AIM Awards Accreditation

Woodland Survival Skills (Bushcraft)
Level 1 & 2

Real Adventure, Real Learning

Enriching the lives of young people

DaveDavid Watson of Woodland Survival Crafts has spent many years developing programmes for young people, especially those who struggle with more conventional education.
Following this experience Dave developed the "Woodland Survival Skills (Bushcraft)" course in conjunction with the North East Midlands Open College Network (now AIM Awards). It was the first (OCN Level 1 & 2) of its kind.

The Woodland Survival Skills (Bushcraft) course is now additionally accredited with the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards scheme and is accepted as the residential part of the Gold Award.


Woodland Survival Skills

Level 1 & 2
30 Guided Learning Hours

Natural Pathways is proud to offer a recognised Woodland Survival Skills (Bushcraft) course accredited by Aim Awards (OCNEMR). This course has been developed to give young people a practical foundation in Woodland Survival Skills and achieve a worthwhile recognised accreditation. Ideally suited to young people who may not excel in an academic learning environment but prefer a more practical approach to learning. It provides a perfect grounding in life-skills, environmental education and stimulates a healthy curiosity of the natural environment and encourages respect and awareness for the countryside which may lead on to a career working in an outdoor environment.

Bushcraft and Survival skills is an exciting medium in motivating and engaging young people and encouraging them to explore the nature world and make new discoveries about themselves. This course will draw out the very best in your young people, teaching them practical skills like shelter building, friction fire lighting, cooking on open fires and nature awareness. These skills have a remarkable way of inspiring young people… helping them to gain confidence… recognise their talents… develop communication skills, co-operate with others and further develop team building skills. Some have found that it has helped them to let go of past troubles and move on with renewed hope.

Our Vision at Natural Pathways is to give young people from all walks of life the opportunity to learn the ancient knowledge of our ancestors and the art and science of Bushcraft, Survival Skills and Nature Awareness and take them with them in to their future lives.

We have worked with various groups’ children and young people within various organisations such as Kent County Council Key Training Services, Opportunities Plus, Motiv8, Kentish Stour Countryside Project and many schools throughout the county.

 

Subjects Covered

      Bushcraft

Health, safety, personal hygiene
Natural Shelter Building
Water collection & purification
Lighting fires - various methods      
Friction fire lighting
Cooking on open fires
 
Flora & Fauna

Identifying Wild Edible foods
Wild food preperation
Knowledge of poisonous plants    
Nature Awareness Games


 
Campcraft

Knife safety & safe use of tools
Making utensils / forest furniture
Making natural cordage
Use & care of equipment
 


Natural Pathways can be flexible in its delivery of this course to fit in with your establishments time table. The course can be either spread over 5 or 6 separate days; say once a week over a half term period or two blocks of consecutive days with over night stays. If camping over night is a problem for your group please discuss this with us.

Nearing the end of the course each young person will decide with the guidance of Natural Pathways chief instructor as to which level of accreditation they aim for and it is at this point that each student is registered with Aim Awards.


Assessment

Asssessment is made through-out the course. It is aimed at finding out what students can physically demonstrate and explain in simple terms. Photographs, verbal questions and simple forms, which can be filled in by the student with the assessor's help if necessary, are the methods of assessment. Every effort is made to ensure that a student who can demonstrate and explain their understanding is not disadvantaged because of their possible limitations with pen and paper.

In pairs the students demonstrate their ability to do the following tasks, build a shelter and bed using the natural resources available, light a fire with the materials provided and cook food on the camp fire. Individually they will demonstrate how to make cordage, filter water and find and illustrate their understanding of wild plants.

Arranging and booking a course
Please contact us to discuss your requirements and arrange suitable dates, following that we provide a booking form, terms and conditions for your completion. On receipt of your deposit and booking form we will send a further information pack, containing the following:
  • Joining Instructions
  • Risk Assessment
  • CRB’s
  • Insurance Policy


Dear Geoffrey & Hannah

I just wanted to write and commend you on the excellent provision you have given our young people over the last six months.

We were looking for an activity day that would promote working as a team, awareness of self, others ands environment and to raise individual interaction and self-esteem. Your well-planned, supervised and self-evaluated day has met all these aims and more.

The feedback from all our learners, without exception, has been extremely positive with many expressing a wish to do a longer residential course with yourselves and some enjoying it more than our power boating activity day, which we had always thought to be a highlight of our motiv8 course.

Many of the young people we work with have been unable to engage in education, training or employment and therefore have a very negative self-image.

Natural Pathways with its fresh and flexible approach successfully addressed these issues while meeting the needs of the group as a whole.

As you know I am now moving on into New Pastures but it is very reassuring to me that Natural Pathways is now part of our motiv8 Programme.

I wish you success in the coming year and thank you for the ongoing good work you are doing in partnership with KEY Training Services.

Yours Sincerely

Rebecca Miller


Regional Marketing Officer

 


 
For prices, further information and to book an event, please contact us.



 
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