This fall, we held our pre-season training in Yangshuo, the outdoor adventure capital of China. The training began with a getting-to-know-you, as we worked to quickly integrate our newest staff members. Our team for this fall is split almost evenly between male/female and Chinese/Western, which neatly mirrors the demographics of our client schools.
At our 2018 fall training, we focused on kayaking and water safety. This time around, we decided to change tack and focus on rock climbing and rope skills.We are fortunate to have several full-time staff that are certified by the American Mountain Guides Association, perhaps the world’s preeminent organization of mountain guides. Our current Director of Safety, Ryder, is a certified AMGA guide, and he took the lead in facilitating this component of the fall training. Ryder reviewed rock climbing belaying and anchor setup for top-rope climbing, as well as how to rig and operate an abseil with redundant protection, and high ropes and via ferrata course safety.
Ryder also facilitated a review of wilderness first aid procedures. Technically, all of our staff are already certified in wilderness first aid, and most of them hold the advanced wilderness first responder (WFR) certification. For better or worse (probably for better!), we don’t actually get much practice in first aid during the season, as serious injuries are fortunately quite rare. In the interest of making sure everyone’s skills remain sharp, Ryder reviewed our protocols for dealing with trauma, including bandaging and splinting, patient stabilization, and evacuation. Afterwards, we ran scenarios covering common scenarios in which participants require first aid.
The final training module was facilitated by Dylan, our Director of Operations. Dylan began by bringing staff through our vast repository of team-building games. The review took the form of a competition, to better acquaint staff with the games’ nuances and give them an appreciation for the challenges and frustrations that students might have to work through over the course of a similar competition.
The training culminated with a day spent working on facilitation skills. As a company, we place tremendous importance on facilitation, since the activities themselves are only part of the learning experience on a Keystone Adventures program. Before a given activity, students receive guidance in setting goals. During the activity, our staff work tirelessly to keep participants safe while challenging them appropriately. After an activity, participants are encouraged to reflect on their experience and their groups’ performance. It is through this process that learning ultimately takes place. Towards this end, a big chunk of all of our company training sessions are focused around helping staff burnish their facilitation skills.
Ultimately, the week in Yangshuo was incredibly productive, and incredibly fun. It is the one time this season that all of us will be together in one place; for the next three months, we will be dispersed around the country, running an average of 5 trips a week in different locations. Thanks again to everyone!
