Walking Group Leader Award
This award is for leaders of walking groups in summer conditions in non-mountainous hilly terrain, known variously as upland, moor, bog, hill, fell or down. Such areas are often subject to harsh weather conditions, requiring an element of self-sufficiency and this scheme will help you develop the necessary skills and experience.
Download the scheme registration form hereProspectus
Introduction
Scope of the Scheme
Stages in the Scheme
Registration
Training
Consolidation Period
First Aid Requirements
Assessment and Validation
Further Experience
Exemption from Training
Appeals Procedure
Suitable Terrain for the WGL
Definition of a Hill Walking Day as applied to the Walking Group Leader Award
Syllabus
Technical Competence
Walking and Route Finding
Navigation
Hazards and Emergency Procedures
Equipment
Responsibilities of the Leader
Group Management
The Overnight Experience
Access
Conservation
Environmental Knowledge
Weather
Structure of the Activity
Prospectus
1 INTRODUCTION
The Walking Group Leader Award (WGL) is a nationally accredited award developed by the United Kingdom Mountain Training Board (MLTUK). The Mountain Leader Training Board (MLTB), Northern Ireland Mountain Training Board (NIMTB), Scottish Mountain Leader Training Board (SMLTB) and Wales Mountain Leader Training Board (WMLTB) operate this scheme as part of a National Framework of awards for those leading and instructing in hill walking, climbing and mountaineering.
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.
The WGL is also aimed at those who have already achieved training or accreditation through the wide range of local or organisational schemes available. All MLTUK awards are designed for those with a personal commitment to the activity and are centred on the belief that personal experience and understanding of the inherent risks of hill walking and climbing are the best ways to maximise safety and good judgement.
2 SCOPE OF THE SCHEME
2.1 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 (see also Appendix I).
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)
2.2 Where leaders or their employers have doubts about the scope of an award and its margins they should consult the Secretary of their home nation Mountain Training Board. A technical adviser (in the case of the WGL scheme this is a Mountain Instructor or Mountain Guide) may also assist leaders with specific issues such as seasonal conditions, group ratios etc.
2.3 Completion of a training course is not a qualification in itself.
2.4 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.
2.5 Access to the upland environment can mean freedom, adventure, beauty and solitude but these benefits need to be considered in a wider context. Leaders working with groups should strive to inform them about access and conservation issues. They should demonstrate due regard for other walkers, landowners, users and rural communities.
2.6 This scheme does not provide training and assessment in the skills required to cope with the special hazards of winter conditions, particularly snow and ice, which in some areas can be encountered at any time of the year.
2.7 Remote camping, in inaccessible areas, is beyond the scope of the scheme.
3 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
4 REGISTRATION
To register candidates should have at least one year. s 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.
5 TRAINING
5.1 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.
5.2 Candidates must attend a training course with a Provider approved by a home nation Training Board. Courses are delivered in a variety of formats, often residential and have a minimum thirty hours of contact time with the trainers. Courses are delivered by a Mountain Instructor award holder (minimum requirement), with supporting staff holding at least the ML award. They work at a maximum ratio of 1:6 with the course Director having a practical involvement in each course. A directory of course providers and course dates is available from each of the Mountain Training Boards.
5.3 The training course is for potential leaders and assumes a basic competence as a hill walker. It emphasises those skills that a candidate might have difficulty learning without expert guidance.
5.4 At the end of the course the Course Director will complete the Training Course Report page in the logbook and will attach a numbered sticker to the Endorsement Page. Candidates will be given advice on the additional skills and experience that they need to gain before attending an assessment. Attendance will be reported by the Course Director and added to the National Mountain Training Database.
5.5 Candidates registering on the WGL scheme who have already registered for ML and attended a ML training course are deemed to have received equivalent training. Such candidates do not need to apply for exemption from WGL training but will need to show that their walking experience encompasses terrain as defined in the scope of the scheme.
6 CONSOLIDATION PERIOD
6.1 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.
6.2 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.
6.3 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.
7 FIRST AID REQUIREMENTS
For any leader, First Aid is an essential skill and the WGL assessment requires a current first aid qualification. The minimum requirement is that such a course must involve at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and include an element of assessment. Candidates are further expected to undertake such additional elements of first aid training as are consistent with their work in wild and remote country, including emergency assistance and evacuation techniques. It is the responsibility of award holders and/or their employers to evaluate their likely work and the type of situations that they can reasonably expect to encounter and to maintain current appropriate first aid training and qualifications.
8 ASSESSMENT AND VALIDATION
8.1 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. A home nation Mountain Training Board approves assessment providers. A Mountain Instructor award holder (minimum requirement) directs courses with supporting staff holding at least the ML award. They will work at a maximum ratio of 1:4 with the course Director having a practical involvement in each course. A directory of course providers and course dates is available from each of the Mountain Training Boards.
