NOLS

Since 1965, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has taught leadership, wilderness skills, and environmental studies to more than 75,000 students. The NOLS mission is to be the best source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. NOLS has developed this practice through multi-day expeditions that give people real experiences leading in the outdoors. Through NOLS Professional Training, the school has also become the nation's premier provider of customized training for a wide range of audiences, including schools, outdoor education organizations, public land agencies, and private businesses.

As the recognized leader in its field, NOLS is the best school available for training diverse participants in the following areas:

• Leadership and Teamwork
• Risk Management
• Technical Skills
• Environmental Studies

These four cornerstones of the NOLS curriculum are a part of every activity at NOLS. On NOLS Professional Training custom courses, students are coached to minimize stress while focusing on peak performance. Students are taught group technical and interpersonal skills to function effectively in the powerful and dynamic situations nature provides. Group performance and teamwork are emphasized, not group process. This course is not abstract-it is a real expedition where personal responsibility, leadership, followership and teamwork can make or break the experience every bit as much as the physical and technical challenges.

NOLS instructors are among the most highly trained groups of wilderness educators in the world. Carefully screened applicants take our 35-day Instructor course, considered to be the gold standard in the field of outdoor education. The top graduates then apprentice a course, and if they are successful, become certified NOLS Instructors. More than half of all instructors have spent at least 60 weeks teaching for NOLS in the field.

NOLS Instructors come from highly diverse backgrounds, education, and experience. But they all must have a common expertise when it comes to first aid. The minimum first aid requirement is the Wilderness First Responder (a 72+ hour course), or equivalent, and bi-yearly CPR certification. Many instructors are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). Additionally, the majority of our instructors are graduates of the Hartford Insurance Company's defensive driving course.

NOLS courses are not easy, and involve travel through rugged terrain in which there are real dangers. The management of activities with respect to these dangers is a fundamental part of the NOLS curriculum. Wilderness activity involves hazards: rock fall, wild rivers and extreme temperatures can pose a risk to even the most experienced outdoor leader. Good physical conditioning and a positive mental attitude are essential. Each student plays an important role in the success of a NOLS course.