UKC

Hello.

I would like to volunteer as an instructor to get some experience.

How do I go about volunteering as an instructor?

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Hi Savvas. That's a great ambition but don't you think you should focus on your own development, rather than that of others? At least at these early stages of your climbing career.

You've already got the single most important characteristic for enjoying the sport: enthusiasm. You've got it in spades. If you want to hang out with instructors, then take a course. Better and cheaper still, climb with and learn from those more experienced than you. Boulder to a defined and regular programme. Above all, climb, climb, climb.

As I think others have said before, don't overthink the sport. Go out and do it. I enjoy your posts so don't stop contributing on here but be sure to create some logbook entries as well as starting new forum threads!!

In reply to BnB:

Hi BnB.

I am joining the London Mountaineering Club this April and I will hire an instructor to teach my abseiling.

I will be doing a hillwalking skills course at Plas Y Brenin in March so I will get to hang with instructors anyway.

I was training for skiing at the gym with deadlifts and front squats but it has also improved my climbing.

To make some money for climbing, skiing etc will a blog do?

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:
To be an instructor, you need to be proficient and experienced as you will be responsible for a less proficient and less experienced client. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you are not experienced or proficient enough to even assist an instructor at the moment. When instructing, they will need to have full concentration on their clients and not have to worry about looking after their 'assistant'!

You are very enthusiastic but you need to concentrate on getting yourself out climbing and gaining experience before you can even think about looking after others.

If you just want contact with instructors, to 'hang with them' maybe you could apply for a job at Plas y Brenin in the bar or kitchen!

In reply to liz j:

Hello Liz.

Thanks for the advice.

Then I do not know what to do work wise.

The only thing I can think of is a blog but I am not sure how much income that can bring.

There used to be such jobs as kitchen assistant but not anymore.

I read an thread of yours about one exercise that rules them all and you said deadlift....

It is true.... I love the deadlift!

Do you think I can lecture about my climbing and skiing achievements?

Bye


Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:



Depends - what climbing and skiing achievements have you got to lecture about?

In reply to Mountain Spirit:



Hi Savas, why April? Why not just join now?

I was in the LMC for a short while as a beginner and they're a friendly club and had meets throughout the winter too.

The sooner the better!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Hello.

I have a ski trip that I am going to in March - I hope to do blue and red runs.

I would love to climb F7b and lead trad HVS this year, along with TD alpine routes.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Tom Last:

Hi Tom.

I am skiing in march and I want to do a hillwalking course first before I join a club.

I have no Scottish Winter experience to join them in winter.

They are a friendly club - I have heard from senior members.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Savvas, I have no idea where you get the idea that I do deadlifts, have never mentioned them on here ever!! Think you have mixed me up with someone else!!

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

I genuinely look forward to each and every Mountain Spirit post.
I love this guy. Seriously I really love him.
I'm still not quite sure you know....
But I love him none the less.
(I was pretty sure that Lance was a bit naughty right from the early days - but still not 100%....)

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Some budding instructors offer on here now and again when they want to build up experience taking folk out prior to an assessment. Other than hiring one, taking someone up on one of these offers is probably your best bet regarding 'things to do with instructing'!

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Can I ask you a slightly personal question Savvas? You obviously have a real love for climbing and want to earn a living from it, but what do you do for a living now? Living is London, going on courses, 1-2-1 instruction, ski holidays etc all costs money, which you don't seem to mind spending, I assume you already have a good job, or do you have some sort of private income?

With regard to earning a living from climbing, you need lots of experience. Years of it, even then it isn't always easy. Courses are great, but getting out and just doing it is the best experience, spend a couple of years enjoying climbing as much as you can then, think about if a climbing related career is one for you.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Hi Mountain Spirit,

How about a career in comedy, that might fund your ambitions?

Bye,

Jez

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

You could volunteer to help out at a wall with kids clubs etc. How about the Westway, you'd fit right in there.

In reply to liz j:

Liz.

I was mistaken....

Someone posted deadlifts in this post of yours....

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=575510&v=1#x7640735

Bye

Savvas

In reply to djellworth:

Hello

Thanks for all of that.

Why do you like my threads?

Bye

Savvas

In reply to The New NickB:

Hello New Nick.

Well I am on benefits at thew moment but I live at home.

I was suggested 1-2-1 training because of my Dyspraxia.

Thanks for the advice.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Jonny2vests:

Hello Johnny.

That seems a good idea.

I will ask at Mile End tomorrow as it is where I climb the most.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to jezb1:

Hello Jez.

Why do you say comedy?

Don't most comedians start young?

Bye

Savvas

In reply to FactorXXX:

Hello.

There I was just posing.

I do have a beard.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:







Wish I could afford a skiing holiday this year, maybe I'll trade in the job for benefits!!

In reply to liz j:

Hi.

Stay with the job....

I wish I had a job!

I have money because I d not pay rent and bills.

