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OUTDOOR SKILLS

 

Here are a few outdoor activities typically organized by outdoor centers or international schools. The courses offered here are not basic (except for "Sea Kayaking Skills" and "Whitewater Skills"); rather, the class focuses on teaching how to instruct the basics, progressing to an intermediate level. These classes do not aim to make you an expert in a subject but provide tips and techniques to enhance your skills to a level suitable for the industry. Additionally, they offer an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge from others in the field, as attendees come from various outdoor centers and companies.

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*Click on the topics below for details

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Sea kayak anchor
Navigation class. Understanding the basics of compass usage. Here we were covering Triangulation

I often receive questions from both new and experienced instructors about which skills are essential for OE. It's a challenging question to answer but a very valid one! My response is usually, "It depends." It depends on the type of program you are involved in, whether it is centre-based or expedition-based, the resources available, the duration of the program, and the location. All these factors are crucial in guiding you in the right direction. However, in general, here are my top five training topics that I believe are important:

Navigation class. Understanding the basics of compass usage. Here we were covering Triangulation
Sea Kayaking Skills
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Objective: To be comfortable on a sea kayak and being able to paddle day excursions. (Not Guiding)

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 2 Days

Time: 9am-5pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM120 per pax (not including boat & gear rental, other logistical fees)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Boat parts (SOT vs Cockpit).

  • Paddle skills (Entry, Exit, Rafting up, Forward, Sweeps, Backpaddle, Draw, Low Brace, capsize drill, T-Rescues, Assisted Re-entry).

  • Rock hopping.

  • Signals.

  • Surf landing.

  • Map (Topo map, Sea Chart) and Trip Plan (Distance, Time, Speed, Emergency exit, Hazards, Contingency Plan).

  • Tide Charts (understanding Neaps and Springs).

  • Paddle Formation (diamond, single file Instructor lead, single file student lead, 2 groups).

  • Support boat discussion.

  • Repair kit scenarios for expedition (lost hatch, crack hull, broken rudder, etc.).

  • Kayak incidents (Shoulder dislocation, Weak Paddler, Dealing with Seasickness, Unconcious paddler, strainers, strong wind, Sinking boat).

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​​Environmental Conditions & Expectations

Inland: Large areas of open water that exceed the sheltered water definition, where the paddlers are no more than 500m offshore and in wind strengths that do not exceed Beaufort force 4.

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Sea: A stretch of coastline with some areas where it itnot easy to land but there will always be straightforward land points a maximum of two nautical miles apart. Crossings not exceeding 2 miles. Up to 2 knots of tide. Wind strength do not exceeding Beaufort force 4. Launching and landing through surf (up to 1 meter). 

Campcraft - Teaching the different stoves available on the market, and the various meals you can get students to cook during
Rolling a Kayak
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Objective: To understand rolling techniques. This is not a guarantee to-be-able-to-roll class. 

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: Half Day

Time: 3.5 hours

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including boat & gear rental, other logistical fees)

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Topics Covered:

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  • To find out where you are on your current roll, and then work our way from there.

  • There are many types of rolls, but we will find a roll that is suitable for your level.

  • Rolls that I can teach: Sweep roll, C to C, Backdeck Roll, Hand Rolls 

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Rolling

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Whitewater kayak skills
Whitewater Kayaking Skills
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Objective: To understand and be comfortable in a boat on grade 1-2 rivers. (Not Guiding)

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:5

Duration: 2 Days

Time: 9am-5pm

Location: Kampar River, Gopeng

Fee: RM120 per pax (not including boat & gear rental, other logistical fees)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Intro - Where, types of boats, Differences ww, lake

  • EQUIPMENT: Boat, paddle, PFD, spraydeck, helmet, floats

  • UNDERSTANDING RIVERS: River hydrology, river terms, aggressive/defensive swims

  • SIGNALS: Whistle, paddle, hand

  • SKILLS - Forward paddle, Stop, Back paddle, Sweeps, Edging, Brace, Eddy ins, Peel outs, Ferry Gliding, Capsize, Roll

  • Paddle Formation

  • Kayak incidents (Shoulder dislocation, Weak Paddler, strainers, undercuts, Flash floods, Sinking boat, Lost paddle, Swimmers).

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​​Environmental Conditions & Expectations

Grade 1-2 moving water

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  1. Wilderness First Aid (or even better, a WFR) - is a must!

  2. Bronze Medallion (or any equivalent life saving award) - If you can't swim, then that would be something to work on before any life saving awards

  3. Camp Craft - (Covering fire making, shelter building, camping in tents and cooking in the outdoors. Not a survival training)

  4. Map Reading and Navigation - A very important skill to have, especially on expedition programs

  5. Basic Kayak skills - You need to know how to captain your own boat, before you can teach others to captain their own boats. Make sense?

Campcraft - Teaching the different stoves available on the market, and the various meals you can get students to cook during an expedition

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Bronze Medallion Training
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Objective:  Challenges the candidate both mentally and physically. Judgement, knowledge, skill, and fitness – the four components of water rescue – form the basis of Bronze Medallion training. Candidates acquire the assessment and problem-solving skills needed to make good decisions in, on, and around the water. 

