ivet.edu.au 1300 00 IVET IVET Institute: RTO ID: 40548 Plan outdoor activity sessions SISOPLN002 This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge to plan sessions for any type of outdoor recreation activity and to coordinate operational logistics. It requires the ability to plan for activity sessions within a whole of program, or for standalone activity sessions that meet the needs of participants, and to evaluate the effectiveness of sessions. This unit applies to any type of organisation that delivers outdoor recreation activities including commercial, not-for-profit and government organisations. STUDENT RESOURCE

CONTENTS Elements and performance criteria........................................................................................................................................3 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................................6 What is an outdoor activity session? .....................................................................................................................................6 What are the needs and expectations of your participants? .....................................................................................7 Who are your participants?........................................................................................................................................................8 Planning your activity sessions ..............................................................................................................................................10 What is the goal of your activity?.................................................................................................................................................................................10 Exploring ideas...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11 What resources will you require?..................................................................................................................................................................................12 The unpredictable great outdoors.............................................................................................................................................................................13 What are the risks involved?..............................................................................................................................................................................................13 Documenting your activity..................................................................................................................................................................................................15 Coordinating activity resources............................................................................................................................................. 17 Selecting activity venues...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Organising access.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................18 Rostering personnel ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Allocating equipment and supplies..........................................................................................................................................................................19 Issuing activity documents and briefing............................................................................................................................ 21 Evaluating the effectiveness of your session................................................................................................................... 22 Suites 210 – 212 189E South Centre Road Tullamarine VIC 3043 © IVET Created: 13/1/23 Version: 1.0 The content of this publication is produced for educational purposes only. No claim is made to its accuracy or the authenticity of the content. The information in this document is provided on the basis that the reader takes responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of the content. No responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites. IVET Group does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) in this document or incorporated into it by reference. All content, unless otherwise indicated, is the intellectual property of the IVET Group. 2

ELEMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA Elements describe the essential outcomes. Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. 1. Identify needs and expectations of participants. 1.1. Obtain information to determine preferences and expectations of participants. 1.2. Identify characteristics, abilities and special needs of participants. 1.3. Advise participants of any reasons why they should not participate in activities. 2. Plan activity sessions. 2.1. Determine activity objectives to meet identified participant needs. 2.2. Plan activity session to meet identified objectives, needs, participant characteristics and abilities, and to enhance participation and motivation. 2.3. Consult with relevant personnel and clients, as required, for input to activity plan and adjust accordingly. 2.4. Determine human and other resource requirements and plan session within budgetary constraints and organisational capacity to deliver. 2.5. Obtain and interpret weather and environmental information and factor into plans. 2.6. Complete activity risk assessment, according to organisational policies and procedures, and plan session according to determined risks and control measures. 2.7. Document and present activity plan for approval by relevant personnel and or clients. 3. Coordinate activity resources. 3.1. Select activity venues, sites or locations appropriate for activity, participant needs and abilities, and organise access. 3.2. Obtain or check on any required permits and permissions from land management authorities, owners or custodians. 3.3. Identify roles of activity delivery personnel and roster those with appropriate skill set. 3.4. Allocate equipment to meet activity and participant needs. 3.5. Identify food and water required to maintain physiological wellbeing of participants and personnel for activity duration. 3.6. Organise, as required, catering, temporary sites and other resources. SISOPLN002 Plan outdoor activity sessions Elements and performance criteria 3

