Field Leader - Hiking & Winter Leadership Course, Chester Basin Mar. 27-29 

The Field Leader - Hiking & Winter Leadership course will be held on March 27, 28 and 29 at Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin. This nationally recognized course will provide participants with the Outdoor Council of Canada (OCC) training in Field Leader – Hiking and Winter Leadership as well as the skills to organize and lead others in a one day, educational or activity based experience in a natural environment. The program is suitable for teachers, 4H leaders, Scout leaders, Girl Guide leaders, parents or individuals interested in leading hikes. The course will be delivered Anjeanette Le May-Crowtz , OCC certified instructor. It is offered through the Nova Scotia Chapter of the OCC in partnership with Hike Nova Scotia and the Municipality of the District of Chester and supported by the Province of Nova Scotia through the Nova Scotia Outdoor Leadership Development Program.

To be hiking leaders, participants should have some hiking experience and be able to participate in a low risk natural environment hike on a designated trail while carrying what they will need for the day outside. Participants who successfully meet the course outcomes will earn Outdoor Council of Canada Field Leader – Hiking and Winter Leadership certification along with the necessary skills to be a confident hiking leader. Most of the instruction will be in the classroom with a final experiential lesson on the trail. For further information regarding Field Leader - Hiking Certification, please go to http://www.outdoorcouncil.ca.

Location: Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin

Times:

• Friday, March 27 from 5 to 9 pm
• Saturday, March 28 from 9 am to 5 pm
• Sunday, March 29 from 9 am to 5 pm

Registration:

• $112 for non-Hike Nova Scotia members
• $102 for current Hike Nova Scotia members

Registration includes all course materials, a one year membership with the Outdoor Council of Canada and a one year membership with Hike Nova Scotia. Registration is on a first come first served basis. Spaces are limited. Further course information will be provided upon registration. The deadline for registration and payment is: March 20.

Participants must:

• Bring their own meals, snacks, beverages, etc. (there will be no time to go off-site for meals)
• Bring pen and paper
• Arrange their own accommodation
• Dress for the outdoors for the final lesson on the trail (rain or shine)
• Review the course manual in advance of the course (to be distributed electronically to participants once registered and a hard copy provided at the course)
• Bring a Leader Pack as described in the course manual (see point above)

Cancellation Policy

The Field Leader – Hiking Course is subsidized for participants, so we need to fill the workshop in order to break even. As such, our cancellation policy requires three full days’ notice in order to reimburse anyone who wishes to cancel their registration (so if the course starts on March 27, we require notice of cancellation by email or phone by the end of the day on March 23). This allows time to recruit someone to fill the spot.

If the course organizers must cancel the course due to weather or other unforeseen circumstance, it will be cancelled the morning of the day before the course. Participants will be contacted by email and all participants will be reimbursed their registration fees. They will then be contacted regarding a new date for the course.