Overview
The Leadership Expedition backpacking trip is designed for our rising wilderness leaders. The curriculum focuses on developing backpacking skills, learning to teach these skills, and building leadership skills. The focus of this trip is to prepare wilderness leaders to lead their classmates on an Orientation backpacking trip later in August.
The contract starts and ends at UWC-USA in Montezuma, NM.
Qualifications:
Experience leading novices in the backcountry, including at elevations above 10,000 feet, and on trips of at least 5 days.
Experience assessing and managing backcountry terrain and hazards; experience with backcountry risk-management, including lightning, rockfall, river crossings, and map & compass navigation on- and off-trail. Experience camping in bear habitat and using bear-hangs.
Fluency with Leave No Trace principles and a strong wilderness preservation ethic.
Required Skills:
Experience working with diverse student populations; aware and sensitive to the multicultural nature of UWC student groups.
Strong communication skills and group awareness; able to coach leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with students.
Preferred Skills:
- Work closely with students to provide instruction and to facilitate team interaction.
- Mentor student trip-leaders in their development of leadership skills.
- Participate in team briefs and debriefs during each trip (while in the field).
- Coach students, and intervene when necessary, in matters of judgement, risk management, and safety.
About United World College
UWC-USA is one of 18 United World College (UWC) campuses located on five continents. A two-year residential school, UWC-USA serves students age 16-19 who typically represent more than 85 different countries. They participate in a unique program that combines academic challenge with an experiential, hands-on approach to learning. We are seeking instructors who represent our diverse student body and strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented communities in the outdoors. As a program we welcome individuals from every nation, racial and ethnic group, socioeconomic and political background. Our effectiveness as a program is based on building community in the wilderness that embodies diversity in all its forms.