Performance evidence Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and: y plan three different outdoor activity sessions tailored to the particular needs of three different participant groups y for each of the above sessions, coordinate all activity resources y for each the above sessions, develop the following operational documents required by delivery personnel and provide a briefing: y activity plan y activity risk assessment y participant profiles y utilise options provided in Assessment Conditions to: y evaluate feedback from delivery personnel and participants for two activity sessions y determine how to modify aspects of future sessions according to evaluation. Knowledge evidence Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit: y organisational policies and procedures for completing risk assessments y different reasons and objectives for people participating in outdoor recreation activities y principles and theories of recreational activity design to: y achieve objectives of different types of participants y enhance engagement and motivation y provide educational outcomes 4. Issue activity documents and brief delivery personnel. 4.1. Complete operational documents required by personnel delivering the activity. 4.2. Brief delivery personnel and support staff in operational details of the activity. 5. Evaluate effectiveness of activity sessions. 5.1. Obtain and evaluate feedback from delivery personnel and participants. 5.2. Identify successes, problems and difficulties. 5.3. Evaluate effectiveness of activity and identify areas for improvement to assist future planning. For more information on this unit of competency visit: https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/SISOPLN002 4

y factors that affect activity design to meet participant preferences, expectations and needs: y participant characteristics: y age, size and weight y current experience in the recreational activity and skill level y fitness level and physical capabilities y injuries and medical conditions y emotional, behavioural and intellectual ability or disability y objectives of activity participation y budget and cost expectations y desired duration of activity session y season of operation, weather and environmental conditions y specific to the particular type of outdoor recreation activity: y factors affecting ability to participate and reasons for non-participation y suitable activity venues, sites or locations y aspects of applicable state, territory, local government, land manager, owner or custodian regulations sufficient to know: y where the activity may be delivered and under what conditions y how to obtain and maintain permits or permissions y key features of the range of equipment required y roles of delivery personnel and level of skill required: y leaders ( guides or instructors) y activity assistants y organisational support personnel y support personnel provided by client groups y acceptable ratio of participants to leaders to ensure safety y daily fluid and energy requirements of participants and any local environmental conditions which impact y basic principles of nutrition sufficient to know the food groups, source of nutrients and the basis of a balanced meal plan y format, inclusions and use of operational documents required by delivery personnel: y activity risk assessment y activity plans for sessions y participant profiles y participant informed consents y methods used to evaluate recreational activities: y participant, staff and client organisation evaluation questionnaires y debriefs with delivery personnel and client organisations y evaluation of complaints, problems, difficulties or incident reports. 5

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions Introduction In this unit, we’ll explore how to plan and prepare for a variety of outdoor activity sessions. You’ll develop an understanding of what elements need to be identified and how to identify them, how to plan for activities, how to coordinate them and run them and finally how to evaluate and review the success of the event. What is an outdoor activity session? In it’s simplest form, an outdoor activity session is something that is participated in outdoors, either as an individual or in small or large groups. The activity that is chosen will, in part, determine the location where it is undertaken. It might be abseiling, hiking, camping, cycling, canoeing, running, sailing, or skiing. Outdoor activities are often undertaken by clubs or organisations as a means to develop team building, create a challenge, for enjoyment, or as an opportunity to just get out in nature. Some outdoor activities can be organised within a couple of days of the event, and others will require more careful planning and documentation. You need to consider such things as acquiring permits and checking on weather forecasts etc. and you’ll need to have contingency plans if the weather looks like it could disrupt the event. Photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash 6

What are the needs and expectations of your participants? The choice of outdoor activity is often determined by the needs and expectations of those that will be involved in your session. For example, there is no point planning an eight-day hike across a mountain range for a group of 5-9-year-olds, nor is it potentially ideal to plan an extreme mountaineering expedition for those with little or no previous experience. That is why the first thing you need to do before determining what your outdoor activity is going to be, is to find out any information you can about your potential participants, allowing you to determine what their preferences and expectations potentially are. This could be as simple as having a casual conversation with them or sending out an email asking for suggestions on things they’d like to do. If you have ideas, then you can ask for feedback on these suggestions prior to making a commitment. For example, there is no point planning an archery afternoon if no one is particularly interested in such an event and would really prefer to go canoeing along a river. There are a variety of different ways that you could ask people for their suggestions. These may include: y a suggestion box y a questionnaire y an online survey y a Facebook group chat y other social media chat y asking them face to face. 7

