membership iconMembership : Bushcraft and Survival Skills SIG

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Meeting and Workshops 8-9 July 09 - Free to all BSSIG members

  • Venue – Spring Wood (Derbys/Leics Border). Arrival from 1pm on the 8th. We are planning to combine this next meeting with some worthwhile workshops over the two days. As we have the light this time of year we aim to have the SIG meeting 6 – 9pm which means which ever day you can attend you can probably make the meeting. Workshops will start at 2pm on the 8th and 9am on the 9th.
    Bring your own Tent/Shelter, chair and Food etc. Open Fires are available in one of 2 locations
    Workshops so far are: Tree and Plant Identification, Game Preparation, Strings and Cordage, Knife Law
  • If you aim to attend please contact Dave Watson at
    dave@woodlandsurvivalcrafts.com
    stating when you aim to come and which workshops you are most interested in.

BSSIG AGM and Meeting

3-4 October 2009 BSSIG AGM and meeting. It will take place somewhere in the Midlands - venue to be arranged. Watch this space.

 

BSSIG Update (April 17th)

  • Well, it's great to be able to report to you all that we have now successfully run 2 assessment courses as well as the first 3 day training course. All were full or very well attended and the feedback so far has been very favourable. In the next few weeks we shall be arranging more training courses, assessments as well as the next SIG meetings and AGM. We still would value peoples suggestions on possible workshops to add to a future SIG meeting.

Dave Watson LPIOL, BSS SIG Chair

IOL - Bushcraft Training for Outdoor Practitioners

  • To meet a growing need in Outdoor Education we are now providing a system of courses to equip those of you who are/aiming to use Bushcraft skills as part of your programmes.
  • These full 3-day training courses have been created by the Bushcraft and Survival Skills SIG using some of the most experienced trainers of Bushcraft in the country. The course will be run by two trainers for the entire 3 days.
  • The initial courses take place at Spring Wood (Derbys/Leics Border) and will cover the basic skills of Bushcraft in order to clarify good practice and help you understand how things can really work.
  • Subjects will include:
    - Safe Shelter construction and bedding
    - Safe use of basic tools and Knife Law
    - Establishing fires by; Bow Drill, Firesteel, Flint and Steel and others
    - Leaving no trace
    - Water Filtering and Purification
    - Basic Tree ID
  • (Further course dates to be arranged)
  • (3 full days with 2 trainers) COST: IOL BSSIG Members - £275, IOL Members - £285, Non IOL Members - £320 per student
  • Following these there will be a series of 2 day assessments (dates to be confirmed) which then lead to being recognised by the IOL as a Bushcraft session provider and be listed on the web site. These will be priced at £185 per person.
  • To book your place speak to Louise at IOL 01228 564580 or contact Dave Watson 07736 225035/ 01283 730851

Bushcraft Practitioner Assessment

  • Bushcraft Practitioner Assessments
  • 23rd - 24th June - Springwood (Leicestershire/Derbyshire border)
  • Introductory Price £95 (subsequent assessment will be £200)
  • This two day pilot assessment is open to existing Outdoor Practitioners who use Bushcraft and who feel that they have a good basic competence without the need for further training. Click here for Programme.
  • Details of the 3 criteria are available here (pdf) but an overview is given below.
  • - Basic competence in putting up a debris shelter
    - Good understanding in the safe use of basic tools
    - Competent in creating fire both with sparks and friction
    - Understanding in the basics of water filtering and purification
  • Contact Dave Watson of Woodland Survival Crafts or Louise at IOL.

Bushcraft Trainer Assessment

  • Trainers Assessment 3-4 October Sussex (venue to be confirmed). This is by invitiation only. Please contact Dave Watson.

 

  • Find out more about this IOL Special Interest Group and how to get involved through your IOL Membership - Click here.
  • IOL members who are fully active and paid up Bushcraft members can access the members only are of the website here......

 

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BSS SIG NEWS

BSS SIG Executive - Voting took place (10th December 07) for the posts of Chair, Secretary and Membership Officer. The following were appointed:

  • Chair: Dave Watson
  • Secretary: Anne Humberstone
  • Membership Officer: Neil Feist

 

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BSS SIG Meetings

  • Next BSS SIG Exec meeting is taking place on February 11th at Windlehill Farm, Sutton on the Hill, Derbyshire, DE6 5JH. Arrival at 12.00, lunch provided. Meeting to start at 1pm.

 

BSS SIG : Background & membership info...

Inaugural IOL Bushcraft & Survival Skills SIG (BSS SIG) - June 2007

  • A wide range of interests were represented by the 12 people present from Bushcraft schools, through life coach to outdoor centres. The Vice Chair of the IOL attended as their representative.
  • The meeting opened at 11.00 and was chaired by Dave Watson. This was a rather informal gathering with all parties ‘feeling their way’ as it were, and expressing their interests and concerns.  With his wide experience Ken Fordham provided invaluable guidance in these initial stages and also later as the meeting developed into a more ‘productive’ mode.
  • By the end of the meeting the members had drawn up a provisional list of minimum standards that would be required of schools and practitioners, also a list of skills required with certain skills being deemed essential.
  • Certain tasks allocated are to be completed by the next meeting, which will take place on 5th September 2007. The meeting closed with a strong feeling of reassurance and unity.
  • Proposed Aims
    a) To create universally accepted working procedures for the running of basic sessions relating to the subject in order to establish good/best practice especially in the subjects of wild food use/consumption, safe shelter construction and tool safety.
  • b) To help safeguard the growing industry in use of Bushcraft skills recognising that it can easily be misused due to lack of clear boundaries e.g. Survival training could involve a large amount of modern equipment e.g. Tarps, compass, canoes, ropes, ration packs; where as Bushcraft should focus primarily on the understanding and use of the natural resources of the countryside and the students initiative.
  • c) To establish good, appropriate / cost effective training for anyone using related skills.
  • d) To suggest clarity of training/experience that should be obtained in order to run various types of ventures recognising that there is a vast difference between running a simple 2-hour initiative session with shelter building and an overnight camp.

Members Support for the SIG

  • It was important that there was enough initial experience from a variety of backgrounds so that we can be truly objective in our approach to each given task.
    Within the group we hope to have a wide range of expertise that includes Forest School Leader, Outdoor Pursuit Instructors, Outdoor Education Manager/Program Developer, Expedition Leaders, some of the most experienced and established Bushcraft/Survival trainers in the country.     

Aims consistent with those of the Institute for Outdoor Learning

  • At the heart of good Bushcraft, Survival SKills and Wilderness Living practices are true sustainability and environmental sensitivity. We believe in utilising/understanding our environment through first hand experience more than theory. Good Bushcraft /Survival challenges the perceptions of what is around us in an exciting and positive way. Consequently, it is an ideal tool to challenge the perceptions of ourselves/students in a positive way.

Criteria for Membership

  • Members will need to be current IOL members and contribute an additional £20 a year, renewable at the same time as renewing IOL membership, to cover the cost of meetings and administration.

Mode of Operation

  • Initially we will aim to meet twice a year until we have set clearer goals. We will run with a chair person and, hopefully, a secretary.

    BSS SIG annual membership fee is £20; in addition to IOL membership.
    For more information, and to join the SIG, contact Louise at:
    iol@outdoor-learning.org

Bushcraft Courses offered by SIG members

  • Watch this space.....

 

Photographs by Ian Cresswell