Thank you for your interest in our vacancy for a Volunteer Trainee Instructor / Overseas Programme.

Our centre has an excellent record and our training programme is one of the best in the Outdoor Industry. We recommend you compare us with what other centres are offering.

Description: Applicants should be able to demonstrate an interest in working with young people and have some experience of outdoor activities.

Why do people join our scheme?
Some people come on our scheme as an alternative to attending a college course. The advantage of our scheme is that you will gain soft and hard skills as you will be actively involved in outdoor activities throughout the season. Many college courses deliver excellent soft skills whilst missing out on the important hard skills the industry requires. Some use it as a stepping stone into higher education, some colleges and university value a year of work in the industry as an entry route on to their courses others are just looking for a career break or something different to do for a season.

Why is the minimum age 18 years? Most governing bodies recognise this as the minimum age for someone to take charge of young people.

What is the accommodation like and am I expected to live in?
Firstly you do not need to live in at the centre, some people have local contacts who can offer accommodation others prefer the community support that living in at a centre provides. Accommodation will be in a shared bunk room and each room has en suite shower and toilets, there are laundry facilities on site. During peak season you may be required to move into tented accommodation.

There is no food or accommodation charge for volunteer instructors.

Minimum Requirements:
    You must be a minimum of 18 years old
    Be able to obtain 2 preferably 3 good references
    Be able to obtain a clear police check (CRB check)
    Have a proved interest in outdoor activities
    Have a proved interest in working with young people
    Have a flexible a positive approach

What we look for in an instructor:
    Empathy to relate to each child's personality
    Awareness of each child's differing levels and abilities
    Caring attitude to each and every child
    Understanding of each situation as it arises
    Awareness of medical & dietary requirements
    Character & personality
    Social skills

Most of our volunteer instructors are in the age range 18 – 25 yrs.

How many staff are at the centre? The number of staff at our centres varies throughout the season. Ideally we hope to take on approx 12 trainee instructors in the 2012 season. In addition we have approximately 8 qualified instructors some of whom live in and some of whom live locally.

What will I be expected do? The scheme is a balance of training and voluntary work. The first part of the season February – end of April you will undergo a considerable amount of training opportunities. Including kayaking, mountain biking, sailing, power boating, climbing, hill walking (see extensive list of training opportunities). From May onwards you will be actively involved in delivering outdoor activity sessions to groups of young people developing your experience and skills ready to progress your national governing body awards. This will give you a great perspective on outdoor activity provisional from a UK perspective. During late season August – October we consolidate these awards and where appropriate complete the assessments required. We aim to end our season mid October this usually involves a week of hill walking in Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Throughout the time with us, opportunity will be made for you to attend the following courses at our expense.
    Single Pitch Award Training (This climbing course is subject to you having the necessary pre requisite experience)
    On site abseiling and climbing site specific training and assessment
    Trail Cycle Leader Training/ (you must have your own good quality mountain bike)
    Walking Group Leader Training or Basic Expedition Leader Award (subject to you having the necessary prerequisite experience)
    BCU 1 – 2 star kayak/canoe training and assessment
    BCU 3 star sea kayaking training/assessment
    BCU Foundation Safety Award
    BCU Level 1 Coach
    Basic food hygiene certificate
    NCFE Level 2 in Bushcraft, Survival and Wilderness Living Training Course and Assessment
    RYA level 1 power boat training and assessment
    RYA Level 2 power boat training and assessment
    RLSS Bronze medallion
    RYA Level 2 dinghy Sailing
    Health and safety at work 1st aid
    Archery basic instructor award

For those travelling from New Zealand as a volunteer instructor we will refund reasonable return travel fare from Auckland to the Isle of Man you can choose your own return date. Throughout all the above we will pay for all course fees, appropriate learning resources, membership fees and registration fees.

Other courses which may be run subject to demand and ability of students.
RYA Dinghy Sailing seamanship skills, RYA Dinghy Sailing Assistant Instructor, RYA safety boat training and assessment. Success on the above courses would depend on past experience, personal ability, ability to learn and personal commitment. Sea kayaking expedition,Mountaineering Expedition.

You will assist qualified instructors on delivery of activity sessions this enables you to train and gain logged hours towards coaching awards and where/when qualified you will deliver activity sessions yourself with remote supervision to a basic level within standard operational procedures.

You would be expected to carry out general duties around the centre eg maintenance, domestic and kitchen duties.
You will be expected to help with long activity days
You will have at least 1 rest day per week and 1 rest week per season (preferably August).

We will provide:-
    return travel to and from the Isle of Man at the start and end of the agreed training /volunteer period. If appropriate.
    all basic food and basic shared bunkhouse accommodation is provided.
    all courses are dependent on you having the correct entry requirements
    all registration fees, memberships as appropriate
    a uniform -polo shirts and fleece

You can benefit from free use of equipment during spare time –once accredited for such. You will also receive in house training in the following activities, Gorge walking, coasteering, assault course, team building activities, air rifle shooting, campcraft/survival

Courses would be on- going throughout your placement with us. You would be expected to complete a full season with us (February - October) in order to receive any qualification certification.
We would expect you to comply with all criteria as laid down in the staff handbook.

Be realistic!!!
The season with us is a fantastic opportunity. However you will only get out of it what you put in. You are expected to work hard. The work is enjoyable and the staff team are good fun to work with but outdoor industry leadership is not for everyone. You should spend time checking out what other options are available to you to make sure our scheme is right for you.

The next stage
If after reading the above you are still interested in a position at our centre please email us with a c.v. to contact@adventure-centre.co.uk

Posted 27th Oct     Position Type Volunteer/Contract    Applications close: 16th December 2011