Profession survival instructor

Survival instructors guide groups into vast, natural areas, and assist them in a self-directed instruction of basic survival needs without any comfort facilities or modern gear to fall back on. They coach the participants into mastering survival skills such as fire making, producing primitive equipment, shelter construction and procurement of water and nourishment. They ensure the participants are aware of certain safety measures without diminishing the level of adventure, of environment protection and of risk management. They encourage efforts of leadership from the group and mentor the participants individually so as to push their limits responsibly and help overcome potential fears.

Personality Type

• Social / Artistic
• Social / Realistic
• Enterprising / Conventional

Knowledge

• Protection from natural elements

  Forces of nature, such as weather patterns and seasonal conditions, their characteristics and any means of protection against them.

• Primitive technology

  Technology created for or fashioned from natural elements that assists in wilderness survival, such as handicrafts, survival tools, and weapons.

• Tracking principles

  The various components to specifying an animal or person's whereabouts by reading and interpreting the trails and signs left behind by them such as foot or paw prints, faeces, or the disturbance of the direct environment. Another important element is the age and the size of the tracks.

• Compass navigation

  The monitoring of movement from a starting to a finishing point using a compass, rotated until the compass' orienting arrow aligns with the cardinal direction north represented by an 'N'.

• Rope lashing

  The process of attaching several objects, such as poles, together by use of rope, wire, or webbing often to secure or create a rigid structure, such as a self-fashioned table, tree house, or latrine. Types of lashing include square lashing, round lashing, and diagonal lashing.

• Risk management

  The process of identifying, assessing, and prioritising of all types of risks and where they could come from, such as natural causes, legal changes, or uncertainty in any given context, and the methods on dealing with risks effectively.

• Natural food resources

  The location, qualities, and preparations of safe, edible, and potable natural products, such as fruit, plants, meat, and fresh or recycled water.

Skills

• Lead hiking trips

  Guide participants on a nature walk on foot.

• Provide first aid

  Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.

• Encourage students to acknowledge their achievements

  Stimulate students to appreciate their own achievements and actions to nurture confidence and educational growth.

• Use geographic memory

  Use your memory of geographic surroundings and detail in navigation.

• Apply teaching strategies

  Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners' level, goals, and priorities.

• Read maps

  Read maps effectively.

• Educate people about nature

  Speak to a variety of audiences about e.g. information, concepts, theories and/or activities related to nature and its conservation. Produce written information. This information may be presented in a range of formats e.g. display signs, information sheets, posters, website text etc.

• Assess nature of injury in emergency

  Assess the nature and extent of injury or illness to establish and prioritise a plan for medical treatment.

• Inspire enthusiasm for nature

  Spark a passion for the natural character of fauna and flora and human interaction with it.

• Manage student relationships

  Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Teach survival skills

  Instruct participants in the theory and practice of wilderness survival, often, but not exclusively, for recreational purposes, more specifically in subjects such as food scavenging, setting up camp, building a fire, and animal behaviour.

• Adapt teaching to student's capabilities

  Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.

• Demonstrate when teaching

  Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.

• Handle conflicts

  Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.

• Assist students with equipment

  Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.

• Maintain camping facilities

  Keep campsites or areas for recreation, including maintenance and supply selection.

• Use rope access techniques

  Apply ropework to work in elevated position. Safely ascend and descend ropes, wearing a harness.

• Observe student's progress

  Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.

• Build a fire

  Select a safe location, away from trees and bushes, to build fire using tinder, a fire starter such as matches, a lighter or specific rocks, kindling wood, and logs. Ensure water is nearby to put it out.

• Give constructive feedback

  Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB