The
Walking Group Leader Scheme
Introduction
The
Walking Group Leader Award is a nationally recognised
award for those who wish to look after groups walking
in moorland and 'rounded' upland areas of the UK in summer.
Ideal
as a stepping stone for those instructors pursuing their
ML it provides a qualification that can get you out there
and working with groups to gain further experience. However,
it is not a 'poor relation' to the other mountain leadership
awards.
Indeed
your 'duty or care' to your clients and operating authority
remains as vigorous and if anything the ability to navigate
is at a higher technical standard than for ML. This is
due to the terrain the award is designed for and assessed
in. Moorland often lacks the strong features of the more
rugged mountain environment that provides the baseline
for navigation. Indeed often there is little other than
ground shape and contours to aid the navigator!
In
my view it is a great first step and is an ideal award
for teachers, youth workers, voluntary leaders and many
outdoor instructors.
So
here's what the MLTUK say about it....
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The
Walking Group Leader Award (WGL) is a nationally accredited award
developed by the United Kingdom Mountain Training Board (MLTUK)
in conjunction with the home nations boards.
Mountain
Leader Training England (MLTE), Northern Ireland Mountain Training
Board
(NIMTB),
Scottish
Mountain
Leader
Training
Board
(SMLTB) and Wales Mountain Leader Training Board (WMLTB) all
operate and support the Walking Group Leader Award scheme as
part of a National Framework of awards for those
leading and instructing in hill walking, climbing and mountaineering.
The
Walking Group Leader Award is the basic hill walking award for
leaders of hill walking groups in carefully defined terrain and
limited conditions. The
scheme
has been
designed
to complement the long established Mountain Leader Award (ML),
which trains leaders with the additional skills to lead walking
groups in all mountain areas of the UK and Ireland.
The
Walking Group Leader Award is also aimed at those who have already
achieved training or accreditation through any of the wide range
of local or
organisational
schemes available elsewhere in the UK.
All
MLTUK awards are designed for those with a personal commitment
to the activity and are
centred
on
the belief
that personal experience and understanding of the inherent risks
of hill walking and climbing are the best ways to maximise safety
and good judgment.
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Scope
of the Walking Group Leader Award
The
WGL Award offers the opportunity to gain experience and demonstrate
technical competence in leading groups on hill walks
in areas of the UK and Ireland that fall within the technical definition
outlined below. Such areas may often be subject to hostile weather
conditions and require an element of self-sufficiency and this
is reflected in the syllabus of this scheme.
Suitable
Walking Group Leader terrain will meet the following four criteria:
1.
Open,
uncultivated, non-mountainous high or remote country known
variously as upland, moor, bog, fell, hill or down.
2. Areas enclosed by well-defined geographical or man-made
boundaries such as classified roads (areas that merge
with mountain
regions and do not have well defined boundaries are excluded).
3. Areas of remoteness that are easily exited in a few hours,
returning to a refuge or an accessible road.
4. Areas where movement on steep or rocky terrain is not
required (in either a planned or unplanned situation).
Where leaders or their employers have doubts about
the scope of an award and it's margins they should
consult the Secretary of
their home nation Mountain Training Board (see
useful links for details of the home boards). A technical
adviser (in the case of the WGL scheme this is
a Mountain Instructor or
Mountain Guide) may also assist leaders with specific
issues such as seasonal conditions, group ratios
etc.
Completion
of a training course is not a qualification in itself.
It
is the combination of technical competence and leadership
skills supported by a wide range of experience that forms the
basis for effective group management. The scheme addresses
all these
elements. However, the employer or operating authority must
ultimately decide whether a leader possesses the personal
attributes needed
to take responsibility for a particular group of people.
Access
to the upland environment can mean freedom, adventure, beauty
and solitude but these benefits need to be considered in
a wider context. Leaders working with groups should strive
to inform them about access and conservation issues. They
should demonstrate
due regard for other walkers, landowners, users and rural communities.
This
scheme does not provide training and assessment in the skills
required to cope with the special hazards of winter conditions,
particularly snow and ice, which in some areas can be encountered
at any time of the year.
Remote
camping, in inaccessible areas, is beyond the scope of the
scheme.
The
employer or Operating Authority should examine award holder's
log book to satisfy themselves of recent and current knowledge
and activity before commissioning an award holder to lead
groups.
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The
Stages of the Scheme
The scheme consists of the following stages:
Candidates
demonstrate and develop a genuine interest in hill walking and
leading groups through practical experience.
Candidates register with the WGL scheme via their home nation
board.
Candidates attend an approved WGL training course.
Candidates consolidate experience and build on the skills
and techniques of their training course.
Candidates attend an approved WGL assessment course.
Award Holders continue to log personal and leadership experience,
including attending relevant courses.
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Registration
To
register candidates should have at least one year's experience
of hill walking and have an interest in leading hill walking
groups. Candidates must be at least eighteen years of age.
Candidates should consider whether the WGL or the ML scheme
is more appropriate for their skills, experience and the
activities of their groups.
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Training
In
order to attend a training course candidates must be registered
with the Walking Group Leader scheme and have completed
at least twenty hill walks.
Candidates
must attend a training course with a Provider approved by
a home nation Training Board. Courses are delivered
in a variety of formats, often residential and have a minimum
thirty hours of contact time with the trainers. Courses are
delivered by a Mountain Instructor award holder (minimum
requirement), with supporting staff holding at least the
ML award. They work
at a maximum ratio of 1:6 with the course Director having
a practical involvement in each course. A directory of course
providers and course dates is available from each of the
Mountain
Training Boards.
The
training course is for potential leaders and assumes a basic
competence as a hill walker. It emphasises those skills
that a candidate might have difficulty learning without expert
guidance.
At
the end of the course the Course Director will complete the
Training Course Report page in the logbook and will attach
a numbered sticker to the Endorsement Page. Candidates will
be given advice on the additional skills and experience that
they need to gain before attending an assessment. Attendance
will be reported by the Course Director and added to the
National
Mountain Training Database.
Candidates
registering on the WGL scheme who have already registered
for ML and attended a ML training course are deemed
to have received equivalent training. Such candidates do
not need to apply for exemption from WGL training but will
need
to show that their walking experience encompasses terrain
as defined in the scope of the scheme.
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Consolidation
Candidates
are advised that there must be a period of consolidation
between training and assessment. This period
is not defined by a length of time but should be sufficient
for candidates to review the content of their training course
and to feel confident of their ability to lead groups in
the terrain defined by the scheme. All candidates must meet
the
assessment pre-requirements.
Every
opportunity should be taken to practice the skills learned
during training and this might include working under
the guidance of a suitably experienced leader. It might also
include practice in leading parties at an easier level such
as in rural countryside outside defined mountain and moorland
areas, if approved to do so by an employer or operating authority.
Prior
to attending an assessment course candidates must have completed
an absolute minimum of forty hill walking days
in three distinct areas of the UK and Ireland as defined
by the scope of the scheme.
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First
Aid Requirements
Prior to attendance on an assessment course candidates must
hold a valid First Aid qualification. Courses must be delivered
by a Health and Safety Executive approved provider and include
an element of assessment. They should involve at least sixteen
hours of instruction and cover basic life support and emergency
aid.
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Assessment & Validation
Assessment
courses have at least thirty hours of contact time between
candidates and assessors. Candidates are tested
in accordance with the syllabus and should therefore ensure
that they are familiar with all its aspects before attending
the course. A home nation Mountain Training Board approves
assessment providers. A Mountain Instructor award holder
(minimum requirement) directs courses with supporting staff
holding
at least the ML award. They will work at a maximum ratio
of 1:4 with the course Director having a practical involvement
in each course. A directory of course providers and course
dates is available from each of the Mountain Training Boards.
The
course Director endorses the logbook with an assessment report
page and makes appropriate recommendations. The assessment
course report form is sent to the relevant Mountain Training
Board office, where the result is verified and added to the
National Mountain Training Database.
There are three possible results:
Pass: awarded where the candidate has demonstrated a proper
knowledge and application of the syllabus and has shown the
necessary experience and attributes for hill walking leadership.
Defer: awarded when the candidate does not satisfy all the
requirements of the syllabus. The assessor will complete the
recommendations on the Assessment Course Report page (and on
additional pages if necessary), explaining what extra training
or experience may be required and the recommended format of
the re-assessment.
Fail: awarded where the candidate' s performance has not been
at the appropriate standard, or the necessary experience or
attributes have not been shown. The assessor will complete
the recommendations on the Assessment Course Report page (and
on additional pages if necessary), explaining what extra training
or experience is recommended before a further assessment.
In
the case of a deferral, re-assessment candidates are encouraged
to return to the original assessment provider. However
they have the option of being assessed by any approved assessment
provider. Practical re-assessments cannot take place within
three months of the initial assessment and candidates may
only take two re-assessments before having to take a further
complete
assessment. All re-assessments must be completed within five
years.
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Further
Experience
Walking
Group Leader Award holders should continue to log personal
and leadership experience and are encouraged to attend relevant
courses.