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:5

Duration: 5-10 Classes (depends on swimming ability)

Time: 2.5 - 3 hour per session

Location: Swimming pool to be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax per class (not including other logistical fees, entry fees)

*Assessments need to be outsourced to Life Saving Society of Malaysia

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Topics Covered:

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  • Risk Management

  • Entries & Exits

  • Swimming techniques

  • Diving

  • Swimmer recovery and Towing techniques

  • Defensive Rescue

  • Landings

  • Rescue Equipment

  • CPR

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​​Environmental Conditions & Expectations

Bronze Medallion requires a body of water that is at least 15 m long, 5 m wide and a minimum of 1.5 m deep (3 m preferred)

Whitewater Safety & Basic Rescue
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Objective: To understand and be comfortable in a river (grade 1+).

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:5

Duration: 1 Day

Time: 4-5 hours

Location: Kampar River, Gopeng

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including boat & gear rental, other logistical fees)

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Topics Covered:

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  • UNDERSTANDING RIVERS: River hydrology, river terms

  • SIGNALS: Whistle, paddle, hand

  • SWIMS : Aggressive/defensive swims, Eddy swims

  • Teaching to be comfortable in river walks, planning a river class

  • Teaching Reach, Throw, Row​​

  • Teaching types of River incidents during student programs

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Whitewater safety Rescue
Bronze Medallion

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Abseil Guiding Skills
 

Objective: To understand Abseiling techniques and its gears, anchor building, guiding techniques, rescue techniques, briefings and Group Management at heights.

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 4 Days

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax per day (not including, gear rental, other logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Group dynamics according to age groups

  • Briefing/teaching styles

  • Instructor tools

  • Stress & Comfort zones

  • Site selection

  • Gear Intro (Communal, student, instructor, rescue)

  • Teaching Knots, bends, hitches

  • Personal Safety at height

  • Abseil with extension

  • Ascending a rope

  • Sling craft / anchor building

  • Teaching natural anchors

  • Teaching artificial anchors

  • Abseil / Belay line setup

  • Communications

  • Abseil rescues

  • Vertical rescues

  • Risk assessment (tools for decision making)

  • Group management safety

  • Worst case scenario

  • Designing a program flow (A journey from start to end)​

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Campcraft - Fire making, Shelter Building, Camping, Cooking
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Objective: Understand knots and its usage. Putting it all together, Firebuilding, Teaching shelter building & tent setups, understanding cooking equipment and safety around cooking

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:10

Duration: Half Day

Time: 3.5 - 4 hours

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including boat & gear rental, other logistical fees)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Understanding the difference between Bushcraft Survival shelter Vs Shelter Building with minimal equipment

  • Knots and Risk Assessment for shelters

  • Tent setups

  • Maintenance for tents

  • Fire Triangle

  • Risk Assessment for camp fires

  • Cooking Equipment

  • Risk Assessment for kitchen

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Navigation Skills & Map Reading
 

Objective: To understand map reading, compass usage and route planning

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 1 Day

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax per day (not including, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Group dynamics according to age groups

  • Briefing styles

  • Instructor tools

  • Topographic maps

  • Teaching tools (maps, mini globes, compass, Google maps, Google Earth, resources, physical terrain)

  • Compass parts

  • Taking a bearing, Back bearing, Triangulation

  • Maintaining direction

  • Distance, Time, Speed

  • Travel Plan

  • Designing a program flow (A journey from start to end)​​

Camp craft
Abseil guiding
Navigation
Coastal & Open Water Navigation and Tidal Planning
 

Objective: To understand Sea Charts, compass usage and route planning

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 1 Day

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax per day (not including, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Group dynamics according to age groups

  • Briefing styles

  • Instructor tools

  • Sea Charts vs Topo Maps

  • Tide Charts (understanding Neaps and Springs)

  • Dead Reckoning, Course to Steer, Tidal Stream

  • Teaching tools (maps, mini globes, compass, Google maps, Google Earth, resources, physical terrain)

  • Compass parts

  • Taking a bearing, Back bearing, Triangulation

  • Maintaining direction

  • Distance, Time, Speed

  • Travel Plan (Distance, Time, Speed, Emergency exit, Hazards, Contingency Plan).

  • Designing a program flow (A journey from start to end)​​​

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River Guiding
 

Objective: To understand how to teach paddle skills, group management, risk assessment, Rescue techniques, rolling skills

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 2 Days

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: Sungai Kampar, Gopeng

Fee: RM120 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • EQUIPMENT Briefing: Boat, paddle, PFD, spraydeck, helmet, floats

  • UNDERSTANDING RIVERS: River hydrology, river terms, aggressive/defensive swims

  • SIGNALS: Whistle, paddle, hand

  • Teaching paddle skills (Forward paddle, Stop, Back paddle, Sweeps, Edging, Brace, Eddy ins, Peel outs, Ferry Gliding, Capsize, Roll)

  • Paddle Formation, Leading groups

  • Rescue scenarios

  • Kayak incidents (Shoulder dislocation, Weak Paddler, strainers, undercuts, Flash floods, Sinking boat, Lost paddle, Swimmers).

