The Guide Competency Certificate Scheme is for Overland Leaders who are involved in guiding activity, particularly those working within Adventure Tourism and Commercial Markets. 

This endorsement is aimed at supporting and recognising the additional skills required when fulfilling a guiding role. 

The ethos of the scheme is to support, share and recognise the leaders guiding development. 

The cadre of Guides and aspirant Guides will be a supportive network of leaders, sharing best practice and like-minded ideas, in order to aid their learning and support adventurers on their journeys. 

This may include topics such as trip planning/organisation, leadership styles, customer care, camp craft, minimising impact on communities/environment, adding value to the customer experience, overseas travel, legalities, duty of care and incident management with the OGA developing modules/courses covering these topics. 

Recognition that the Guide also meets minimum standards of deployment is also built into the endorsement; this will cover first aid and a commitment to continual professional development. 

Level 1 Guide

This competency is for Aspirant Guides or Guides working under the supervision of Level 2 Guides.

Pre Requisites:
16 hr First Aid in the Outdoors
Navigation Skills

  • Pre-Ride planning
  • Able to assess riders needs and abilitiest
  • Plan a ride to suit the needs of the group, single or multiple days
  •  Able to give a clear and precise Pre-Ride Brief to Standard
  • Confident and positive group management skills
  • Documentations requirements and organisational procedures
  • Duty of Care
  • Customer Care
  • Incident Management in area of operation
  • Able to ride, navigate and demonstrate effective group management that is safe and positive

 

Level 2 Guide

A Level 2 Guide can operate in any developed country where medical and rescue services are accessible

Level 2 Guides can manage a number of  Level 1 Guides ( within their organisation), enabling an effective team to operate individually or as part of an expedition team.

Pre Requisites:
18 hr First Aid at Work in the Outdoors+ Helmet removal. 
Excellent Navigation Skills

  • Pre-Ride planning
  • Able to assess riders needs and abilities
  • Check weather conditions and make judgments on the forecast
  • Plan a ride to suit the needs of the group, single or multiple days
  •  Able to use GPS systems/ Maps
  • Able to give a clear and precise Pre-Ride Brief to Standard
  • Confident and positive group management skills
  • Documentation requirements and organisational procedures
  • Duty of Care
  • Customer Care
  • Incident Management
  • Understands Access in the relevant locations of operations.
  • Understands their role and how to manage Level 1 Run Leaders
  • Understands Multi-day advenutres and how to set appropriate distances and expectations for the group.
  • Understands Guided and Self Guided forms of adventure and how to manage them effectively.

 

Level 3 Guide

At Level 3 the Guide can operate in areas where there is limited emergency rescue services, requiring the Guide to be higher qualified in medical incident management and grasps the complexity of travel in developing countries.

Pre Requisites:

FREC 3 + WMT Advanced Medicine or equivalent 

Excellent Navigation Skills and planning skills in areas where mapping and planning is not straightforward.

Has evidence of 3 independent Overland Expeditions in developing countries or has worked/assisted as a Guide in developing countries.

  • Pre-Ride planning
  • Able to assess riders needs and abilities
  • Check weather conditions and make judgments on the forecast
  • Plan a ride to suit the needs of the group, single or multiple days
  •  Able to use GPS systems/ Maps
  • Able to give a clear and precise Pre-Ride Brief to Standard
  • Confident and positive group management skills
  • Documentation requirements and organisational procedures
  • Duty of Care
  • Customer Care
  • Incident Management
  • Understands Access in the relevant locations of operations.
  • Understands their role and how to manage Level 1 Run Leaders
  • Understands Multi-day advenutres and how to set appropriate distances and expectations for the group.
  • Understands Guided and Self Guided forms of adventure and how to manage them effectively.
  • Understandes the process of visa and travel arrangements for vehicles and clients.
  • Able to provide the required medical support and asses the transport needs of a casualty in a developing country. 

 

Level 4 Guide 

At this level the areas of operation shape the skills and competencies, as this course is designed for Guides who operate in countries where there is very limited support from Hospitals, there will be no rescue services other than third party provision arranged via the guides. 

Pre Requisites:

,FREC 4 + WMT Advanced Medicine or equivalent. Excellent Navigation Skills and planning skills in areas where mapping and planning is not straightforward.

Has evidence of 5 independent Overland Expeditions in developing countries or has worked/assisted as a Guide in developing countries.

  • Pre-Ride planning
  • Able to assess riders needs and abilities
  • Check weather conditions and make judgments on the forecast
  • Plan a ride to suit the needs of the group, single or multiple days
  •  Able to use GPS systems/ Maps
  • Able to give a clear and precise Pre-Ride Brief to Standard
  • Confident and positive group management skills
  • Documentation requirements and organisational procedures
  • Duty of Care
  • Customer Care
  • Incident Management
  • Understands Access in the relevant locations of operations.
  • Understands their role and how to manage team members and additional Guides
  • Understands Multi-day advenutres and how to set appropriate distances and expectations for the group.
  • Understands Guided and Self Guided forms of adventure and how to manage them effectively.
  • Understandes the process of visa and travel arrangements for vehicles and clients.
  • Able to provide the required medical support and asses the transport needs of a casualty in a developing country, including repatriation via rescue services.
  • Able to prepare/ stock and assign key roles to support vehicle staff.
  • Able to produce comprehensive expedition Risk Assessments.