In order to ensure the validity of the award, WGL holders
must
keep their first aid qualification up to date.
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Exemption from Training
After
registration for the WGL scheme, candidates who have substantial
personal and leadership experience in hill
walking areas or who believe that they have attended equivalent
training may apply for exemption from training. WGL registrants
who have attended a ML training course do not need to apply
for exemption. There is no exemption from assessment.
To
apply for exemption, candidates must:
Be
registered with the WGL scheme.
Obtain
and complete an exemption application form.
Send
the appropriate fee and a copy of their logbook experience
pages to their home nation Mountain Training Board.
Candidates should allow at least fifteen working
days for this process to be completed.
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Suitable
Terrain for the Walking Group Leader Award
The Walking Group Leader award offers the opportunity to gain
and demonstrate technical competence in leading groups on hill
walks in areas of the UK that fall within the technical definition
outlined below. Such areas may often be subject to hostile
weather conditions and require an element of self-sufficiency
and this is reflected in the syllabus of the scheme.
Suitable terrain for the WGL meets the following criteria:
Open, uncultivated, non-mountainous high or remote country
known variously as upland, moor, bog, fell, hill or down.
Note on terminology: there is no
one single term that adequately defines the ground covered
by
the
WGL award. The Oxford English
Dictionary definition of hill as "natural elevation of
the earth's surface, a small mountain" does not itself
preclude a hill from being steep and rocky in character. Indeed
it is important to appreciate that these terms can be applied
differently in different parts of the British Isles or in different
contexts. Thus in Scotland "the hill" usually refers
to more mountainous country while in Ireland there are many
lower lying, rounded hills that are named "mountain".
A walker may use "uplands" to refer to
rolling, as opposed to mountainous country, while
the botanist or ecologist
may use it to include such country. Leaders should
be aware of these variations in meaning and not
allow names to prevent
a more objective assessment of whether a particular
piece of terrain falls within the remit of the
award.
Areas
enclosed by well-defined geographical or man-made boundaries
such as classified roads (areas that border mountain regions
and do not have well defined boundaries are excluded).
Some boundaries such as walls, fences, forest plantations
and water features may change over the years. Walking
group leaders
must be certain that any feature that bounds their
area in which they are walking is reliable.
Areas of remoteness that are exited by the group
in a few hours, returning to a refuge or
an accessible road.
Walking group leaders and the group in
their charge would normally be able to
exit from their chosen
route within three hours.
An accessible road could be considered
as one that can be used by a standard
ambulance and a refuge
is a place which can provide
shelter and from where help can be summoned,
such as a building with a telephone.
Areas where movement on steep or rocky
terrain is not required (in either a
planned or unplanned
situation)
Walking group leaders are trained and assessed by specialised
trainers approved by the Mountain Training Boards of the UK.
The training and assessment is carried out in terrain that
provides suitable examples of such terrain. Anyone who is uncertain
about the suitability of a chosen venue should contact their
Training Board.
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Definition
of a Hill Walking day as applied to the Walking
Group Leader Award
The
quality of a hill walking day is the cornerstone of a prospective
leader's experience. Many factors such as the
weather, the nature of the ground, the terrain and
the physical and mental challenges will affect such days.
However, it is
the combination of these factors which make a positive
contribution towards a person. s development and maturity
as an all round
leader of walking groups.
For a walk to make a positive contribution to the experience
of the prospective walking group leader usually some or all
of the following criteria would be fulfilled:
the individual takes part in the planning and leadership
navigation skills are required
experience must be in terrain appropriate to the scheme
knowledge is increased and skills practiced
attention is paid to safety
four hours or more journey time
adverse weather conditions may be encountered
Known
walks in similar conditions are unlikely to make the same
contribution to a person's hill walking experience as
those involving an element of exploration as defined
above. Likewise, walks as a group member being led are unlikely
to
fulfil the above criteria. Wide experience as a
hill walker in several different regions, in varying weather
conditions,
is a key element to becoming an effective walking
group leader.
Camping within the scope of the WGL scheme takes place
in terrain that is sheltered and within easy walking
distance of roads
and habitation. Camping has the potential to
adversely affect the locality by vegetation trampling
and pollution through
food and human waste. It therefore needs to be
undertaken with sensitivity combining care for the
environment with personal
enjoyment.
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Syllabus
There is a wide range of skills and knowledge that a walking
group leader needs in order to operate effectively. Not
only is it necessary to perform each element in isolation,
it is also vital that leaders are able to combine several
skills at any one time. For example they need to be able
to look after their group and navigate simultaneously.
