The Trainee Leader Programme is a selective course for the next generation of

expedition leaders looking to level up their experience and lead in a challenging

environment.

If you have an interest in expeditions and taking on professional outdoor

leadership roles in the future then this is the course for you. You will gain both
specialist and transferable leaderships skills as well as gain relevant industry
qualifications, develop practical expedition leadership skills and invaluable in-
field experience. Candidates will complete a series of modules in the UK and
overseas including participation in a challenging 6-week overseas expedition to
destinations including the Peruvian Amazon, Canadian Yukon or Indian
Himalayas.

During the expedition you will be part of an ‘Fire’ (expedition group) and
working alongside experienced expeditions leaders to deliver a successful
expedition.
Programme Breakdown

• Guidance and advice from experienced expedition leaders.

• Insight into the logistics surrounding planning and delivering an expedition.
• In-field expedition leadership experience.
• Mountain Leader (Summer) Training Course delivered by the National
Mountain Centre at Plas Y Brenin
• RGS (IBG) Off Site Safety Management
• Expedition First Aid (16 hour)
• Level 1 NWSMP - Water Safety Management (accredited through the Royal
Lifesaving Society)

Key Details

Cost: £4,950
Duration: 9 months including 6-week expedition (departing as part of the advance
party)
Locations: Amazon, Yukon or Himalayas
Includes: A series of UK training residentials in the Spring followed by 6 weeks on
expedition Certification post expedition worth over £1000 (Excludes international
flights, transport for residential weekends & personal kit)

How much does this Programme Cost?

The Trainee Leader Programme costs £4950 and includes certification post
expedition worth over £1000. The cost excludes international flights, transport for
residential weekends & personal kit.
We have links to many grant giving organisations and bursaries to help support
you the fund the cost of the course.
Who is the Programme for?

The Programme is designed for those looking to take the opportunity to use their
passion for the outdoors and develop their natural leadership capability. You will
gain relevant skills, mentorship and experience. It is our hope that you will become
the next generation of expedition leaders.

Is there an age requirement?

The course is open for 18 – 35 year olds.
What will you learn?
The course will give you specialist and transferrable leadership skills for those wishing
to take their previous experience to the next level. You will receive guidance and
advice from experienced expedition leaders. You will learn about expedition planning
and logistics and gain invaluable first-hand experience during your 5 to 6 week
expedition.
In addition to this you will gain industry qualifications:

The Mountain Leader Training (Summer)

The Mountain Leader scheme is designed for people who want to lead groups in the
mountains, hills and moorlands of the UK and Ireland and offers valuable transferrable
skills for those wishing to lead further afield. For many organisations and providers of
overseas expeditions it is viewed as a highly desirable and in some cases essential pre-
requisite for professional expedition leadership. The course covers everything from
equipment to navigation and weather systems to emergency use of a rope in steep
terrain. For further details relating to the Mountain Leader course see the Mountain
Leader Training Board (MLTB) website. Please note that this does not include the
Mountain Leader Assessment.

The Expedition First Aid Course

Delivered through leading industry providers this 16hr nationally recognised first aid
course specifically designed for expedition leaders. Content includes the standard
protocols for emergency first aid, CPR, dealing with wounds and fractures, incident
management, as well as specific procedures and theory around expedition related
injuries and illnesses, prevention, treatment, and management.

Off Site Safety Management Course

This is a course recognised by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) as the
standard for teachers, youth leaders and expedition leaders planning safe educational
Off-Site trips. It includes planning, risk assessment, safety systems, legal considerations,
incident management, reviewing and learning lessons.
Experience Requirements

The Programme is designed for those looking to take the opportunity to use their
passion for the outdoors and develop their natural leadership capability. You will gain
relevant skills, mentorship and experience. It is our hope that you will become the next
generation of expedition leaders.

To be ready to make the most out of the Trainee Leader course, applicants should already
have had the following experiences:

Active Leadership
Candidates should be able to demonstrate prior experience of active leadership.
Previous trainee leaders have held positions of leadership at youth organisations
including the Scouts, the Guides or the Combined Cadet Force, leadership positions at
their school, or captained or coached a sport including outdoor and water sports.

