Thursday June 20, 2013

OA Leader Training Program

• Join the largest student leadership group at Princeton!
• Why Being an OA Leader is so valuable - leaders reflect on their experience
• Did you have a great time of your Frosh Trip?
• Want to be an OA Leader next year & help freshmen have a great start?
• Want to meet new people?
• Do you enjoy the outdoors?
• Want to learn new skills?

OA Leader Training is a great way to meet FUN people while you easily complete the training and lead an OA Trip. We are looking for motivated students, graduate students and faculty or staff to become leaders for the Frosh Trip in September. Don’t consider yourself outdoorsy? Outdoor Action will teach you the skills you need to be competent in the outdoors. Our priorities are to find people who are excited about working with others and learning and teaching new skills, and who bring a diversity of experiences and backgrounds to the program. The more our leaders represent the Princeton campus, the more accurate an impression the Frosh will receive. The Outdoor Action Leader Training program is recognized across the country as one of the most comprehensive college outdoor leadership programs. Once you complete all of the requirements this year, you are eligible to apply to lead a Frosh Trip in the fall!

Is Financial Aid Available?

If you are receiving need-based financial aid from the University Outdoor Action has some funds available to help support students who wish to become OA Leaders. Levels of aid are based on the amount of aid that you are receiving from the University. Login to the TripStore and add the Financial Aid Request to your cart. We then confirm the amount of financial aid you are receiving from the University with the Office of Financial Aid in order to calculate the amount of aid you are eligible for. Because we send requests in to the Office of Financial Aid only a few times each semester there may be a wait time to find out about your eligibility.

Leader Training Requirements To see the dates/times for the training sessions below, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. To register for any of the Leader Training sessions visit the OA TripStore First Aid requirements: HeartSaver CPR with AED HEART Wilderness First Aid Options HEART Epinephrine training session Outdoor Skills requirements: Leader Training Course (includes Leave No Trace training session) Managing Safety in the Back Country Workshop Facilitating Group Communication: Facilitator's Workshop Leadership & Group Dynamics Workshop Leader Training Trip: Leader Training Trips are 6-day outdoor skills experiences offered during Intersession in January and in May after final exams. ** For a detailed description of the training requirments, please scroll down.**

HeartSaver CPR course (with AED training)

Outdoor Action teaches American Heart Association (AHA) CPR classes. Our HeartSaver CPR Course teaches lay rescuers how to recognize and treat life-threatening emergencies, including cardiac arrest and choking for adults and children over age 1. Students also learn to recognize the warning signs of heart attack and stroke in adults and breathing difficulties in children.This course will instruct you how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

People successfully completing the course will receive AHA certification good for two years.Outdoor Action also offers additional CPR courses during the school year including courses that cover CPR for adults, children and infants. Departments wishing to schedule a special course should contact 8-6230.

To see the dates/times/fees for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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HEART (Health Education & Rescue Training) Wilderness First Aid Course

This is an intensive course that covers patient examination and evaluation, body systems and anatomy, wound care, splinting, environmental emergencies, and backcountry medicine. Hands-on simulations provide first-hand training in treating patients.

This is an excellent course taught by experienced Wilderness First Responders and Emergency Medical Tenchnicians and is highly recommended to anyone traveling in the outdoors. Successful completion of the WFA and CPR courses fulfills the First Aid requirements for OA Leader Training (other first aid courses do as well, contact the OA Office for more information.)

To see the dates/times/fees for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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HEART Epinephrine training session

The staff from McCosh Health Center will provide training to HEART Wilderness First Aid participants on how to use an Epineprine (Epi) pen. The training will take 30 minutes. Please be on time. No fee.To see the dates/times for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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Leader Training Course

Leading a group on a backcountry trip requires extensive training in wilderness camping skills. The Leader Training Course (LTC) is designed to teach wilderness skills necessary to lead multi-day backpacking trips. The course meets one evening a week and includes workshops on route planning, equipment preparation, wilderness travel techniques, map and compass, outdoor cooking, and Leave No Trace camping. Trip participants will learn how to run a wilderness trip by planning all aspects of the trip, including route, food, and equipment. Participants are required to attend all classes. The text for the course will be The Backpacker's Field Manual, written by Outdoor Action. 20-HOUR LTC! Get your LTC training completed in 20 hrs. and have a fun camping on campus! Or do the Once-A-Week option! To see the dates/times for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

Managing Safety in the Back Country (OA Leader Training Course session)

