Outdoor Leadership Clearbrook Road Abbotsford BC V2T 2Z8 Tel Fax Toll free

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1 Outdoor Leadership Outdoor Leadership training is a step toward a lifestyle of adventure and learning. At Columbia we seek to train people to their highest level of potential in Christian ministry, leadership, outdoor skills and industry accreditation. Begin the journey towards a career in Adventure Ministry, Outdoor Education or Adventure Tourism with a Diploma or Bachelors Degree in Outdoor Leadership at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Extra muros experientia docet

2 Adventure Tourism Train with the best. British Columbia is home to one of the largest adventure tourism sectors in the world. As a result, the training and certification standards for leaders are some of the highest found anywhere. At Columbia we are serious about training our students to meet these demanding standards in the outdoor guiding and leadership industry. This is a safety oriented field requiring highly professional, qualified and certified leadership. In years one through four our students spend significant time completing guiding qualifications under the leadership of nationally certified instructors. During this process our students spend hundreds of days in the field honing their skills, expanding their knowledge base and developing the judgment necessary to make critical decisions for the groups they lead in the technically challenging environments of their workplaces. Upon graduation our students are successfully entering the adventure tourism industry as guides, instructors and leaders in the mountains and on the oceans both locally and internationally. Ministry At Columbia students have the opportunity to combine this level of outdoor training and qualification with a top notch professional ministry preparation program. At Columbia we are serious about equipping our students to make a positive difference in an increasingly chaotic world. Whether it is providing relief aid in the wake of a disaster or conflict, helping remote people groups raise food and acquire clean drinking water or escorting medical teams safely to some of the most remote people groups on the planet, Columbia s Outdoor Leadership students are prepared. My passion and belief in this ministry is based on its incredible effectiveness. I have learned so much about God, creation and people by spending time outside the confines of urban life. At Columbia we are equally dedicated to equipping our students with the soft skills necessary for work with people. Whether it is managing a sea kayaking program for youth at a summer camp, facilitating a rock climbing program for a church program or leading people on extended wilderness adventures, Columbia s Outdoor Leadership students are ready to introduce people to the creator through nature and adventure. Upon Graduation our students are successfully entering full-time positions in Christian Camping, Church Ministry and Para-Church organizations.

3 Outdoor Classroom Experiential Education has been defined as, Learning by doing, combined with reflection. Outdoor Leadership is a discipline that can only be learned experientially, which is why we do so much in the field training. Spread over the course of a four year Bachelors Degree, an Outdoor Leadership student will spend approximately 14 months engaged in modular skills training, field courses, internships and certification programs. The classroom has never been this cool and the homework has never been this much fun. Columbia s campus is ideally located to provide our students with incredible access to the world-class opportunities for the recreational adventures and experiences they require as developing professionals. Within a three hour radius students could be skiing in Whistler, rock-climbing in Skaha or Squamish, mountaineering in the Coast Range or sea kayaking in the Gulf Islands. Within a one-hour radius students could be kayaking or rafting on the Chilliwack river, rock climbing at Hatzic Lake or Sumas Mountain, sea kayaking in White Rock or backcountry ski-touring in the Coquihalla Summit Area. To help our students get out and enjoy all of these recreational opportunities, our department has an extensive equipment inventory available for students to take and use free of charge. Amongst our inventory are a number of river kayaking and ski-touring set-ups to enjoy.

4 Options & Minors We want our students to receive a well rounded education with as many options as possible for employment, ministry and continuing education upon graduation. Students enrolled in the Bachelors of Arts program have the option to choose from the following minors to custom fit their training to their future ambitions: Intercultural Studies Youth Work Caregiving & Counseling Early Childhood Education Worship Arts Industry Support The Outdoor Leadership Program at Columbia is actively involved in the implementation of core curriculum standards for Adventure Tourism in British Columbia. We are a member school of the BC Adventure Tourism Programs Articulation Committee, which is a collaborative effort of provincial and private colleges and universities, whose goal is to simplify the transfer of credit between our institutions in order to better serve our students and industry. The organizations listed below, along with Columbia, support the BC Adventure Tourism Certificate Core Curriculum: Industry recognized training and transferable courses to other post-secondary secondary institutions. Association of Canadian Mountain Guides Association of Canadian Sea Kayak Guides Canadian Avalanche Association Whitewater Kayaking Association of British Columbia The Canadian Ski Guides Association Sea Kayak Association of BC Federation of BC Mountain Clubs Recreational Canoeing Association of BC Wilderness Tourism Association Heli-Cat Canada

