers and colleagues in a clear, concise and effective manner. |
| The organisation’s expectations on how to engage and communicate with participants, organisers and work colleagues. | Handle information in a way that conforms to policy and protects data. |
| Assist with the development and preparation of resources and support colleagues delivering sessions | |
| Professional practice | |
| Knowledge (Know it) |
Skills (Show it) |
| The profession’s policy on equality and diversity. | Actively encourage whole group participation and promote equality and diversity. |
| Good practice regarding session structure to encourage participation and inclusion while protecting sensitive participant information. | Undertake activities to further develop knowledge and personal skills. |
| Sources for continuing development. eg. IOL Membership. | Reflect on own performance and make refinements. |
Behaviours (Live it)
- Show punctuality, diligence, commitment, and appropriate appearance
- Is enthusiastic for the organisations products and loyal to the employing organisation and brand
- Actively respects the environment and encourages behaviours in others that preserves it
- Is encouraging towards participants and supports each person to achieve to their limit
- Promotes on-going use of the outdoors and onward progression
- Shows a positive attitude with all colleagues and all customers come rain or shine