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions Who are your participants? Often the decision of what type of activity to undertake will be determined by knowing who your participants will be. This will most likely be defined by knowing who is involved in your club or organisation. They may have a common interest or partake in an activity, such as a sports club or association, or they may be connected by employment in an office or company. What you should be able to do with this information is to identify similar characteristics, abilities or potential special needs of those that might participate in the nominated activity. For example, you might be asked to formulate an outdoor activity for a small group of retirees who may have mobility issues, or you might be asked to organise a school excursion for a group of 9-year-old boys. You may already have access to this information, or you may need to devise a mechanism to source it. This could be as simple as asking questions of the group in an informal manner, creating a questionnaire or asking for information on a social media platform. It could include questions about some of the following elements: y Physical limitations including but not limited to: x eyesight x hearing x physical impairments x other conditions, such as asthma x ability (or limitations) in walking x physical fitness. y Common characteristics they might share, including but not limited to: x age x gender x financial status x where they live x access to transport x availabilities. y Special needs they may have could include but not be limited to: x dietary requirements x special aid requirements or support. What you will find with this information is that there will be a variety of results. No two people are exactly the same, nor are their circumstances, and this will mean that will be instances in which you identify and will need to advise participants of any reasons they may not be able to participate in the nominated activity. While this is never an ideal situation, it may be a requirement firstly for the person’s own safety, or for the greater safety of the group. Ideally, you would like to find an activity that is inclusive to all your possible participants, but this is not always possible. If your nominated activity was an 18-kilometre hike through a state forest and one of your possible participants was extremely unfit and carrying a long term knee injury, and their involvement in the activity would potentially create an unsafe situation for them, it would be logical that you would have to communicate to them that the activity would likely be unsuitable for them to attend. For example 8

You have been asked to determine an appropriate activity for the following list of people. There are a total of 14 possible participants: y They range in age from 14-17 and include both male and female. y They are of mixed athletic ability, with at least half of the group being overweight or having poor results in cardio exercise tests. y One member of the group has difficulty walking long distances, and another two have learning disabilities that require them to have aides. y A survey has been collected and compiled giving you a rough approximation of their characteristics, abilities and special needs. Undertake some research and then nominate a possible activity that you could organise for the group factoring their abilities. Would there be anyone you would advise not to participate in the activity? If so, why? ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 Determine an appropriate activity Learning Checkpoint 1 1. It is important to have an understanding of the expectations and preferences of the group including what your participants would like to achieve with the activity. What are two ways you could find out this information? 2. What information about your participants could you collect that would help you determine the strengths and weaknesses of the group? 3. What might be a contributing factor that will mean that a participant could not be involved in an activity? How would you deal with this situation? 9

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions Planning your activity sessions What is the goal of your activity? One of the conversations that you need to have, either as a collective or amongst the management of your group, is what is the desired goal or outcome for the activity? Simply put, why do you want to do it? Is the aim of the outdoor activity to: y act as a team-building exercise y to reward a group for their hard work y to enjoy a new experience y to build self-esteem y to build upon a skill set they’ve been developing y or just to have fun? Once you have determined what the goal of your activity is then you can make a decision about the type of activity you are going to undertake. For example, if team building is a goal, then it would make sense to choose an activity where the group would need to rely on and support each other. Or if you wanted a group to try something new and face the challenge of developing a new skill set, then you might deliberately choose an activity that no-one has undertaken before. Others things to factor can include the financial cost of the activity. Some outdoor activities can be done with minimal resources or expenses such as going for a hike, but others may require specialist trainers and facilities or resources. You’ll have to consider whether it will be seen as an appropriate choice by the participants or (in the case of those under 18) the parents of the participants. What is the average age, interest or physical ability level of your participant? Put yourself in their shoes and think about what they would gain from the activity or experience. If the goal is to enhance and build team participation, motivation and self-esteem, do you see the activity being of benefit? The last thing you want is to spend a lot of time planning and preparing an activity, and the turnout is lacklustre, or people pull out because they have little to no interest in partaking in the event, or decide that it’s too expensive. If the goal doesn’t align with the activity, then you should probably rethink your nominated activity. This is where it can be beneficial to have a collective of advisors who may be able to assist you in understanding and matching an activity to the desired goal or outcome. 10

