fbpx

Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A four week, online course on Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure

Viristar > Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A four week, online course on Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure

Risk Management for Outdoor Programs

Gain critical knowledge of best practices in outdoor program risk management. Learn procedures, systems and plans essential to meeting key outdoor safety standards.

Enroll Now
Course Schedule

Description

Viristar’s Risk Management for Outdoor Programs course provides a comprehensive training on safety management for outdoor and experiential professionals.

The course is suitable for managers and those with administrative or other leadership responsibilities for experiential, outdoor, wilderness, adventure, or travel programs.

The course takes place online.

 

Course Components

The course is composed of both self study and video-conference sessions. These live calls include seminar-style discussions, participant presentations, question and answer periods, and learning activities held in large and small groups. In between video-conference sessions are Independent Work Periods. During these times participants complete independent work including readings, video presentations, quizzes, discussion forums, video-based role-play simulations, assessments, and writing assignments such as a Risk Management Plan outline. Course topics include:
  • Laws
  • Safety standards
  • Human factors
  • Equipment
  • Transportation
  • Insurance
  • Safety audits
  • Systems thinking
  • and much more.
Download a PDF version of the syllabus here.
Enroll Now
Course Schedule

Outcomes

You can expect to:

  • Gain critical knowledge of best practices in outdoor program risk management.
  • Learn procedures, systems and plans essential to meeting key outdoor safety standards.
  • Understand how to apply successful risk management strategies to adventure programs, experiential education, wilderness expeditions, and outdoor trips.

Textbook

The course includes lifetime access to an electronic, online-based copy of the course textbook Risk Management for Outdoor Programs: A Guide to Safety in Outdoor Education, Recreation and Adventure.

Certification

Participants take short quizzes throughout the course and a final written exam. Individuals who fully participate in learning activities and successfully complete the final exam receive a certificate from Viristar valid for three years.

"Extremely well put together...a very valuable resource for all providers and users of outdoor activities and education."
David Powell
David PowellManaging Director, Asia Ability, Borneo
"Well-structured and easy to understand for those starting out on their risk journey as well as seasoned risk practitioners. There is a good balance between the rigor of risk theories and concepts and practical application...many case studies from which lessons have been learned and very helpful templates which can be adapted for a variety of organizations."
Louise Melville
Louise MelvilleCoordinator of Experiential Learning,
St. Clement's School
"A gift to our outdoor adventure profession...a logical road map to how risk should be managed at a programmatic level. It is full of pertinent information, concrete examples and a comprehensive risk management model...a great 'plus' to our industry."
Dr. Christian Bisson
Dr. Christian BissonProfessor of Adventure Education & Adventure Education Program Coordinator, Plymouth State University, New Hampshire USA
"Well organized and clearly written containing real-life examples of incidents...well thought out."
Katie Rogers
Katie RogersFounder & Director,
Baden-Powell Scoutcraft Fellowship
"A complete and concise guide, that allows readers to take their own calibrated approach, contexulaized to their own situation."
Syed Ismail
Syed IsmailAssistant Director,
Outward Bound Singapore
"The definitive resource for risk management and safety. An industry standard that every teacher, trip leader, manager and organization should have as a reference in their tool kit."
Kenny Peavy
Kenny PeavyHead of Curriculum & Learning, Green Camp at Green School Bali, Indonesia
Previous
Next

Dates and Times

The course is offered two times each month. One section, or cohort, has live sessions timed to be convenient for participants in the Americas and Europe. Another section, or cohort, has live sessions timed to be convenient for participants in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and the west coast of the Americas.

Below are specific times and dates for each group.

  • Cohort A refers to the class where live sessions are most convenient for participants in the Americas and Europe.
  • Cohort B refers to the class where live sessions are most convenient for participants in the Asia-Pacific or west coast of the Americas.

To enroll in a course, simply select the month you wish to begin your course. Then choose the cohort where live sessions are most convenient to your time zone.

Course begins: August 2021

Cohort A, most convenient for Americas/Europe participants:

No seats available.

Cohort B, most convenient for APAC participants:

(Times/dates based on Singapore time, UTC+8)

Wednesday, August 4 to Wednesday, September 11, 2021

Wednesday, August 4, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 1
Wednesday, August 11, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 2
Wednesday, August 18, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 3
Wednesday, August 25, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 4
Wednesday, September 1, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 5

Independent work occurs between Live Sessions.
Refer to the time zone conversion chart below to see the date and time the course occurs for your time zone.

Course begins: September 2021

Cohort A, most convenient for Americas/Europe participants:

(Times/dates based on New York time, UTC-4)

Wednesday, September 1 to Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Wednesday, September 1, 11:00 am New York time (UTC-4) Live Session 1
Wednesday, September 8, 11:00 am New York time (UTC-4) Live Session 2
Wednesday, September 15, 11:00 am New York time (UTC-4) Live Session 3
Wednesday, September 22, 11:00 am New York time (UTC-4) Live Session 4
Wednesday, September 29, 11:00 am New York time (UTC-4) Live Session 5

Cohort B, most convenient for APAC participants:

No seats available.

Independent work occurs between Live Sessions.
Refer to the time zone conversion chart below to see the date and time the course occurs for your time zone.

Course begins: October 2021

Cohort A, most convenient for Americas/Europe participants:

No seats available.

Cohort B, most convenient for APAC participants:

(Times/dates based on Singapore time, UTC+8)

Wednesday, October 6 to Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Wednesday, October 6, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 1
Wednesday, October 13, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 2
Wednesday, October 20, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 3
Wednesday, October 27, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 4
Wednesday, November 3, 11:00 am Singapore time (UTC+8) Live Session 5

Independent work occurs between Live Sessions.
Refer to the time zone conversion chart below to see the date and time the course occurs for your time zone.

Time Zone Converter

A time zone conversion chart is provided below for your convenience.

For Cohort A (Americas/Europe timing):
Saturday, 11 am New York time (UTC-5) is also:
Saturday, 8 am Los Angeles (UTC-8)
Saturday, 4 pm London (UTC+0)
Saturday, 9:30 pm India (UTC+5.30)
Sunday (the day after), 12 midnight Singapore (UTC+8)
Sunday (the day after), 2 am Sydney AU (UTC+10)

For Cohort B (Asia-Pacific timing):
Wednesday, 11 am Singapore time (UTC+8) is also:
Tuesday (the day before), 7 pm Los Angeles (UTC-8)
Tuesday (the day before), 10 pm New York (UTC-5)
Wednesday, 3 am London (UTC+0)
Wednesday, 8:30 am India (UTC+5.30)
Wednesday, 1 pm Sydney AU (UTC+10)

Note: adjust the times above as needed if your region observes Daylight Savings Time.

Enroll Now