If I was paying bills, doing weekly shopping, paying rent or having a mortgage I would just be able to scrape by.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

There are hundreds of thousands of people working full time, paying bills, doing weekly shopping, paying rent or having a mortgage and just scraping by.

Yet by being on benefits, you can afford two skiing holidays in one season.

Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

scout run climing sessions always struck me as a great way to get involved. I disagree with the above posts its never to early to get involved. Teaching is not just about sharing your knowledge its also about learning from others. most scout districts have some sort of club that would appriciate any help. I would suggest sending a message to your countys scouts climbing club and seeing what the organisers of this have to say but the reality is that most of these clubs already have a good instructor base so not only can you contribute you can also learn some good climbing skills and have a bit of fun whilst helping out.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Hi Savvas.

Just some ideas?

How about keep Building up your own personal experience Climbing, and volunteering with something Like a youth group or similar for a few hours a week in a non Climbing setting.

That would put you in good Stead if you went down the instructor route Later on.

If you join your local st john ambulance group, youll gain the Necessary first aid qualifications and experience, as well as getting to attend events in exchange for your good work.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Mate, if you're unemployed, why not just sack off London & move to North Wales, or Fort William/Inverness or similar? You'll get plenty of climbing in if you do that & you can fill up any days not working on the hill rather that at the Westway.

Climbing & London don't easily mix, get outta there!

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Forget it troll idiot-stop wasting peoples time

In reply to Jack Gillespie:

I'm willing to bet that you're just about to receive a pm from a member of this parish

JW

In reply to John Ww:

Hello John.

I am only doing one ski trip this year.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to getandy:

Hello.

This is a brilliant idea.

What do I search under?

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Choss:

Hi.

I was thinking of volunteering as an assistant team leader with The Princess Trust Volunteers Program.

I like The St Johns Ambulance group idea aswell.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Tom Last:

Hey mate.

I am actually thinking of packing the London life in and moving to the countryside.

I had North Wales and Scotland in mind!

You are 100% right....

London is rubbish for climbing!

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Well good luck then Savvas. I hope it enables (and I'm sure it will do) you to fulfill some of your ambitions.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

So you didn't post this then?

Topic - Second ski holiday

Hello.

I am planning to do a second ski holiday this season in March or possible late February after my Bulgaria ski trip.

Can anyone suggest a good second location?

Bye

Savvas


Or this...


I had Austria in mind but I was not sure of what resort.

Kaprun and Zell sound lovely!

I was also thinking about somewhere closer to home like Aosta Valley or Les Deux Alpes.

Or this...

As for resorts I am, up for anywhere.

Austria is on my mind aswell as France and Italy.

Or this...

Will consider Scandinavia in mind.

Or this...

I like Cervinia and I had the Aosta Valley in mind!

Do you want me to go on?

JW

In reply to Jack Gillespie:

There was really no need for that.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Hi there. I'm assuming you live with your parents or something like that if you're not paying any bills and have some money to spend on doing things you want to do. Whatever, good on you for being so enthusiastic about your climbing and skiing.

As people have said, I strongly suspect you don't yet have the skills to instruct, which take years to build up. Others have given you some ideas for volunteering to help with climbing/outdoors activities which is a great idea as you can get experience at the same time.

I can appreciate it's hard to get climbing outdoors if you are based in London (it was a right pain when I lived in that neck of the woods for a while), but that really has to be the key. Get out more climbing and just get as much experience as you can, and enjoy doing it. Joining a club may indeed help. However, if someone offers to take you out climbing somewhere they know or if you see an instructor offering free sessions outside (as part of their training), I'd suggest you jump at it.

All the best.

In reply to Tom Last:

Thanx Tom.

In reply to John Ww:
Hi.

People can change their mind you know....

Or their circumstances can change.

I wrote it but I said in the OP planning not going to do.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Skyfall:

Hello Skyfall.

I am looking into the various ideas at the moment.

I will look for instructors offering free sessions on this forum.

Thanx

Savvas

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Put your hand up?

In reply to Mountain Spirit:





That's one more than I can afford! Maybe if I stopped paying tax I might just be able to afford it, but then you couldn't as they wouldn't have any money to pay your benefits!

In reply to John Ww:

Sorry but i don't know what you are on about

In reply to Skyfall:

Well if its not a troll please accept my abject apologies

In reply to Jack Gillespie:

Have pm'd you.

JW

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Very interesting wish list of climbs on your profile.

In reply to John Ww:


So the guy probably has a supportive family, why not just be happy for him.

Hi Savvas, I think you probably ought to take some time to develop your personal climbing skills before considering instructing. I'd join the club asap, go meet them in the pub and at the wall even if you don't feel comfortable going away with them yet you'll still get to know people which is worth doing before spring.

What else do you enjoy besides climbing? What skills do you have? Are you academic? You mentioned you were on some sort of admin course the other day, is that something you're interested in or just fleshing out your CV a bit? Do you get any meaningful job hunting support from the Job centre or anywhere else?

jk

In reply to jkarran:

It's obviously not possible to afford a ski holiday on benefits, he must have some independent income or savings, so let's not turn this into a Daily mail-esque inaccurate rant against people on benefits.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

Get off his back guys, it's got nothing to do with us how he has skiing holidays or were he gets his cash from.