Exploring ideas When making a decision on your activity, it can be of benefit to create a shortlist of a variety of options before making your final decision. You should do your due diligence on these activities and then present them to other members of your team, or the potential participants depending on the degree of input you think would be appropriate. For example, say you are the manager of an Under-12 boys basketball team, and you are looking for a team-building activity at the start of the season that they can do; one that will help them bond together. You research online and find three possible activities: y Outdoor laser tag – Located a 30-minute drive from your club’s training centre. It will cost $25 per person, and they have space to have a BBQ afterwards. They will break into two teams and play capture the flag. y Mountain bike trail – Located an hour from your club’s training centre. It will cost $30 per person as they provide bikes and safety equipment. They will compete against each other for the best time on the course. y Orienteering – Located 20 minutes from your club’s training centre. It will cost $15 per person. They will break into groups of two or three and have to use a compass to navigate their way in search of a hidden treasure. You consult with the other respective members of the team’s management committee and discuss your suggestions. While orienteering is the most cost-efficient, there is concern that the boys will find it boring and by breaking into groups of two or three, it won’t be much of a team-building exercise. Likewise, with the mountain bike trail, they will be working individually and competing against each other; also there is a chance that someone could have an accident on the trail and injure themselves which wouldn’t be ideal leading into the season. The consensus then is that the outdoor laser tag seems like the ideal activity to choose. Another factor you may need to consult on is the date you choose for the activity. Some may have preexisting plans on certain dates so you may need to adjust your nominated dates to accommodate and make sure that as many people as possible can attend. You can never guarantee that everyone will be free, but in the same breath, there’s no point locking in a date when everyone will be away because it’s a long weekend or there is already an event on that people are committed to. 11

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions What resources will you require? Okay, so you’ve nominated an event, and possible date, but before you move forward you need to calculate what resources you’ll require. Think about this. If you are taking a group of children into the bush for a trek, how many parents will you need to support you? All outdoor activities need to factor the health, safety and wellbeing of the children. This means having an adequate ratio of children to adults, and those adults will most likely be required to have a working with children check. How will the participants get to the location? Will you organise parents to carpool? Will you provide petrol money? Is it more economical to rent a bus to ferry everybody to the event, or can you catch public transport to the location? What additional resources will you require? Are you providing food or meals at the event, and if so, how will this be paid for, and how will it be transported? If you’re having a BBQ after the event, are there facilities at the location, or will you need to bring a portable BBQ and all the equipment? Think of the variables involved, including what could potentially go wrong. For instance, if you’re planning an overnight camping trip that’s two hours drive away, what happens if it starts pouring down with rain? Do you pack up and drive home, or are there cabins nearby that you can rent. If so, what will they cost? If you can’t afford that option, what are the alternatives? 12

