Expedition Leader requirements
Expedition Leaders need to fulfill the following requirements...
- Experience working with young people
- Developing world travel experience
- Mountain Leader Award or equivalent
- Valid 16 hour Outdoor First Aid Certificate
Additional to this our Expedition Leaders will have excellent communication and facilitation skills, with boundless amounts of motivation and patience.
With these skills they will maximise the opportunity for the personal development of our Challengers (young people).
Required youth work experience
It is essential that our Leaders have proven experience on expedition or working with young people (generally 13-19 year olds) in the outdoor environment. They will have working knowledge of child protection issues, group safety and dynamics.
Often our Leaders will come from a variety of backgrounds working with young people ranging from full time teaching to outdoor instructing to a military career. Starting roles may be similar to the following:
- Working a season for an outdoor company
- Shadowing leaders leading groups in the mountains
- Volunteering with local youth groups
Required developing world travel experience
All of our Expedition Leaders will have travelled, either leading groups or independently, in developing world countries.
Required qualifications
- We look for a minimum of Summer Mountain Leader assessment or equivalent - Walking Group Leader assessment and military qualifications will be considered.
- Additional qualifications and logged experience are required for advanced expeditions:
- Winter ML, MIA, MIC, UKCC Level 3 or above, PADI Open Water.
- Experience of trekking at altitude, in the jungle and in remote environments.
Starting out in this area will take perseverance, dedication and motivation, but you will certainly reap the rewards!
There are several stages to becoming an ML/WGL Award holder:
- You need to have 12+ months experience in hill walking/mountaineering.
- You then need to register with the Mountain Leader Award Scheme and complete a Mountain Leader Training Course.
- After attending the Training Course you will need a consolidation period to build on the skills you have learned.
- The exact period of time, personal skill development and group supervision practice will be different for each candidate.
- When your experience level is appropriate you will then complete your assessment and hopefully become an award holder.
http://www.mltuk.org
British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the representative body that exists to protect the freedoms and promote interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers. Visit their website to find out more about this important organsation:
http://www.thebmc.co.uk
Other Handy Links:
http://www.mlta.co.uk - The Mountain Leader Training Association is a membership organisation for climbing, walking and mountain leaders in the UK.
Professional development modules – we offer our expedition leaders the opportunity to attend bespoke courses which will further enable them to successfully lead expeditions, and add extra knowledge to their ‘leader’s tool kit’.
APIOL
World Challenge recognises and supports the work of the Accredited Practitioner of the Institute for Outdoor Learning (APIOL). This is a recognised industry standard that is available to individual members of the IOL. To find out more click here.
Apply now!
Please note - We are currently recruiting expedition leaders for summer 2012, so if you fulfill the above requirements please apply now to start leading!
Find out more
T +44 (0)1494 427600E findoutmore@world-challenge.co.uk
Contact us quickly via our online contact form
Find out how to launch an expedition
