Walking Group Leader

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.

1 INTRODUCTION
The Walking Group Leader Award (WGL) is a nationally accredited award developed by Mountain Leader Training UK (MLTUK). The scheme is operated by Mountain Leader Training England (MLTE), Mountain Leader Training NI (MLTNI), Mountain Leader Training Scotland (MLTS) and Mountain Leader Training Wales (MLTW) as part of a National Framework of awards for those leading and instructing in hill walking, climbing and mountaineering (see Appendix 3).

The WGL is the 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 in summer conditions.

The WGL is also aimed at those who have already achieved training or accreditation through the wide range of local or organisational schemes which are available. All Mountain Leader Training 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 1).

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 Training Board. A technical adviser may also assist leaders with specific issues such as seasonal conditions and group ratios. In the case of the WGL scheme this may be a Mountaineering Instructor (MIA or MIC) or British Mountain Guide (BMG).

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 almost any time of the year.

2.7 The supervision of groups in easily-accessed camping sites is covered within the scope of the scheme, whereas remote camping in inaccessible areas is not.

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 Before attending a training course, candidates must be registered on the Walking Group Leader Award scheme and have completed at least twenty hill-walking days (see Appendix 2)..

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 British Mountain Guide (BMG), Mountaineering Instructor (MIA/MIC) or International Mountain Leader (IML) with supporting staff holding at least the ML award. They work at a maximum ratio of six candidates : one trainer with the Course Director having a practical involvement in each course. Lists of approved Providers and course dates are available from each of the home nation 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 under normal circumstances there will 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 training 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 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. Home Nation Training Boards approve assessment Providers. A Mountaineering Instructor Award holder (minimum requirement) directs courses with supporting staff holding at least the ML award. They will work at a maximum ratio of four candidates: one assessor with the Course Director having a practical involvement in each course. Lists of approved Providers and course dates are available from each of the home nation 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.

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 EXEMPTION FROM TRAINING
9.1 After registration for the WGL Award 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.

be registered for the WGL Award scheme
obtain and complete an exemption application form
send the appropriate fee and a copy of their logbook experience pages to their home nation Training Board

Candidates should allow at least fifteen working days for this process to be completed.

10 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Training Boards are committed to promoting equal opportunities for all participants in hill walking, climbing and mountaineering. Candidates, trainers and assessors should express a positive attitude towards equal opportunities and act as positive role models.

11.1 The WGL scheme is subject to continuous monitoring, culminating in a formal review once every four years. Candidates with feedback on their courses are encouraged to submit written comments to the Provider or to their Board.

11.2 If for any reason candidates find it necessary to complain about an aspect of their training or assessment then they should contact the Course Director or the relevant officer within Mountain Leader Training.

11.3 If candidates feel that aspects of their assessment were unfair they should:

make contact with the course Provider, explain their concerns and seek clarification.
contact the Secretary of the Provider's Board for advice if this does not resolve their concerns.

Appeals must be lodged in writing within 60 days from the end of the assessment. The decision of the Board will be final.

12.1 Award holders should follow the National Guidelines issued by MLTUK (see www.mltuk.org). In particular they should note that the award remains valid only where the holder is deployed within the remit of the award and the holder has recent logged experience appropriate to that award. The responsibility for ensuring that leaders receive refresher training must lie with the provider of the service, or the individual in the case of self-employed leaders

12.2 A recommended way of obtaining relevant further training and keeping up to date with developments within the WGL and other awards is to become a member of MLTA, the Mountain Leader Training Association.

12.3 MLTA aims to provide good communication between leaders and the Mountain Leader Training Boards allowing members to keep up to date with current developments in mountain training. These are achieved by providing web-based communication and practical training events at venues around the UK and Ireland.

12.4 MLTA membership is available to anyone who is registered for any of the awards administered by Mountain Leader Training, i.e. WGL, ML(S), ML(W) and SPA, and who is also a member of one of the Mountaineering Councils.

12.5 MLTA membership can be obtained at the same time as joining any of the Mountaineering Councils of the UK and Ireland, when registering for any of the awards or online at www.mlta.co.uk.

12.6 In order to ensure the validity of the award, WGL holders must keep their first aid qualification up to date.

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.

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 home nation Training Boards. 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 the appropriate 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 manage the 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:

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).

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:

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:

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.