The unpredictable great outdoors The one thing you can never control or influence is the weather, and when you’re planning an activity in the great outdoors, you are always at the mercy of that weather. You could plan an event months in advance, spend countless hours organising and preparing for the event, and the night before you’re about to go, the skies open at your destination, pouring down with rain, or even worse snowing! Do you still continue with the scheduled plans or do you postpone or cancel? Paramount at every step of the way should be the health and safety of your participants. Not factoring or ignoring weather warnings can result in injury and sometimes even death, so you’re always best to play it safe. Weather forecasts are just that; forecasts! A weather forecast two weeks out is an approximation and will be refined as it gets closer. You should, therefore, make an effort to study the weather forecast as you get closer to the scheduled date. If it looks like there will be torrential rain, or hail, or snow, then you should prepare appropriately. If it’s light rain, then you may be able to continue but it might be handy to get your participants to bring wet weather gear, a change of clothes and a towel to dry themselves off. Also, think about how the weather will affect your outdoor activity. You don’t want to go canoeing if there have been heavy downfalls in the days leading up to the event as that will mean the river will be swollen and the current could be faster than normal. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if there has been an extreme drought, are there potential chances of a bushfire? Or consider extreme heat; is there the potential that your participants might suffer from heat exhaustion or sunburn? What is the UV rating for the day? Do you ask the participants to pack sunscreen, wear light clothes and bring a hat? Or if the activity is in winter, what clothes should they wear to stay comfortable? If they are going to the snow for skiing, again what appropriate clothing should they wear? Part of your role as a coordinator is to examine all the possible outcomes for the majority of situations and plan and prepare accordingly. What are the risks involved? With any activity, there will always be elements of risk, and even more so in the outdoors. Even in the safest and most controlled environment, someone could still injure themselves by twisting their ankle or getting a blister on their heel from walking. If you are dealing with a liaison who will be helping you coordinate the activity (as in an experienced practitioner or you are undertaking the activity through a business or organisation), then they should have a clear understanding of what potential risks may be involved and should be able to communicate these directly to you. Certain outdoor activities such as abseiling or rock climbing are examples of events that will require experienced supervisors and specialist equipment. If you are liaising with an abseiling club, they will likely have a nominated venue that they are familiar with. You should never presume that you can learn the adequate skills required to supervise an activity from an online resource such as a YouTube video. Always take the advice of the experienced practitioner and prepare accordingly. Your organisation will have standard policies and procedures relating to Health and Safety. They will also be bound by regulatory requirements; either state and/or federal. If you are unfamiliar with what rules apply, ask someone and make sure you do your due diligence. If you do not comply and an incident occurs, you may be personally liable. 13

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions Part of this phase will involve completing a Risk Assessment. This is a document where you identify and list potential hazards that may occur before, during and after the activity, and what the potential likelihood and consequence of the event occurring would be. For example, the consequence of a risk occurring could be listed as follows: Descriptor Level Definition Insignificant 1 No injury Minor 2 Injury/ill-health requiring first aid Moderate 3 Injury/ill-health requiring medical attention Major 4 Injury/ill-health requiring hospital admission Severe 5 Fatality The likelihood of the event occurring could be: Descriptor Level Definition Rare 1 May occur somewhere, sometime (“once in a lifetime / once in a hundred years”) Unlikely 2 May occur somewhere over an extended period of time Possible 3 May occur several times over a period of time Likely 4 May be anticipated multiple times over a period of time May occur once every few repetitions of the activity or event Almost Certain 5 Prone to occur regularly It is anticipated for each repetition of the activity of the event You then calculate the consequence and likelihood of an event occurring against the risk matrix to generate a result, as follows: Likelihood Consequence Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Severe Almost Certain MEDIUM HIGH EXTREME EXTREME EXTREME Likely MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH EXTREME EXTREME Possible LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH EXTREME Unlikely LOW LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM HIGH Rare LOW LOW LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM Ideally, you would like to be organising an activity that was low risk, especially when dealing with children and teenagers. An activity such as hang gliding or parachuting where there is a possibility of death would rule it unsafe to participate in. 14

