Hi! Thanks for your interest in becoming an outings leader. Leading hikes and meeting people is such a rewarding and fun experience! Sierra Club is considered the gold standard for leading groups safely outdoors while also advocating for mother earth.
In this class, you'll meet me, Grant Brown. I'm the Outings Chair for the Georgia Chapter, and I also serve as the Training Chair for Sierra Club National Outings Leader Training. I work with Sierra Club leaders at both the local and national levels. Each role has its own training program; the national program is significantly more involved. For this class, however, you will complete the local outings training course.
We will spend our time from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM completing the local training class. This is the first step to becoming a Sierra Club local outings leader. Around noon, the pizza will be delivered! During lunch, I'll discuss the Sierra Club National Outings leader training program and why you might want to set your sights on that eventually!
On this day you will complete step 1 but here are all of the steps for becoming a Local Outings Leader:
1. Complete the Outings Leader Training course (which you'll do today). Note: this course can also be completed online but the educational experience is much more rich with the in-person course.
2. Complete a Basic First Aid course offered by a recognized provider, such as The American Heart Association or The American Red Cross. (Note: These courses typically cost around $90 and your first certificate needs to be in an in-person class. Sierra Club can reimburse you for this expense after you lead 3 outings within your first year as a new leader.)
3. Lead a provisional hike. After completing your training and co-leading an outing with an existing leader, you'll learn how to list your own outings online. Then, either I or another chapter officer will accompany you on your first solo (provisional) outing. Upon completing this step satisfactorily, you will be a fully certified local outings leader!
Links:
Sierra Club Georgia ChapterSierra Club National OutingsGrant Brown National Outings Bio