8.2 The course Director endorses the logbook with an assessment report page and makes appropriate recommendations. The assessment course report form is sent to the relevant Mountain Training Board office, where the result is verified and added to the National Mountain Training Database.
There are three possible results:
Pass: awarded where the candidate has demonstrated a proper knowledge and application of the syllabus and has shown the necessary experience and attributes for hill walking leadership.
Defer: awarded when the candidate does not satisfy all the requirements of the syllabus. The assessor will complete the recommendations on the Assessment Course Report page (and on additional pages if necessary), explaining what extra training or experience may be required and the recommended format of the re-assessment.
Fail: awarded where the candidate' s performance has not been at the appropriate standard, or the necessary experience or attributes have not been shown. The assessor will complete the recommendations on the Assessment Course Report page (and on additional pages if necessary), explaining what extra training or experience is recommended before a further assessment.
8.3 In the case of a deferral, re-assessment candidates are encouraged to return to the original assessment provider. However they have the option of being assessed by any approved assessment provider. Practical re-assessments cannot take place within three months of the initial assessment and candidates may only take two re-assessments before having to take a further complete assessment. All re-assessments must be completed within five years.
9 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
10.1 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.
10.2 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
Candidates should allow at least fifteen working days for this process to be completed.
11 APPEALS PROCEDURE
If a candidate feels that they have not been fairly dealt with on a course:
they should make contact with the course Provider, explaining any concerns and seeking clarification
if this does not resolve matters the next step is to contact the Secretary of the relevant Training Board for advice
Details of the complete Appeals Procedure may be obtained from the Secretary of the relevant Training Board.
APPENDIX I
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. Note on terminology: there is no one single term that adequately defines the ground covered by the WGL award. The Oxford English Dictionary definition of hill as "natural elevation of the earth's surface, a small mountain" does not itself preclude a hill from being steep and rocky in character. Indeed it is important to appreciate that these terms can be applied differently in different parts of the British Isles or in different contexts. Thus in Scotland "the hill" usually refers to more mountainous country while in Ireland there are many lower lying, rounded hills that are named "mountain". A walker may use "uplands" to refer to rolling, as opposed to mountainous country, while the botanist or ecologist may use it to include such country. Leaders should be aware of these variations in meaning and not allow names to prevent a more objective assessment of whether a particular piece of terrain falls within the remit of the award.
- 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)
- Some boundaries such as walls, fences, forest plantations and water features may change over the years. Walking group leaders must be certain that any feature that bounds their area in which they are walking is reliable.
- Areas of remoteness that are exited by the group in a few hours, returning to a refuge or an accessible road
- Walking group leaders and the group in their charge would normally be able to exit from their chosen route within three hours. An accessible road could be considered as one that can be used by a standard ambulance and a refuge is a place which can provide shelter and from where help can be summoned, such as a building with a telephone.
- Areas where movement on steep or rocky terrain is not required (in either a planned or unplanned situation)
- Walking group leaders are trained and assessed by specialised trainers approved by the Mountain Training Boards of the UK. The training and assessment is carried out in terrain that provides suitable examples of such terrain. Anyone who is uncertain about the suitability of a chosen venue should contact their Training Board.
APPENDIX II
DEFINITION OF A HILL WALKING DAY AS APPLIED TO THE WALKING GROUP LEADER AWARD
The quality of a hill walking day is the cornerstone of a prospective leader. s experience. Many factors such as the weather, the nature of the ground, the terrain and the physical and mental challenges will affect such days. However, it is the combination of these factors which make a positive contribution towards a person. s development and maturity as an all round leader of walking groups.
For a walk to make a positive contribution to the experience of the prospective walking group leader usually some or all of the following criteria would be fulfilled:
- the individual takes part in the planning and leadership
- navigation skills are required
- experience must be in terrain appropriate to the scheme
- knowledge is increased and skills practised
- attention is paid to safety
- four hours or more journey time
- adverse weather conditions may be encountered
Known walks in similar conditions are unlikely to make the same contribution to a person. s hill walking experience as those involving an element of exploration as defined above. Likewise, walks as a group member being led are unlikely to fulfil the above criteria. Wide experience as a hill walker in several different regions, in varying weather conditions, is a key element to becoming an effective walking group leader.
Camping within the scope of the WGL scheme takes place in terrain that is sheltered and within easy walking distance of roads and habitation. Camping has the potential to adversely affect the locality by vegetation trampling and pollution through food and human waste. It therefore needs to be undertaken with sensitivity combining care for the environment with personal enjoyment.
Syllabus
There is a wide range of skills and knowledge that a walking group leader needs in order to operate effectively. Not only is it necessary to perform each element in isolation, it is also vital that leaders are able to combine several skills at any one time. For example they need to be able to look after their group and navigate simultaneously.