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Technical
Competence
Candidates must be technically competent before they can effectively
lead others in the hills. They also require the ability to
introduce others to simple skills such as hill walking techniques.
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Walking & Route
Finding
It
is essential that group leaders are competent walkers who
possess the skills to do the following:
demonstrate good practice with regard to individual skills:
pace, conservation of energy, balance and co-ordination
identify hazards and manage risk
make good route choices with alterations appropriate to conditions
interpret maps and evaluate terrain
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Navigation
Competence as a navigator is a basic requirement for any walking
group leader. They will have the ability to choose from a wide
range of techniques and select those that are appropriate to
the conditions. These techniques include:
use
of relevant maps; their scales, conventional signs, grid references,
contours and other methods of showing relief.
identification of topographical features, relating the map
to the ground and vice versa.
measurement of distance on the map and the ground.
identification of position by various methods of relocation.
navigation across country by various methods in poor visibility
and/or in darkness. This will include the
use of a compass, the use of a map alone and an awareness of
other navigational
aids.
route planning, including methods of recording routes.
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Hazards & Emergency
Procedures
The
ability to make sound judgments and to deal
with a wide range of hazards when leading groups is an essential
skill.
This includes:
recognition
and avoidance of steep and broken ground.
recognition of water hazards (including marshes and streams)
and the skills and safety procedures
for dealing with them.
procedures in the event of an accident and how to bivouac in
an emergency.
understanding the causes, signs, symptoms, prevention and treatment
in the field of hypothermia exposure, cold
injuries and heat disorders, in addition to the general first
aid requirements
of the scheme.
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Equipment
The
equipment used by a group can have a critical impact on the
success of any journey. Group leaders should have knowledge
of the following:
personal
walking equipment.
additional equipment required by a leader.
packing and carrying personal and communal equipment.
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The
Responsibilities of the Leader
Candidates must be conversant with the main areas of responsibility
of the group leader, particularly for the care and safety of
the group, as follows:
general responsibilities to the group and where appropriate,
to parents/guardians, the organising authority, committee or
manager of the activity, the outdoor user and general public.
specific responsibilities to choose appropriate objectives,
to complete detailed preparations and ensure that the group
is adequately equipped and briefed for the activity.
current legislation and the legal responsibilities that relate
to the leading of walking groups, (including child protection).
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Group Management
Candidates must be familiar with:
operational responsibilities in the outdoors required to manage
the group effectively and to meet the changing needs of the
group and its individual members.
Leaders
should provide a safe and rewarding experience for each group
member and be
able to evaluate the experience
and motivate towards further participation where appropriate.
use
and limitations of the techniques of indirect supervision of
others undertaking an expedition in
appropriate terrain.
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The
Overnight Experience
Camping
in remote locations is beyond the scope of this award, but
candidates need to be familiar with:
selection and booking of hostels, huts, lowland and easily
accessible campsites
the sitting and pitching of tents and the safety procedures
required when using various stoves
selection, preparation and cooking of suitable foods
group and personal hygiene
suitable methods of supervision
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Access
Walking group leaders should understand and be familiar with
the following:
the Country Code, associated codes and the responsibility
to minimise impact on the environment
current legislation concerning access to the countryside in
upland areas, the nature of specially designated areas and
limitations on their use
how and where to get information about access to upland areas
e.g. from appropriate guidebooks and maps, Mountaineering Council
sources, local and National Access Forums and from the various
countryside agencies.
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Conservation
Walking
group leaders should understand and be familiar with the
following:
the multiple uses of upland areas e.g. hill farming, forestry,
water collection, grouse shooting, stalking and outdoor recreation
issues relating to upland conservation and the long-term effects
of human pressures on this environment
the importance of human sanitation issues in the outdoors
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Environmental
Knowledge
Walking group leaders should extend their knowledge about
all aspects of the hill and moorland environment e.g. geology,
geography, flora, fauna, local history and photography. They
should have a basic knowledge of:
the general impact of humans on upland environments
the potential impact of outdoor recreation with particular
reference to groups
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Weather
Candidates must have basic knowledge of weather. They must
gain practical experience in relating regional weather forecasts
to hill and moorland areas and develop their ability to make
short term forecasts from observed weather conditions. Candidates
should also have an understanding of:
sources of information on weather
effects of weather on route selection and level of activity
simple interpretation of weather maps
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Structure
of the Activity
Candidates
should have a basic understanding of
the development of hill walking in the UK and Ireland
the role of the Mountaineering Councils, Mountain Training
Boards and associated bodies
the diversity of mountaineering and hill walking literature
including books, guidebooks, web sites and magazines and how
to access relevant information from them.