Overseas Experience
To have the confidence and skills to lead we do require previous overseas experience.
Candidates must have experience of at least one of the following:

a. Overseas expedition (minimum duration - 3 weeks)

b. Independent travel (minimum single trip duration - 4 weeks)
c. Overseas fieldwork or equivalent (minimum duration 2-3 weeks)

Outdoor Experience
Our Trainee Leaders, in addition to our leaders, must have a passion for the outdoors
and we would expect them to be active in the UK (e.g. hill-walking, camping, climbing,
kayaking). Candidates will normally be expected to have been mountain walking in the
UK for at least 1 year prior to signing up to the course.

Mountain Leader Pre-requisites

Before embarking on the Mountain Leader Training course, all Trainee Leaders must
have;
- Registered with the Mountain Leader Training Board and set up your Digital Logbook
(Dlog)
- A member of a mountaineering council (eg. The BMC, Mountaineering Scotland or
Mountaineering Ireland) Recorded 20 Quality Mountain Days in your log book

It is recognised that candidates may wish to apply for the Trainee Leader course before
the above requirements have been completed. In such cases, you will need to ensure the
above have been done before commencing Module 2.
Course Dates

Module 1: Introduction

Date: 23rd-25th March 2018

Location: Lake District TBC
An intense two-day training in leadership and practical expedition skills. You will learn
expedition planning, camp craft, navigation skills and safety, and risk assessments.

Module 2: Briefing Weekend

Date: 13-15th April 2018

Location: Oxfordshire
Explorer Briefing Weekend: This weekend is designed to brief the Explorers with the
knowledge they need before embarking on expedition. You will be an integral part of
the weekend and will put your new knowledge into practice, helping to design and
deliver sessions and ice-breakers.

Module 3: Expedition First Aid

Date: 12th-13th May 2018

Location: TBC
First Aid Course: A highly comprehensive 16hr nationally recognised first aid course
specifically designed for expedition leaders and delivered by industry specialists.

Module 4: Mountain Leader Training Course

Date: 26th May – 1st June 2018

Location: National Mountain Centre at Plas Y Brenin
Accompanied by instructors from the National Mountain Centre at Plas Y Brenin, the
team will complete the Mountain Leader training course; the first step in becoming a
fully qualified Mountain Leader.
Module 5: Six-week expedition

Date: +/- 20th July – 29th August

Location: Peru, India or Canada
Going out as part of the advance party you will help finalise logistics in-country before
embarking into the field to help construct Base Camp. During this time you could be
leading and running training sessions, helping with logistics in Base Camp, developing
science projects, debriefing and reviewing with young people or assisting in leading
groups through the expedition. You will continue your own leadership development
journey with frequent mentoring and coaching with your Trainee Leader Mentor.

Module 6: Debrief, Off Site Safety Management and Water Safety

Date: 5th- 7th October 2018 (TBC)

Location: TBC
The final part of your incredible nine-month journey. On this weekend, you will
complete your Off-Site Safety Management course and get the opportunity to add an
additional couple of days to your ML log book.

Course Leaders

The Course Director is James Dyer, Operations Manager at British Exploring. James is an
experienced and professional expedition leader. He has set up and led expeditions and
adventurous projects across the world for a wide range of client groups from young
people, adults, scientists and TV production companies. His background is in outdoor
and adventurous sports coaching and instructing, and he has been involved in
developing young people and expedition leaders for nearly 20 years
In addition to James, the course is delivered by a range of expedition professionals
and subject specialists. Whilst on expedition you will have a dedicated Trainee
Leader Mentor who will coach you throughout your time on expedition.

Applications are currently open for 2018. There are twenty available spaces for the
Programme across the three expeditions – Peruvian Amazon, Indian Himalayas and the
Canadian Yukon.

For those looking to gain initial expedition experience or who cannot commit to the full
duration of the Programme have the opportunity to join as an Explorer.
Course Graduates

Matt Burke - Explorer Svalbard 2011, Trainee Leader Namibia 2012, Science
Leader Oman 2014, Indian Himalayas Science Leader 2015

“I first heard of British Exploring at passing conversation at university. That summer I

joined an expedition to Svalbard in the High Arctic. It was challenging at time living
and working in small team but both pushing yourself physically and mental. The
leaders on that trip and other since gave me the confidence for opportunities I hadn’t
thought of before. I have since started to lead on expeditions. Something I never
would have considered, I seen in myself better communication skills, emotional
intelligence and leadership. I am glad to start seeing these same qualities instilled
onto others and watch their confidence grow on the course of their expeditions. I am
now working as science communicator and on the look out for new adventures. “
Georgie Sweet - Trainee Leader Peruvian Amazon 2015, Assistant Leader
Peruvian Amazon 2016, Peruvian Amazon Science Leader 2017

“When I read about the Trainee Leader course it caught my eye because you gain
leadership experience and qualifications whilst on an expedition of a lifetime. It didn't
disappoint.

