ROPES COURSE AND CHALLENGE COURSE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION
In the end, a Ropes Challenge Course program will always be measured by the skill and effectiveness of its ropes challenge course ropes course facilitators. So much of the client's experience is in their hands. From course orientation and program framing to equipment fitting, safety instruction, and emergency management, ropes course facilitators must master a complex body of knowledge and perfect a variety of skills. The standards are demanding. For educational or developmental programming, facilitators must additionally master the elements of group facilitation and be able to draw upon a wealth of team and leadership development theory and models to guides groups to achieve their goals.
Good facilitators require proper training, continuing education, and expert supervision. We have developed and implemented ropes course staff training and development systems customized to the needs of each ropes challenge course we have built. Six levels of responsibility and competency, from trainee to course manager, are covered in our standard curriculum.
Why Schedule Your Ropes Challenge Course Ropes Course or Challenge Course Training with Us?
- In addition to helping others organizations develop adventure challenge programs, we continue to manage a number of ropes challenge course programs in Southeastern Michigan and Western New York. Since 1991, our facilitators have led educational challenge course programs for more than 200,000 participants.
- We have been very successful at creating adventure challenge programs that deliver highly educational and purely recreational programs to a variety of populations, ranging from therapeutic to corporate. We are prepared to work with a variety of programs to help them achieve their goals.
- Our training materials are some of the most comprehensive and professional in the industry. Our manuals are custom tailored to each individual challenge course program.
- We maintain a highly skilled staff of trainers, organizational development consultants, teachers, and outdoor educators, camping professionals, and wilderness guides. We believe that training is the most important part of an adventure-based program.
- Our training is in full alignment with the new Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) Training and Certification standards. Train with us and be ahead of the game.
- We offer more than training. We offer the ability to create a competency-based staff development programs to help incentivize, assess, and evaluate staff development.
- We also offer additional services including business consulting, marketing support and assistance, and for programs within easy reach of us, skilled facilitators to help run large or important programs.
Ropes Challenge Course Training and Certification Offerings
We offer a variety of options for training, including open enrollment ropes course training and certification courses throughout the year. Our most popular and recommended approach, however, is to lead ropes course training at your site that is customized to the needs of your challenge course program. This provides us the opportunity to truly understand your adventure challenge program and provide the training and guidance that will help to make your program successful.
We offer the following ropes challenge course training workshops:
Challenge Course Facilitators Skill Development: A series of workshops and training designed to prepare facilitators at every level of your program, from entry level to challenge course management. Workshops balance the development of personal, educational, and technical skills needs to effectively lead challenge course programs.
Adventure Challenge in the Schools: A variety of one to five day programs are available to educators and counselors working in the schools, ranging from awareness sessions designed to help students make the best use of outside adventuer challenge programming to in depth skill development for organizations who operate their own challenge course programs.
Ropes Course Site Specific Training: Training designed to meet the unique programming demands of your organization and your course. Our trainers will work with your staff to master the competencies required to effectively manage your program. Programs can be arranged to achieve a ropes challenge course certification, Level 1 through Trainer
Custom Ropes Course, Aerial Trekking, and Adventure Program Training Opportunities: Training and workshop programs can be developed and tailored to meet the specific needs of your group.
- Canopy Tour and Zip Line Tour Guide Training
- Top Rope Site Management
- Technical Skills for Adventure Racers
- Backpacking, Canoeing, and Wilderness Camping
- Leadership Training
- Winter Camping Skill Development
- Challenge Course Construction and Design
- and more...
Challenge Course Facilitator Skill Assessments and Certification: For facilitators who are seeking certification papers for employment or accreditation. Skill assessment programs rate facilitators on their personal, educational, and technical skills. Assessment can be completed based industry-wide skill sets or for a specific site. Prior to arranging for an assessment, facilitators should complete their challenge course portfolio. A Challenge Course Experience Portfolio template is available from the ACCT.
Group Discounts. Discounts are available for groups of 6 or more.
2008 ROPES COURSE FACILITATOR TRAINING CALENDAR
The following open-enrollment training workshops are currently being offered. In addition to training, courses include time for assessment. To achieve certification, attendees must demonstrate mastery of technical, operational, and facilitation skills through a practical and written exam administered at the end of the training While we are happy to include participants under the age of 18, certification is available to faclitators 18 years and older who pass their exams.
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Introduction to Adventure Education |
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|---|---|
| Description: | Low prop and no prop initiatives and adventure games |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Length: | 1 day (8 hours) |
| Dates: | Call (734) 416-1565 for Details |
| Location: | TBD |
| Cost: | $140.00/person (includes lunch and training materials) |
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Level 1 - Introduction to Group Initiatives and Low Ropes |
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|---|---|
| Description: | Facilitator Technique, Risk Management, and Conducting Adventure Activities |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Length: | 3 days (20 hours of training and 4 hours of assessment) |
| Dates: | March 1-3, 2008 |
| Location: | Oxford and Plymouth, MI |
| Cost: | $350.00/person (includes lunch, coffee/drinks, and training materials) |
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Level 1 – Introduction to High Ropes (static & dynamic), Zip Line and Climbing Tower |
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|---|---|
| Description: | Facilitation Technical Skills, Risk Management and Screening, Rescue Prevention and Procedures |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Length: | Length: 3 day (20 hours of training and 4 hours of assessment) |
| Dates: | April 4 – 6, 2008 |
| Location: | Commerce Township, MI |
| Cost: | $380.00/person (includes lunch, coffee/drinks, and training materials) |
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Level 2 – High Ropes (static & dynamic), Zip Line and Climbing Tower |
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|---|---|
| Description: | Technical Skills, Risk Management and Screening, Rescue Prevention and Procedures |
| Prerequisites: | This course is designed for facilitators with a minimum of 200 hours working with groups on challenge courses. Facilitators must show proof of previous training and work experience to attend. |
| Length: | 3 days (24 hours of training and 6 hours of assessment) |
| Dates: | April 4 – 6, 2008 |
| Location: | Commerce Township, MI |
| Cost: | $380.00/person (includes lunch, coffee/drinks, and training materials) |
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Level 1 – Introduction to High Ropes (static), Zip Line and Climbing Tower |
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|---|---|
| Description: | Technical Skills, Risk Management and Screening, Rescue Prevention and Procedures |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Length: | 3 days (20 hours of training and 4 hours of assessment) |
| Dates: | June 10 – 12, 2008, |
| Location: | Oxford, MI |
| Cost: | $350.00/person (includes lunch, coffee/drinks, and training materials) |
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Level 1 – Introduction to Group Initiatives, High Ropes (static & dynamic), and Climbing Wall |
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|---|---|
| Description: | Technical Skills, Risk Management and Screening, Rescue Prevention and Procedures, Facilitator Technique and Conducting Adventure Activities |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Length: | 5 day (40 hours of training and 5 hours of assessment) |
| Dates: | June 16 – 20, 2008 |
| Location: | Carsonville, MI |
| Cost: | $550.00/person (includes lunch, coffee/drinks, and training materials) |
For more information on ropes course training or to schedule, please contact our Director of Training, Rhonda Sandweiss, at (734) 416-1565 or e-mail info@stepscorp.com.