If there is room to minimise risk in your planning, then you should certainly do it. It could be a case of simplifying your itinerary or changing the location of your event. For example, if your outdoor activity was canoeing and your participants are beginners, then you would want to nominate a part of the river that doesn’t have a strong current or white water. Always be cautious, even if it means making a compromise; it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to risk. Documenting your activity In order to get sign off approval from your relevant supervisor, you’ll need to produce an activity plan. This will detail all the elements discussed to date including instructions and elements that will occur on the day. If you are using a third-party host, they may have a template that they can provide you with; potentially one that you can customise. Otherwise, you’ll need to create something from scratch. For an example of an appropriate activity plan, refer to: https://www.campcoolamatong.com/assets/Climbing-&-Abseiling-Activity-Plan.pdf The sections you should include in your activity plan are: y The outcomes of the activity. What are you hoping to achieve, what is the goal and purpose of the activity? How will this be measured? y Outline of the activity itself, including a chronology of the events as they will unfold. y What equipment will be required to be brought to the activity, and what will be provided. y Methods of communication. Is there mobile phone coverage in the area? This is essential to know in case an accident occurs. y Where and how is first aid available? Will someone be nominated to carry a first aid kit, or will there be one accessible within a short distance? Who is qualified to administer first aid? y The people involved. Is there an activity instructor provided? What are their minimum staffing requirements? What is required of you and your team? What is required of your participants, including getting legal documentation signed to cover liability insurance? y Environment. Where is the location? Is it accessible by vehicle? What is the environment like? Are there seasonal changes to it? y Weather. How does a change in weather affect or influence the environment or activity? What would be required to cancel the event? y Undertake and list the details of a risk assessment matrix. How do you prevent potential risks and ensure management control for each potential risk? y Emergency management. What are the roles and responsibilities of each individual? Who are the points of contact? You should always take your time to correctly devise the activity plan. It can be beneficial to have someone else review it to look for gaps or mistakes before presenting it for sign off. If feedback is suggested, additional documentation or adjustments may need to be made and applied before moving to the next stage. Remember to listen to constructive feedback and adjust your documentation as required. 15

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions What are some of the key steps involved in planning an activity session? List them in order of importance. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ LEARNING ACTIVITY 2 Planning an activity session Learning Checkpoint 2 1. Matching an activity objective to the participant's needs is essential to a positive outcome and result. What would be two possible activities that you could undertake if the goal was team building? 2. In planning your activity session, you are thinking not just about the activity itself but the elements around it including the environment and general well-being of your participants. You have been asked to review a proposed activity that will see an accounting department from a large business undertake a six-hour bus trip to see a waterfall. They have asked for your opinion on whether you thought this would be a positive experience for their team. How would you respond? 3. In organising an activity, you need to consult with a variety of people to collect information and gather feedback. Who would be two types of people that you might consult with? 4. Activities require resources and facilities. If you were to take your participants to learn archery, what are some of the resources or facilities you might require? 5. The weather plays a major factor in outdoor activities. What is the importance of studying weather patterns and forecasts in advance of planning an activity? 6. For every activity, you need to undertake an activity risk assessment. What is this and why do you need to perform the task? 7. In order to get sign off on an activity, you will need to document and present it to your clients as well as relevant personnel. This is known as an activity plan. What information should be included in one? 16

Coordinating activity resources Planning an outdoor activity requires a high degree of thought, evaluation and creative problem-solving. You will be required to explore and examine a variety of options and make the choices that best suit your needs at the time. Selecting activity venues When selecting your activity venue site or location, you will need to think about a variety of options. Obviously, if your nominated activity is being hosted by a provider, then the location will likely be predetermined by them, but if your activity is more generic such as going for a hike, or an orienteering exercise, then you will need to explore the possible venue options and their availability. These could be on private property or on public land or council property. Depending on the owner, you will need to seek permission or obtain a permit for use. Even with public land (managed by the council), it is always best to enquire as to what requirements there are for undertaking the activity so that you are aware of other potential activities that may be on at the same time. Say for example, you are considering a hike. Some of the parameters you may look to consider are: y The size of the group you are taking. If your group is small (say under six people) then it’ll make less impact on the location versus taking a group of forty people. y What is the commute time to the venue, and how will you get there? Is the venue a twenty-minute drive, or a two-hour drive? Is there an added benefit to travelling to the location that’s further away? Obviously, this could be rationalised if it is perhaps a specific landmark or the location has historical or geographical importance. Again, your group size will determine whether you travel in cars or hire a bus to commute everyone. y Is there adequate parking and facilities at the venue? Are there toilets nearby? Will the lack of amenities potentially cause an issue? What factors would you need to consider? y Is the choice of location appropriate for the experience level of the participants? For participants who have never hiked before it should be suggested that they start on a shorter walk on suitable terrain. This may, in turn, mean choosing a location that is slightly further away but would be more beneficial for achieving the desired outcome. 17