In reply to jkarran:

Hello jk.

I used to swim quite a bit. I also like working at the gym as apart of my training. I have computer skills including graphic design, desk top publishing and web design. I can cook quite a bit and know a little D.I.Y.

I studied Microbiology at uni. I was looking for admin work but I am not that keen anymore.

No, not really - the job centre is useless.

I was on the work program but they only got their act together right at the end.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Wesley Orvis:

Hello.

I do not know how to reply to your post.

I can only say thanx.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to Jack Gillespie:


I agree with Jack. MS's threads/ posts over the years show a complete lack of integrity, honesty, and sense.

In reply to abseil:


And yours a lack of sensitivity. It takes all sorts to make a world.

In reply to abseil:

Really? Then you are a total idiot.

In reply to BnB:


Lack of sensitivity? Yes, no doubt you're right, towards people. However, I have enough sensitivity to detect BS and when I see enough I can and will speak up about it. I've had quite enough in my life.

In reply to Sally Bustyerface:


Really, Sally? You don't know me and you can talk about my post, I accept that, but not about me - based on one post.

In reply to abseil:

Mountain Spirit is very open on here about his dyspraxia, the admission of which takes a level of bravery that far exceeds catty posting from an anonymous profile. I personally enjoy his contributions, be they genuine inquisitiveness, flights of fancy or simply boundless enthusiasm.

Keep it up Mountain Spirit.

In reply to BnB:


well said. There has been too much calling of names and the Whiff of Benefit claimant bullying on this thread.

As he mentions he has dyspraxia himself, Im sure Savvas wont mind me posting this Link for Those who dont Know.

http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/dyspraxia-adults/

In reply to BnB:


Thanks for your reply. I've known this for a long time, nothing new to me.

But "posting from an anonymous profile"? You, me, Sally, and MS all fit that bill.

In reply to Choss:

Hi MS,

First time I've caught a thread by you, you seem like a very enthusiastic chap and a nice guy and I wish you the best of luck

It's also the first time I've heard of Dyspraxia. Reading through the list of symptons that Choss just posted - does it affect your climbing at all, and do you think it could be a potential barrier to you becoming an instructor?

Don't mean to derail the thread and if you don't want to get into details about it (personal territory and all) I totally understand.

In reply to abseil:


Then your insensitivity is greater than I imagined.


My picture(s), location and climbing history are all open to view. And yours?

In reply to BnB:


'Anonymous' means 'not identified by name.'

In reply to abseil:

In your shoes I'd be thinking less about scoring linguistic points and more about composing an apology for your earlier post regarding the OP.

In reply to BnB:

You are right. I apologize to MS, to you, to Sally, and to thread readers. I'm sorry I said what I did, and I take it back.

I mean it.

In reply to abseil:

Thank you

In reply to BnB:

You're welcome, and thanks for your input today. I mean it.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:


First step towards instructing is usually to tag along on a few instructed sessions as an observer, just to get a feel for how these things work. This is often called "shadowing" a session.

There's quite a lot of things to learn about looking after a group that might not at first be obvious, and the process is pretty interesting. I thought so, anyway.

As you're in London at the moment, your best bet would be to have a chat with the staff at your local wall. They're usually friendly and helpful with this sort of request.

By the way, it's possible that they may want you to be CRB checked if you're shadowing sessions with children, although this may not be necessary if there's always a qualified instructor present. They'll let you know, anyway.

In reply to Mountain Spirit:

On the bright side, some people at my local wall seemed to go from being novices themselves to instructing indoors in a very short period of time. If this is a good thing or not is open to debate but I have noticed that they seem to be less interested in developing their own climbing than instructing others.

In reply to ThunderCat:

Hello.

It has not affected my climbing atall.

It affected just the walk in and the descent because I had no hillwalking and/or scrambling experience so I was not used to walking on uneven rocky ground or scrambling.

I do not think it could be a potential barrier to me becoming an instructor - core strength training, bouldering and yoga have helped me alot.

Thanks.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to bpmclimb:
Hello.

I know about shadowing....

I asked at Plas Y Brenin and Glenmore Lodge....

At PYB they are busy at the moment so there are no shadowing opportunities - the head instructor will let me know.

To shadow at Glenmore Lodge you need to be ready to take your MIC assessment when there are some opportunities.

Where I live I do not have any wall I call local even The Arch is a train and tube journey away....

The other walls I climb at Mile End, The Castle, Westways and White Spider are a lot further.

I think for friendliness it would have to be either The Castle or Mile End Wall.

I will ask at all the walls I climb at.

Bye

Savvas

In reply to GridNorth:

Hello.

I am not sure f this is a good thing or not either.

I want to develop my climbing to.

Bye

Savvas