Activity Instructor Training and Development

Robinwood Activity Centre have held the ‘Investor in People Award’ since Autumn 2000. This is a nationally recognised indicator of good practice in staff training and development.

Robinwood won a National Training Award for the quality and effectiveness of our group leader training programme. We then went on to become overall winners of the ‘Investors in People National Training Award for a Small Business’.

Robinwood offer a wide range of training and development opportunities as follows:

• Staff induction course
• The first session
• Ongoing staff development
• National Governing Body Awards

Staff induction course

All instructor staff take part in a staff induction course lasting around 4 weeks, before they take charge of any groups of children. By the end of the initial training course instructors will have been trained and assessed to look after a group of children throughout a Robinwood course. They will be trained to lead all activities where a group leader runs the session and to assist with other activities for example, stream walk, zip wire and team challenge where another member of the Robinwood team typically runs the session assisted by the group leader.

The induction course includes training and assessment for the following N.G.B. qualifications: B.C.U. open canoeing 1 star, the foundation safety and rescue test and outdoor emergency first aid.

Many other nationally recognised qualifications will be offered within on-going training, once your employment period has started.

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The first season

Additional training is offered throughout the first season working as a group leader at Robinwood, including many activity session observations with one to one feedback. One to one feedback on activity sessions gives a great opportunity to improve soft skill across the range of adventure and team work activities offered at Robinwood.

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Ongoing staff development

Robinwood Activity Centre makes a commitment to offer staff training on an on-going basis throughout your employment. As well as activity based ‘hard skills’ we also offer training in more child centred ‘soft skills’.

Training and development is offered to each member of staff at a level appropriate for them. There are regular opportunities to discuss and review your training needs. We see our staff team as the single most important factor in the success of Robinwood Activity Centre and we are therefore concerned to ensure that they receive the best training and development programme we can offer.

The on-going training programme at Robinwood also includes taking part in canoeing, climbing and other outdoor activities under the guidance of our senior staff and independent experts. Training offered will give staff the opportunity to improve their personal skills in a range of activities, as well as to learn about instructing groups of children in these activities.

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National Governing Body Awards

Training at Robinwood offers the opportunity to gain a fantastic range of national governing body qualifications. Staff can take any of the following awards when they have achieved the appropriate standard, funded by Robinwood.

• Canoeing
  B.C.U. 2, 3, 4 star assessment
  Canoeing Foundation Safety and Rescue.
BCU Level 1, 2 and 3 Coach.
• Climbing
  Single Pitch Award Training Course (2 day)
  Single Pitch Award Assessment (2 day)
Climbing Wall Leader Award Training (2 day)
Climbing Wall Leader Award Assessment (1day)
• Archery
  GNAS Leader Award (4 day)
  
• Hill Walking
  Walking Group Leader Training Course (4 day)
  Walking Group Leader Assessment Course (3 day)
Mountain Leader Award Training (6 days)
Mountain Leader Award Assessment (5 days)

• First Aid
  Mountain & Outdoor Emergency First Aid (2 day)
  First Aid at Work (4 day)
Higher level canoeing, climbing and hill walking assessments can take a bit longer to achieve, but you have the ideal situation at Robinwood to build up the experience (and log book hours) you need.