UKC

Looking for a bit of advice from more experienced supervisors.

How do you tend to supervise groups at Bronze level on the qualifying expedition, particularly at the campsite?

The official advice seems pretty clear to me but I have the impression that the reality can be quite different.

How do you juggle independence with supervision?

Ta.

In reply to DaveHK:

Different operating authorities seem to have different requirements. These days they seem to err on the side of being overcautious, which does erode the principle of the group being independent.Depends on the terrain too; in open glens and on moorland it should be possible to keep a group in sight most of the time without being so close that you're walking with them. Obviously you can get closer on problematic parts of the route (eg burn crossings, or places where navigation errors are likely). I always worked on the basis that you should always be within hearing distance of an emergency whistle blast - works for campsites too so that you don't have to pitch next to them yourself

In reply to DaveHK: If it is a school group talk with lea outdoor ed advisor

In reply to DaveHK:

Presumably you have spoken to HC advisor about this. I have done a lot of shadowing and it depends on how confident you are that the group will take the right navigation decisions and if they don't, where they might end up.

I was doing one with an academy in Dingwall a few years ago and didn't see the group much all day apart from areas where I knew they would have to take a decision and I waited there or observed from a distance.

Other times with OB I have left them to it or been quite close. Depends on the group.

In reply to DaveHK:

We usually have a 'sweep' and others checkpointing them. Depends on the campsite, size of group, e.t.c but we do tend to try to leave them to it.

In reply to DaveHK:

As most have said it depends on the group and terrain, I like to use as light a touch as possible within the local authority rules.

We often camp onsite with groups but leave them alone unless they need help with something.

Steve D

In reply to DaveHK:

Embrace technology. My local group makes sure that one person in each party carries a smartphone in a sealed pouch. This means that they cannot use it, except in an emergency, but supervisors can track them via some app or other. depends on good phone coverage though.

In reply to bleddynmawr:


Nice idea but pretty much zero coverage on our route!

In reply to DaveHK:

Depends on the group and how confident you are with them.
Idealy I see them a few times during the day on the route and then at the campsite at night. After that leave them too it.

I dont camp on the same site as them if i can help it, doesnt give them the impression of independence if you are on top of them all the time.

If they cant cope in the area that they are in by themselves then they shouldnt be there- words from the d of e handbook.

In reply to jj-1992:

That's my feeling.

I think most people have hit the nail on the head - depends on the group level and dynamics. I have supervised bronze groups in the Cotswolds where I could have gone home! On the other hand I've waved an angry finger at a gold group who brought themselves into disrepute last year..

Get to know them before they hit the ground...

In reply to AustinPowered:


Out of curiosity, did they fail?

In reply to DaveHK:

Nobody ever "fails" the DoEA - they just don't "fulfil" the 20 conditions.