Essence of outdoor experiential education - TOT

The training program spans over ten days, focusing on the in-depth understanding of outdoor experiential education, including group-building activities, outdoor expeditions, and high and low-rope elements.

The program was designed to achieve the following:

• Provide Strong Self-Experience: Engage participants in outdoor experiential activities to strengthen their understanding of the methods and self-awareness.
• Introduce Experiential Education Concepts: Reflect on experiences and discuss the basic concepts and models of experiential education.
• Introduce the framework of the European Training Strategy (ETS): Share insights about the ETS, supporting the self-reflection and assessment of participants.
• Nature as a Tool: Inspire participants to use nature as a tool while working with groups, fostering a connection between nature and learning.
• Develop Facilitation Skills: Enhance the skills required for the efficient facilitation of educational programs.
• Increase awareness and share the basics of wilderness first aid and outdoor risk management, 
• Create an environment to share good practices among participants.

Methods:

The program employs various methods to ensure a practical and engaging experience:

• Experiential Learning: Learning by doing.
• Reflective Sessions: Individual, small, and big group reflections.
• Rope Elements: High and low rope activities.
• Outdoor Expedition: A two-night expedition in the forest.
• Meta Reflection: Analysis of the overall learning process.

Learning Outcomes:

• Improved competencies in facilitating groups' and individuals' learning processes.
• Ability to apply experiential educational approaches to program designs.
• Understanding ETS: A basic comprehension of the European Training Strategy framework.
• Enhanced self-reflection based on the ETS competence areas and understanding of how to facilitate group reflection processes.
• A more profound insight into the roles and responsibilities of a facilitator.
• Development of skills and capabilities specifically for working with young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Experience in designing experiential learning programs

Participants profile:

• Trainers, educators, instructors, facilitators, youth workers, or volunteers working with youth, teachers, coaches, psychologists, and youth from disadvantaged background.
• Motivated to learn new methods of experiential education.
• Interested and experienced in outdoor activities.
• Your physical condition allows you to hike longer distances, spending nights under the sky, carrying 50l of backpacks.
• Have experience with facilitating groups.
• Experienced with creating educational programme designs.
• Motivated to learn hard and soft skills of outdoor education.
• Motivated to gain new competencies through group or individual challenges.
• Being able to communicate and express thoughts and feelings in English.
• Above 21 years old.