Certified Hike Leader Training
Do you love to hike? Do you enjoy sharing that love with others? Then think seriously about signing up for the hike leader training in July. The course is being offered in collaboration with Hike Ontario, with most of the content provided virtually via Zoom.
“We really need new hike leaders,” says David Royle, the Club’s Hiking Director. “It’s an exciting time, as we look forward to resuming our group hikes post-pandemic. I especially want to encourage members who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) to join this training. This is an excellent opportunity to have our club and its leadership reflect the makeup of this city and this province.”
To learn more about the Club’s hiking program and the role of its hike leaders, click here.
Dates:
- Monday, July 12 (Short introductory zoom meeting if you can make it)
- Wednesday July 14 and 21, 6:30 – 9:00 pm with a break in the middle
- An outdoor session to be arranged when restrictions permit
- A mandatory training session on leading bus hikes, offered online in the evening, will be organized by TBTC hike leaders within two weeks of the Hike Ontario training
Course Content: Topics will include risk management, leadership, trail guides, navigation, outdoor techniques, environmental protection, hike planning, practical problem solving on a class group hike.
Format: The course will be delivered by Hike Ontario instructors via Zoom, followed by an outdoor training session when Covid restrictions allow. Social distancing and Covid protocols will be in place for the outdoor component.
Participants will receive their student manual electronically in advance of the first session. There will be an assignment to complete between the two sessions, and participants will present a portion of it during the second session.
First Aid: “Level C” first aid training, including CPR/AED must be completed. Ordinarily this is a prerequisite for participating in the hike leader training program, but for this year only, in light of pandemic restrictions, participants may elect to take the course after the training. It must be completed, however, in order to qualify for leading TBTC hikes.
Cost: $60 which will be covered by the Bruce Trail Conservancy if you are a member. The cost of First Aid training, to a maximum of $75, will be reimbursed once Apprentice and Graduation hike documentation have been reviewed and approved by the Hiking Director.
Apprenticeship Hikes: Three apprentice hikes and a graduation hike must be completed within one year of the Hike Ontario training. Potential hike leaders are required to apprentice on an urban hike, a car hike, and a bus hike, each with a different hike leader, and will be assessed on their performance. Finally, a Graduation Hike, designed by the potential hike leader and approved by the TBTC Hiking Director, must be executed. A hike leader will accompany the graduation hike and provide an assessment.
To register for the Hike Leader training, please contact Jacquie Van Dyke at vdyke0946@gmail.com.