The whole process was 9 months and included 3 very useful qualifications: Off Site
Safety Management, Level 3 in Basic Expedition Leadership (now replaced by the
Mountain Leader Training course) and a basic expedition first aid course. As well as a
6-week expedition, which for me lead me to the Amazon Rainforest.

Since then I have been back to the Amazon twice with British Exploring, in 2016 as an
Assistant Leader and this year (2017) as a Science Leader. The leadership experience I
gained during my Trainee Leader course has enabled me to lead all 3 levels of the
Duke of Edinburgh Award as well as lead school trips and residentials. It has proved a
fantastic foundation to build my leadership experience and broaden my theoretical
knowledge of leading groups.”
Callum Johnstone - Trainee Leader Arctic Finnmark 2014

“Since I finished the Trainee Leader course in 2014 my life has become far more urban
having started a medicine degree in King's College London. However, my love of the
outdoors hasn't stopped; in University I joined the KCL Wilderness Medicine Society
and am a committee member, this year I organised their highly successful 10 days
expedition for 21 people on the Tour du Mont Blanc. This was my first solely organised
expedition and whilst daunting the navigation and route planning skills I learnt on the
TL course proved vital in the expeditions success.

I also am continuing the hill and mountain walking as well as skiing and climbing in the
winter with the intention of starting my Mountain Leader training when my course
gives me time. All these I hope will open the door for a career in Expedition and
Wilderness Medicine.”
Isobel Barrow, Namibia 2012

“To this day I believe it was one of the most important experiences in my life and has
influenced my career choices and decisions in my personal life. After completing the
Trainee Leader course I went on to finish my degree…The skills I learnt and experiences
I had during my time in the Himalayas led me to sign up for the TeachFirst leadership
development programme.

I have no doubt that the Trainee Leader course helped prepare me for the interview
questions and I was successful. The leadership skills I gained from the Trainee Leader
programme have helped me enormously in the classroom as a new teacher this year.
After helping lead a group of 10 Young Explorers up a mountain even when I felt really
sick, taking bottom set year 9 on a Friday afternoon is really not that scary.”
James Borrell, Norway 2008

James started his journey with British Exploring as an Explorer on our Madagascar
expedition in 2007. Returning home to the comforts of the UK with a new-found sense
of perspective he set himself the aspiration to return one day to Madagascar with the
necessary skills to in some way help. Following this he joined the Trainee Leader course
and our Norway 2008 expedition before studying Biology at the University of Exeter.
Since then he has gone to be a Science Coordinator on our 2011 Peruvian Amazon
Expedition and Chief Scientist on our Oman 2012 expedition. In November 2015 he
returned back to Madagascar leading Expedition Angano, a conservation expedition.

"British Exploring gave me my first taste of adventure with purpose, totally changing
what I wanted to do with my life. If it wasn't for the training and experience I gained
with British Exploring, I'm certain I wouldn't have had the skills or confidence to
eventually lead my own expedition. It also gave me the opportunity to help give that
life changing experience to the next group of young people"

James recently graduated from Queens Mary, University of London with a PhD in
conservation genetics and continues to take part and write extensively about
exploration and conservation on www.jamesborrell.com.
Cameron Mackay, Himalayas 2013 Explorer, Himalayas 2015 Trainee Leader

“I really like the British Exploring style of expedition because they really do build a
strong purpose into every element. While some travel may be focused on having a
pleasant break from daily life, British Exploring builds scientific research and
communication into their expeditions as well as serious trekking and mountaineering
objectives.

You really go on two ‘expeditions’, the first you go on the journey of fundraising which
is as rewarding and beneficial as the trip itself. It isn’t easy but if you put the work, you
won’t just get a nice sum of around £5000 for the trip, you’ll also get the skills of
organisation, communication, planning, public speaking etc. that will really help you
out later on.”