Course pre-requisites

• Mountain Leader Award Scheme
• Single Pitch Award (SPA)
• Walking Group Leader Scheme (WGL)

(Notes extracted from MLTB website)

MOUNTAIN LEADER AWARD SCHEME

INTRODUCTION

The Mountain Leader Award (ML) was established to promote the safe enjoyment of the hills and mountains. The scheme provides training and assessment in the technical and group management skills required by those who wish to lead groups in the mountains, hills and moorlands of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, other than in winter conditions. It integrates experience, training and assessment in a variety of testing conditions in mountainous country.

THE MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT

Mountains mean freedom, adventure, beauty and solitude. Therefore, whilst fostering a love of the hills in others, group leaders should show consideration towards hill users and rural communities and encourage an understanding of the problems of mountain conservation and access. Consideration of these aspects is vital if the mountain environment is to be protected.

STAGES IN THE SCHEME

The scheme consists of six stages:

1. Gain personal hill-walking experience
2. Registration and issue of logbook
3. Training course
4. Consolidation period
5. Assessment course
6. Continuing logbook experience and any relevant additional training

REGISTRATION

To register you should have at least twelve months experience of hill-walking. You must also have an interest in leadership of groups in the hills and be at least eighteen years of age.

TRAINING

In order to attend a training course you must be registered with the ML scheme and have experienced at least twenty quality mountain days.

CONSOLIDATION PERIOD

During the period between training and assessment, candidates are expected to gain personal experience in mountain areas. This should preferably include some practice in leading parties in easy hill country. Working under the guidance of a suitably experienced leader in more difficult terrain is also recommended. Every opportunity should be taken to practise the skills learned during training.

Prior to attending an assessment course you must have experienced an absolute minimum of forty quality mountain days. This experience should be gained in at least three different regions of the UK and Ireland and should include at least eight nights camping, at least four nights of which should be wild camping. Experience gained in other mountain activities is useful but not a pre-requisite. Although walking in other countries is valuable experience the remit of the ML scheme is confined to the UK .

ASSESSMENT

Candidates should be familiar with all aspects of the syllabus before assessment, even if some parts were not covered in detail during training. Residential assessment courses provide at least sixty hours of contact time between candidates and assessors and candidates are tested in accordance with the syllabus.

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SINGLE PITCH AWARD (SPA)

REGISTRATION

Candidates wishing to register with the Award must:

• have a genuine interest in rock climbing and the supervision of groups on single pitch crags

• have at least twelve months' experience of rock climbing and have climbed at least 20 graded rock climbs, at least some of which should be Severe grade

• be not less than 18 years of age at the date of registration

• be an individual or club members of a Mountaineering Council

TRAINING

Before attending a training course, candidates must be registered with the Single Pitch Award (SPA)

Training courses are run by approved course providers and are at least two days long and include evening sessions (20 hours contact time). The training course will have a minimum of four candidates present, and a maximum of eight. The maximum trainer/candidate ratio is 1:4.

The training course is for potential leaders and assumes basic competence as a rock climber with experience of leading climbs. It will emphasise those skills which candidates might have difficulty in learning without expert guidance.

LOGBOOK

Experience gained by candidates should be recorded in the logbook. Entries should be concise and easily read, and should include all rock climbing and other relevant experience.

The logbook is designed to help you demonstrate your previous experience to others. If you fill it in before a training course you enable the trainers to discuss your particular training needs and to agree which areas of the syllabus you may need to concentrate on before taking an assessment. Few of us can remember every detail of every climb we have done, but this is no reason to avoid using the logbook. List examples of the variety of experiences you have gained and give details of the most notable (or exciting) days out. The information you give does not have to be verified by a third party but will form the basis for discussion at training and assessment

1.7 CONSOLIDATION PERIOD

Candidates will generally see many new ideas and techniques during training and will therefore need some time to practise and evaluate these before taking the assessment. During this period of consolidation, candidates are advised to climb at as wide a range of venues as possible, both as an individual and when assisting the supervision of others. The UKMTB recommends that all but the most experienced candidates allow a minimum of six months between training and assessment. There is currently no time limit on the validity of a training course and some candidates may take several years to complete the award.

1.8 ASSESSMENT

Before attending an assessment course, candidates must:

• have registered
• have attended a training course
• have gained further experience (see Appendix III)
• be proficient in the use of climbing walls
• be competently leading severe grade climbs
• hold a valid First Aid Certificate

EXPERIENCE PRE-REQUIREMENTS

Please consider the advice given below. You should note that the figures given are absolute minimums and that most successful candidates have well in excess of the experience outlined;

• To be involved in the SPA scheme you need to be a rock climber and have an interest in the supervision of novices in the activity. A minimum of 12 months rock climbing experience is expected.

• Before attending a Training Course you must first register with one of the Four Mountain Training Boards. This will provide you with a logbook and your personal details will be entered on that national database.

• To get the most out of your Training Course you should have led at least 15 climbs outdoors on routes where the protection is leader-placed. Without having done at least this amount of leading you are unlikely to play a constructive part on the course.

• Between Training and Assessment you must consolidate new ideas and techniques and gain additional climbing experience . . Your trainer will advise you about the amount and nature of the personal climbing and supervising experience you should gain.

• Candidates should not present themselves for Assessment until they have:

  1. Led a minimum of 40 climbs, outdoors on leader placed protection. Some of these must be at least severe grade and they should be on a variety of rock types.
  2. Assisted with the supervision of climbing for approximately 20 sessions at a variety of locations (a session is a half day or evening)

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THE WALKING GROUP LEADER SCHEME (WGL)

INTRODUCTION

The Walking Group Leader Award (WGL) is a nationally accredited award developed by the United Kingdom Mountain Training Board (UKMTB).

The WGL is the basic award for leaders of hill walking groups in defined terrain and conditions. The scheme has been designed to complement the long established Mountain Leader Award (ML), which trains leaders with the skills to lead walking groups in all mountain areas of the UK and Ireland.

SCOPE OF THE SCHEME

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 terrain for the WGL will meet the following four criteria:

• open, uncultivated, non-mountainous high or remote country known variously as upland, moor, bog, fell, hill or down

• 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)

• areas of remoteness that are easily exited in a few hours, returning to a refuge or an accessible road

• areas where movement on steep or rocky terrain is not required (in either a planned or unplanned situation)

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.

STAGES IN THE SCHEME

The scheme consists of the following stages:

• demonstrate and develop a genuine interest in hill walking and leading groups

• register with the WGL scheme

• attend a WGL training course

• consolidate experience and build on the skills and techniques of the training course

• attend a WGL assessment course

• continue to log personal and leadership experience, including attending relevant courses

REGISTRATION

To register candidates should have at least one years 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.

PRE REQUIREMENTS

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 an approved provider. Courses are delivered in a variety of formats, often residential and have a minimum thirty hours of contact time with the trainers

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 practise 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.

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.

ASSESSMENT

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.

FURTHER EXPERIENCE

WGL 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.

10 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

SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE WGL

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

• 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)

• Areas of remoteness that are exited by the group in a few hours, returning to a refuge or an accessible road

• Areas where movement on steep or rocky terrain is not required (in either a planned or unplanned situation)

 

Please note these are just extracts, to view the full details visit the MLTE web site at: www.mlte.org >>