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions Organising access When planning for your activity, you will need to seek permission from the landowners, management authorities (council) or custodians. Before you make contact with them, you should have a clear understanding of what your activity is, the proposed date for the activity, how many participants will be involved, the duration of the proposed activity, and what resources may be required. With some landowners, it may simply be a case of making a phone call. You may already have a connection to the person, or you may have been referred to them by a mutual acquaintance or third party. The landowner may grant you access free of charge or may charge you a service fee, especially if they are providing facilities. If the activity is being hosted by the landowner or business owner, then they will be covered for a variety of indemnity insurances and legal obligations and will likely include a facility charge in their booking quote. Local councils will have a liaison officer who manages permissions and permits for activities that are undertaken. It is essential that you make contact with the appropriate person well in advance of the event so that they have an awareness of your intent and can communicate and inform you of potential hazards as well as others using the location. For example, there may be a motocross event planned nearby on the day that you want to take a group birdwatching, which may mean that it would be best for you to reschedule the day of your activity to a more quieter time. You may need to apply for a permit, which will require you (on behalf of your organisation) to complete and submit appropriate documentation and perhaps pay a fee to the appropriate body. This depends on the activity you are undertaking and how it affects others use of the property during the nominated time. Remember that you are making an application to the respective council to seek permission, they are entitled to say no if they deem the activity inappropriate or unsafe, or not in meeting with their guidelines. Misuse of council properties can lead to subsequent fines or banning of future use for your organisation. If you are unsure whether you need a permit or not it always pays to ask. A simple email or phone call to the appropriate person can clarify any requirements. 18

Rostering personnel Your organisation may have guidelines on support personnel that are required for an activity. This may include qualified first aiders or (in the case of children) a ratio of adults to children. You must always adhere to these guidelines. If you are unable to organise the appropriate people, then you will have to postpone your event until you can coordinate the numbers. Rostering also includes getting people to be responsible for other duties and tasks. If you are going to do a BBQ, who is going to be on cooking duty? What will their responsibilities be? If your activity requires your participants to do laps of a circuit, do you have someone assigned to distribute water to hydrate them as they come around and man interval checkpoints? Making sure you have adequate support for your activity is of paramount importance. Allocating equipment and supplies What equipment do you participants need to bring? What equipment do you need to provide? You need to create checklists of all your requirements and make sure that everything is covered. If you have a third-party host managing your activity, they will likely be providing you with equipment and will maintain and allocate resources accordingly, but there will still be things that you and your team will need to provide. These may include: y Portable first aid kit y Water supply, drinking containers, and cups y Food for cooking, if having a BBQ y Insect repellent y Sunscreen y Map and compass y Bags for rubbish and storage. You will need to determine what you need to bring as a group, and what each individual is responsible for. An essential part of this will be food and water to maintain wellbeing before, during, and after the activity. Is there access to such resources at the location? There may be a canteen that can assist, or you may need to bring and provide food and water. Are there facilities to cook food, if not, then you’ll need to prepare food that doesn’t require cooking. When considering food for a group, you’ll also need to factor eating and dietary requirements and provide a variety of options. Create a form for everyone to fill out so that you are aware of what everyone’s choices are. Remember to be extremely careful when there are concerns regarding food allergies, that if food is prepared that it is prepared separately in a safe and controlled environment. Pack and label food so that it is clear as to what the contents are. You should also take supplies to collect your rubbish as well as clean up after yourselves. 19

