Inner-City Outings Leaders
Photo by Allan Fein |
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Becoming a Leader
After you've been hiking for a while and have become familiar with some
of the trails, you may feel eager to share your enjoyment of the outdoors
with others as a Sierra Club Outings Leader. The Leadership
Training Committee can give you the preparation you need for certification
by the Angeles Chapter Safety Committee as a qualified leader of safe, enjoyable
outings.
What Are The Qualities Needed For Leadership?
Judgment, inspiration, awareness, and current membership in the Sierra
Club are the most important qualities in a leader. Fitness, gender, height,
hair color, sexual orientation, income, and educational level do not matter.
Why Be A Sierra Club Leader?
"One GLS leader was recently heard to extol the benefits of leading trips:
'You can go where you want, with whom you want, at the pace you want.'
Another once told me she was gaining leadership skills and confidence
that applied to her professional life. Others have felt fulfillment from
sharing the wilderness experience with others. Beyond the personal benefits
of leading there are many benefits that leadership brings to others. Without
leaders many people are too shy to venture into the forests or onto the
mountains. Without leaders no one would know when to show up for a group
activity, or where to park. Without leaders there would be no outings."
-- Will McWhinney, Outings Committee Chair
The Leadership Training Program (LTP) is
conducted by the Leadership
Training Committee (LTC) and provides trainees with the attitude,
knowledge and skill essential to sound leadership of Angeles Chapter outings.
The LTP prepares graduates for certification at one of four categories,
or levels, which are designated "0", "I", "M" and "E". See the introduction
for description of these categories.
Requirements for becoming a leader at the basic
"O" level are:
- Current Sierra Club membership
- Participation on five Sierra Club trips/hikes
- Passing an open book pre-seminar exam from the Leader Reference Book
(LRB)
- Attendance at an all day LTP seminar
- Completion of first aid and CPR training
- Satisfactory completion of a provisional outing
Enrollment Information:
Leader candidates may obtain an application either by sending a large
(#10) self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) to: Steve Botan, LTC Registrar,
18816 Thornwood Circle, Huntington Beach, CA 92646, or may print out a
hard copy of the application
to mail to the Registrar. The fee for the LTP is $25 including the Leadership
Reference Book (LRB) and $10 without the LRB. The fee also includes the
all day seminar and a leader recognition patch with a certificate. The
Registrar must receive the completed application at least two weeks prior
to the seminar. The seminar is held twice a year on a Saturday in the
spring and fall. A Leadership Reference Book (LRB), pre-seminar exam,
and other information will be mailed at least 10 days prior to the seminar.
LTP Seminars for 2004 are scheduled for April 3 and October 16.
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