OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATION
Leading people in the outdoors requires various competencies, including technical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills. To ensure that our student guides are capable of leading groups, all of them have completed the UCSD Recreation Certificate in Outdoor Leadership. The course follows an entire scholastic year and consists of weekly evening Certification classes on Thursdays as well as the occasional field training on Saturdays. Opportunities to lead trips, including overnight trips, occur on weekends and on holiday breaks.
This program offers the opportunity to grow from Assistant Guides (volunteers) to Secondary Guides and Lead Guides (paid staff) through experiences gained while assisting on trips offered to the wider community. In addition, you can enhance your own personal development through self-guided practice and trip participation.
To be eligible to apply to be a Guide you need to be a first- or second-year student, or first year transfer student. You need to be available for training on Thursday evenings (5pm to 8pm) as well as on weekends (usually during the day on Saturday). We also highly encourage participation in our Guide Meetings, weekly at 6pm on Tuesdays.
Steps to becoming a guide
- Attend the Outdoor Leadership Certificate information session
- 2022 info session: September 26th, 6pm at Outback Adventures
- Complete online Guide Application
- Due date: Sunday October 9th
- October 11th: Be selected for the New Guide Immersion camping trip
- Attend the New Guide Immersion trip from Friday October 14th, 5pm to Sunday October 16th, 5pm Request Details: (this two-night camping trip is part of the interview process)
- October 18th: Be selected for the OLC. Classes begin on October 20th at 5pm
- Complete all the classes for the Certificate in Outdoor Leadership (Course Training Fee $650; academic credit optional)
- If the financial commitment is a barrier for you, please mention that in your application and we will reach out to you with assistance. We would not want financial restraints to deter anyone from applying.
Curriculum
Technical Skills Unit:
- Trip Itinerary and Packing
- Backcountry Camping Skills
- Wilderness Navigation
- Meal Planning, Nutrition, & Dutch Oven Cooking
- Stove Maintenance
- First Aid & CPR
- Driving UC Vehicles & Smith System 5 Keys
- Intro to Sea Kayaking
- Advanced Sea Kayaking
- Sea Kayak Roll Clinic
- Intro to Rock Climbing
- Rock Climbing Anchor Skills Clinic
- Advanced Anchor Skills Clinic
- Rock Climbing Rescue Skills Clinic
- Intro to Surfing
- Intro to Canoeing
- Intro to Backpacking
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills Unit:
- Introduction to Outdoor Leadership
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Outdoors
- Leadership and Group Management
- Risk Management and Decision Making
- Fun and Structure
- Teaching and Presenting
- Group Facilitation
- Conflict Resolution and Restorative Justice
- Management Skills Retreat
WARNING
Adventure travel has inherent risks of injury and/or death. These risks contribute to the "adventure" aspect of our trips. UCSD Outback Adventures and its employees assume no liability for any damages, loss, injury or death as a result of our trips. Some trips have a prerequisite fitness level, for which the participants are responsible. Any person participating in an Outback Adventures trip is personally responsible for their own safety.