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions You have the choice of three possible venues to host an overnight camp. They are all at different locations, one is an hour drive away, another two hours, and the third three hours; they all have a variety of facilities and on-site activities but also vary in cost. How could you examine and explore which would be the best option for you to nominate to host your activity? ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ LEARNING ACTIVITY 3 Choosing a venue Learning Checkpoint 3 1. There are always a variety of options for venues to host an activity. Some may be in a public space where you are required to provide all the resources; others could be hosted by a business or operation on private property. How do you go about selecting which will be best for the nominated activity? 2. Permits and relevant permissions are required in order to gain access to land or property. How do you find out who you have to make contact with, and how would you go about seeking permission or applying for a permit? 3. When undertaking an activity, you’ll need to assign roles to certain people. How do you identify what roles you’ll require and assign tasks accordingly? 4. Activities will require specific equipment. How do you determine what equipment you’ll need and the number of items? 5. Food and water are essential to maintaining wellbeing before, during, and after an activity. What can you do to make sure that everyone is catered for with this? 6. Some locations may have catering facilities; others may provide space where you can set up temporary sites. What are some of the things you may need to factor in catering for food? 20

Issuing activity documents and briefing When you are undertaking an activity that is being managed by a nominated third party, they will require you to read and complete a variety of forms and documentation. It is then your job to forward that information and communicate to your respective personnel and support staff who will be assisting you in the running of the activity. When completing the paperwork, only do so when you have researched and fully understand the questions as they are presented. As the signatory on the paperwork, you are acting as a representative for your organisation. You need to, therefore, make sure you have all the required information on hand. If you are in doubt, seek clarification on something. Find out what information they require. This could include numbers of participants, ages, any disabilities or impairments that they may need to factor. The documentation will also set out what your responsibilities will be. Use this to then brief your support staff as to what they are required to do. Clarify with them that they know what to do and answer any questions that may arise. It may be upon you to delegate tasks and separate and assign the nominated tasks. Learning Checkpoint 4 1. Completing the correct operational documents for your organisation will assist in collating and compiling all the relevant information. Why is this important? 2. It is important to brief relevant personnel and support staff in relation to the operational details of your activity. Why is this important? 21

SISOPLN002 – Plan outdoor activity sessions Evaluating the effectiveness of your session After you have completed your session, it can be handy to evaluate the session to explore and examine what worked, and what can be improved upon the next time you run an activity. Being aware of the idea of collecting information that will help provide you with feedback from the outset can create more objective data with which you can analyse. You need to decide what information you want to collect. You have potentially three sources of information that will each tell their own story. You will have: 1. The delivery personnel. 2. Your support team. 3. The participants. Each will have their own thoughts and reflections and will help you identify where improvements could be made. The delivery personnel will have had the experience of having run the activity several times previously. They can provide you with feedback on how well your group performed in relation to other groups in their demographic. They may also be able to indicate that potentially there were lapses in information or misinformation communicated about expectations or potential outcomes. Your support team will have feedback in relation to their own experience supervising the activity. They may notice participants were tired or seemed bored. These may be things that the participants may not communicate in their own feedback. Your support team may also comment on the time allocated to the event, whether it felt too rushed or took too long to undertake. Your participants may have feedback on whether they felt the experience was beneficial, whether they felt they learnt or gained something from the experience and whether they would be interested in undertaking the same activity or an alternative at a later date. You can collect this information either in an informal process of conversation, or verbal feedback, or alternatively, you can create a feedback form with a mixture of questions and answers. From this form, you can then collate and compile the information for later use. It is important to remember that even on group activities, there needs to be a level of personal fulfilment for the participants, so all feedback is valid. Look upon it as constructive criticism and apply it to subsequent activities so that the quality of the activities can be improved upon, both in preparation and execution. 22

Learning Checkpoint 5 1. Obtaining and evaluating feedback after your activity can assist you in improving future activities. What are some of the key points of information you might gather from this process? 2. It is beneficial to identify successes, problems and difficulties resulting from your activity. Why? 3. There is always room for improvement. Why is it important to evaluate the effectiveness of your activity? 23

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