A TECHNICAL COMPETENCE
Candidates must be technically competent before they can effectively lead others in the hills. They also require the ability to introduce others to simple skills such as hill walking techniques.
A.1 WALKING AND ROUTE FINDING
It is essential that group leaders are competent walkers who possess the skills to do the following:
- demonstrate good practice with regard to individual skills: pace, conservation of energy, balance and co-ordination
- identify hazards and manage risk
- make good route choices with alterations appropriate to conditions
- interpret maps and evaluate terrain
A.2 NAVIGATION
Competence as a navigator is a basic requirement for any walking group leader. They will have the ability to choose from a wide range of techniques and select those that are appropriate to the conditions. These techniques include:
- use of relevant maps; their scales, conventional signs, grid references, contours and other methods of showing relief
- identification of topographical features, relating the map to the ground and vice versa
- measurement of distance on the map and the ground
- identification of position by various methods of relocation
- navigation across country by various methods in poor visibility and/or in darkness. This will include the use of a compass, the use of a map alone and an awareness of other navigational aids
- route planning, including methods of recording routes
A.3 HAZARDS AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
The ability to make sound judgements and to deal with a wide range of hazards when leading groups is an essential skill. This includes:
- recognition and avoidance of steep and broken ground
- recognition of water hazards (including marshes and streams) and the skills and safety procedures for dealing with them
- procedures in the event of an accident and how to bivouac in an emergency
- understanding the causes, signs, symptoms, prevention and treatment in the field of hypothermia exposure, cold injuries and heat disorders, in addition to the general first aid requirements of the scheme
A.4 EQUIPMENT
The equipment used by a group can have a critical impact on the success of any journey. Group leaders should have knowledge of the following:
- personal walking equipment
- additional equipment required by a leader
- packing and carrying personal and communal equipment
B GROUP MANAGEMENT AND THE RESPONSIBILITES OF THE GROUP LEADER
B.1 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LEADER
Candidates must be conversant with the main areas of responsibility of the group leader, particularly for the care and safety of the group, as follows:
- general responsibilities to the group and where appropriate, to parents/guardians, the organising authority, committee or manager of the activity, the outdoor user and general public.
- specific responsibilities to choose appropriate objectives, to complete detailed preparations and ensure that the group is adequately equipped and briefed for the activity.
- current legislation and the legal responsibilities that relate to the leading of walking groups, (including child protection).
B.2 GROUP MANAGEMENT
Candidates must be familiar with:
- operational responsibilities in the outdoors required to manage the group effectively and to meet the changing needs of the group and its individual members. Leaders should provide a safe and rewarding experience for each group member and be able to evaluate the experience and motivate towards further participation where appropriate.
- use and limitations of the techniques of indirect supervision of others undertaking an expedition in appropriate terrain.
B.3 THE OVERNIGHT EXPERIENCE
Camping in remote locations is beyond the scope of this award, but candidates need to be familiar with:
- selection and booking of hostels, huts, lowland and easily accessible campsites
- the siting and pitching of tents and the safety procedures required when using various stoves
- selection, preparation and cooking of suitable foods
- group and personal hygiene
- suitable methods of supervision
C THE UPLAND ENVIRONMENT
C.1 ACCESS
Walking group leaders should understand and be familiar with the following:
- the Country Code, associated codes and the responsibility to minimise impact on the environment
- current legislation concerning access to the countryside in upland areas, the nature of specially designated areas and limitations on their use
- how and where to get information about access to upland areas e.g. from appropriate guidebooks and maps, Mountaineering Council sources, local and National Access Forums and from the various countryside agencies
C.2 CONSERVATION
Walking group leaders should understand and be familiar with the following:
- the multiple uses of upland areas e.g. hill farming, forestry, water collection, grouse shooting, stalking and outdoor recreation
- issues relating to upland conservation and the long-term effects of human pressures on this environment
- the importance of human sanitation issues in the outdoors
C.3 ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE
Walking group leaders should extend their knowledge about all aspects of the hill and moorland environment e.g. geology, geography, flora, fauna, local history and photography. They should have a basic knowledge of:
- the general impact of humans on upland environments
- the potential impact of outdoor recreation with particular reference to groups
C.4 WEATHER
Candidates must have basic knowledge of weather. They must gain practical experience in relating regional weather forecasts to hill and moorland areas and develop their ability to make short term forecasts from observed weather conditions. Candidates should also have an understanding of:
- sources of information on weather
- effects of weather on route selection and level of activity
- simple interpretation of weather maps
D STRUCTURE OF THE ACTIVITY
Candidates should have a basic understanding of
- the development of hill walking in the UK and Ireland
- the role of the Mountaineering Councils, Mountain Training Boards and associated bodies
- the diversity of mountaineering and hill walking literature including books, guidebooks, web sites and magazines and how to access relevant information from them.