This Risk Managerment session is part of the Outdoor Action Leader Training Course. This 2-hour training will provide an understanding of how to evaluate and manage risk potential by identifying hazard factors and implementing safety factors that address increasing risk levels. The ability to assess and manage risk proactively is a critical skill for traveling to remote or international locations. Managing risk is a dynamic process of identifying and evaluating hazards (‘the bad stuff’) and implementing a series of positive factors like training, site management, policies and procedures, and traveler judgment (‘the good stuff’) to counterbalance both expected and unexpected risks. To see the dates/times for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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Facilitator’s Workshop

Facilitating positive group interaction and teamwork requires excellent listening and observation skills and a set of activities and techniques to guide people through personal growth and development. This workshop will train OA leaders and others who work with groups in specific techniques for effective team building and group facilitation through fun games and activities.This is a hands-on, experiential workshop. Be prepared to have fun! To see the dates/times for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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Leadership & Group Dynamics Workshop

One of the greatest challenges of being a group leader is learning how to lead and motivate a group, and how to use group experiences to promote self-exploration and learning. This workshop is designed to teach OA leaders and others how to effectively lead groups. This is a hands-on, experiential based workshop so be prepared to be active. To see the dates/times for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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Leader Training Trip

The final part of OA Leader Training is the Leader Training Trip, a 6-day backpacking trip which pulls together all of the skills you have been learning all semester. During the trip participants will be Leaders-of-the-day and in charge of the group practicing skills. Fee includes transportation, food and equipment.

To see the dates/times/fees for this training, visit the Leader Training Schedule page. Register at the OA TripStore.

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Mini-Van Driver Training

OA Leaders are strongly encouraged to become authorized van drivers. You must complete an online course and quiz on driving mini-vans. Drivers must also complete a 30-minute road test.

To gain access to the online course and schedule a road test see the Public Safety Web Site (web.princeton.edu/sites/publicsafety/FleetSafety.htm).

 

What if I can't make all of the Trainings? You are required to complete all of the OA Trainings to become an OA Leader. It is up to you to know what the requirements are and to make sure that you complete all of them. Here is the breakdown by specific training CPR Certification - CPR training is offered many times each semester. HEART Wilderness First Aid - You are required to attend all classes. In many cases there are two sections meeting at the same time but on different days (Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday) so if you have a conflict for a particular class you can go to the corresponding class in the other section that same week. Attendance is taken at all classes. Facilitator's Workshop and Leadership & Group Dynamics Workshop - These are offered several times a year. If you miss one of these in the fall, you will still be eligible to go on a Leader Training Trip over Intersession but you will have to make up the workshop in the spring. If you miss one of these in the spring you will still be eligible to go on a Leader Training Trip over Dead Week, however you will not be considered a full OA Leader until you have completed all of the requirements and would only be eligible to lead with two other OA Leaders. If you miss both workshops, you will not be eligible to go on the Leader Training Trip or lead a Frosh Trip. In the event that we have more leader applications than we have spaces for leaders, which frequently happens, students who have not completed all aspects of leader training would not be eligible. Attendance is taken at all classes. Leader Training Course - You are required to attend all classes.There are multiple sections meeting at the same time but on different days so if you have a conflict for a particular class you can go to the corresponding class in the other section that same week. Attendance is taken at all classes. Leader Training Trip - You must complete the Leader Training Trip.

 

Planning OA Leader Training into your Schedule OA offers two complete sets of leader training each year. There is a fall semester training with the Leader Training Trip over Intersession and a spring semester training with the Leader Training Trip taking place during "Dead Week" after exams. You can mix and match when you take the various courses and workshops as long as you have completed all of the other requirements before going on your Leader Training Trip.  We encourage all students to take part in the leader training program and have worked out a schedule which we feel is most flexible for a broad range of students. If you are an athlete or have other regular commitments, it is still possible to participate if you plan carefully. Religious & Observant Students Outdoor Action makes every effort to schedule Leader Training activities so that they do not interfere with religious holidays and observances. Whenever possible, workshops are scheduled on Sundays after church and not on the Sabbath for Jewish students. For observant Jewish students, the 6-day trip typically includes a Friday or Saturday. There is usually a trip in May that goes out Sunday and is back before sundown on Friday. Please need to contact the OA office ahead of time and let us know of your needs. Varsity & Club Sport Athletes Many athletes become OA Leaders either to lead Frosh Trips or other trips during the year. Depending on your sport(s) you may have to plan very carefully for when you can complete the various Leader Training Requirements.