5 Technical Skills First Year Students learn the basic skill sets required for any type of outdoor leadership work: wilderness first aid, navigation, search and rescue, radio operation, hazard and emergency management, GPS and digital mapping technology, and hospitality and service. First year students are also introduced to technical environments: alpine backpacking, ocean kayaking, river kayaking/rafting, backcountry skiing/avalanche safety, high-angle and swift-water rope rescue. Second Year The fall semester in second year is dedicated to modular skills training units where students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in professional preparation. Participants will work on rock climbing, mountaineering, rope rescue, sea kayaking and river kayaking/rafting, first aid, lifesaving and ropes course facilitation. At the end of this semester time has been set aside to allow students to travel and practice their skills as they prepare for the certification process of 3rd and 4th year. Third Year Students continue to advance their skills in chosen disciplines, furthering their professional resumes. Students at this level are required to complete selected certifications, in a discipline of their choosing, in a process called Continuing Professional Development (CPD). In the spring semester students begin preparing for their field internship where they will gain work related experience in the Adventure Tourism or Outdoor Ministry sectors. Forth Year Students wrap up their field internships and focus on graduating with the prestigious Bachelors Degree of Outdoor Leadership. This year students will again be engaged in CPD completing professional industry certifications of their choice.

6 Application Applying to the Outdoor Leadership program at Columbia is easy. By reading this information packet, you are already on your way to becoming one of the eighteen new students who will be joining our family this Fall for the adventure of a lifetime. We are not looking for superheroes, just ordinary people like you who are highly motivated to succeed, reasonably fit, hard working and passionate about outdoor pursuits. To begin your application to Columbia Bible College visit: Certification At Columbia we are serious about building our students resumes so they get the jobs they want. Increasingly, employers are looking for candidates who have the right certifications to do the job and the experience, training and education needed to produce a well rounded leader. In Canada all certifications are issued through external, national or provincial certifying bodies. Organizations do not self-certify; this is a good thing as it keeps standards high, and transferability simple, between employment opportunities both in Canada and abroad. Canadian certifications are regarded as having some of the highest standards in the world. While in training here at Columbia our students are required, in 3rd and 4th year, to complete selected certifications in our Continuing Professional Development program. These certifications are completed through, and awarded by, national certifying bodies such as the ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides); the CAA (Canadian Avalanche Association); the SKGA (Sea Kayak Guides Alliance); PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) ; BCROA (British Columbia River Outfitters Association)

7 Making A Difference Our Outdoor Leadership graduates go on to have successful careers in a number of different fields. Here are some examples of where our graduates have found employment. Adventure Tourism Ministry BC Parks Backcountry Ranger Bowling Green University, Director of Outdoor Programs Alaska Mountain Guides Whistler Mountain Guides Powder Mountain Cat/heli-skiing Last Frontier Heli-Skiing Canada West Mountain School Chilliwack Rafting, River Manager Governor General s Office, Outdoor Program Standards Investigator B.C. Film Industry (technical expertise) Natural West Coast Adventures, Sea Kayak Guide Outdoor Leadership, Associate Program Director Outdoor Education Instructor Camp Program Director Youth Dynamics, River and Rock Guides Stony Creek Expedition Coordinator (Mexico) First Mate SALTS program (tall ships) Beyond Malibu, Sea Kayak Guide/Program Director Samaritans Purse, Manager of Youth Missions Expedition Guide/Manager (medical ministry team) I came to Columbia Bible College for the purpose of being trained in Outdoor Leadership at the highest level of industry standards while building community with fellow believers. In my first year here, the outdoor leadership program at Columbia has surpassed my expectations. Every lesson I learn in the program, I realize that the scope of application extends to every area of my life. The outdoors trains us in character building as well as professionalism. Our instructors teach in a highly professional manor and are committed to the success of each of us as individuals. The standard that has been modeled by my instructors in both the outdoor setting and the classroom has taught me not just to perform the given tasks, but also to perform as the best in the industry. The outdoors is one of the greatest resources that we as Christians have for ministering to others and Columbia Outdoor Leadership has developed an exceptional program to utilize this resource. I cannot wait to take my skills and apply them in the real world. I am building relationships for a lifetime, learning technical skills to build a successful career in the field and developing leadership skills to be applied everyday. Whitney Atkinson

8 Crests have been used for hundreds of years as pictorial representations of value and tradition. We share in the rich heritage of the Canadian outdoor leaders who have come before us setting standards of integrity, discipline and excellence. Our crest represents this proud heritage and symbolizes our own individual program values and traditions. The single pine tree stands for the outdoors and the special concern we have for our natural environment. The oil lamp is the lamp of learning which represents excellence in education. The ice axe and paddle symbolize technical skills and the compass represents direction and leadership. The cross that forms the framework of the crest, is the symbol that reminds us of Christ, our passion for ministry and the spiritual elements that provide the framework for all we do here. The crest is placed on a shield representing the responsibility, protection and vigilance an outdoor leader has for those they lead. The colors red and white represent Canada, and our nation s history of excellence in Outdoor Leadership. Our Latin motto, Extra muros experientia docet, roughly translates in English to read, Outside these walls experience is our teacher.