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​​Environmental Conditions & Expectations

Grade 1-2 moving water

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Guiding a Snorkel session
 

Objective: To understand how to guide on snorkel session, Group management, Risk assessment, Briefing skills, Rescue tows, Incident Management Plan, Environmental Ed topics 

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:8

Duration: 1 Day

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Group dynamics according to age groups

  • Instructor tools

  • Guiding techniques (CLAPS)

  • Risk assessments

  • Briefing skills

  • Rescue tows

  • Environmental Ed topics - Fish ID, Coral Bleaching, Blue Carbon, Microplastics & Stuff​

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Sea Kayak Guiding
 

Objective: To understand how to teach paddle skills, group management, risk assessment, Rescue techniques, rock hopping guiding, rolling skills

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 2 Days

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM120 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Teaching Paddle skills (Entry, Exit, Rafting up, Forward, Sweeps, Backpaddle, Draw, Low Brace, capsize drill, T-Rescues, Assisted Re-entry)

  • Guiding Rock hopping

  • Signals

  • Guiding a Surf landing

  • Map (Topo map, Sea Chart) and Trip Plan (Distance, Time, Speed, Emergency exit, Hazards, Contingency Plan)

  • Tide Charts (understanding Neaps and Springs)

  • Paddle Formation (diamond, single file Instructor lead, single file student lead, 2 groups)

  • Support boat discussion

  • Repair kit scenarios for expedition (lost hatch, crack hull, broken rudder, etc.)

  • Kayak incidents (Shoulder dislocation, Weak Paddler, Dealing with Seasickness, Unconcious paddler, strainers, strong wind, Sinking boat)

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​​Environmental Conditions & Expectations

Inland: Large areas of open water that exceed the sheltered water definition, where the paddlers are no more than 500m offshore and in wind strengths that do not exceed Beaufort force 4.

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Sea: A stretch of coastline with some areas where it itnot easy to land but there will always be straightforward land points a maximum of two nautical miles apart. Crossings not exceeding 2 miles. Up to 2 knots of tide. Wind strength do not exceeding Beaufort force 4. Launching and landing through surf (up to 1 meter). 

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Guiding Hikes on 3rd & 4th Class terrain
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Objective: To understand how to guide on 3rd & 4th Class terrain, Group management, Risk assessment, Rope skills

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: 1 Day

Time: 9am - 5 pm

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Group dynamics according to age groups

  • Instructor tools

  • Guiding techniques (CLAPS)

  • Risk assessments

  • Rope skills (Hand lines, belays, anchors)​

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Cave Guiding
 

Objective: Understanding the purpose of a Cave Session, Managing a group in confined space, Applying ecology in the cave experience

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:8

Duration: Half Day

Time: 3.5 - 4 hours

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Group dynamics according to age groups

  • Instructor tools

  • Guiding techniques (CLAPS)

  • Risk assessments

  • Group Management

  • Briefing skills

  • Incident Management Plan

  • Environmental Ed - Cave formation, Flora & Fauna

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Coastal Nav
Sea kayak Guiding
River Guiding
Guiding 3/4 class

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General Guiding skills, Risk Management and Decision Making
 

Objective: Principles of guiding, Group management, Risk assessment, Briefing skills, Incident management plan, Risk Management & Decision Making, Environmental Ed topics 

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:10

Duration: Half Day

Time: 3.5 - 4 hours

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Principles of guiding

  • Group management

  • General Briefing skills

  • Risk assessment & Decision Making

  • Environmental Ed topics - Understanding that guides need to have a bag of tricks

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Weather Reading
 

Objective: Pressure systems, Weather apps, Cloud formations

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:10

Duration: Half Day

Time: 2 - 3 hours

Location: To be determined

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Pressure systems - World Weather map (windy), Coriolis Effect, Monsoon in SEA

  • Weather apps (Windy.app, Rain Alarm)

  • Weather Forecast Sequence: Monsoon season -> General forecast from web -> Windy.app -> Rain Alarm

  • Cloud formation, local indicators

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Snorkel
Cave guiding

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General Guiding skills
Weather

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Cycling Guiding
 

Objective: To feel comfortable riding a bicycle and capable of pedalling on short excursions along small roads. To understand how to teach students how to cycle, group management & risk assessment

Instructor Student Ratio: 1:6

Duration: Half Day

Time: 3 - 4 hours

Location: Recreational Park & small village roads

Fee: RM60 per pax (not including, gear rental, logistical fees and access fee)

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Topics Covered:

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  • Gear Talk (Helmet, Bicycle, Attire)

  • Pre-cycle safety check (ABCS - Air, Brakes, Chain - gears, Seat post)

  • Training: Cycle-Emergency Brake test. Figure 8. Gear switch.

  • Rules of the Road.

  • Paddling formation & Road crossing

  • Bicycle maintenance & repair

  • Planning a route & Risk management on site, support vehicle.

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Cycling
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