BELA Information
What is BELA?
The
Basic Expedition Leader Award was launched in 1988 and is intended for anyone
who has the responsibility of looking after others, particularly the young,
out-of-doors, or who wish to train others to carry out day journeys and
backpacking expeditions. It has nothing to do with mountains, climbing or ropes.
The
Award is administered by the British Sports Trust which franchises the
responsibility to run courses to an approved operating authority such as a
voluntary youth organisation, a local education authority, a college, university
or school.
Operating
authorities must appoint a course director who should hold a minimum of the
Summer Mountain Leaders Award (MLTB(S)) of the Mountain Leader Training Board.
Can I do it?
The
only restriction is that candidates must be 18 to receive the award, although
you can register and start the training course at 17
Why should I do it?
The
Basic Expedition Leader Award is intended to provide a common foundation leading
to the training and coaching schemes of the National Governing Bodies (NGBs)
concerned with outdoor pursuits.
The award is for voluntary youth workers, youth and
community workers within the public sector, teachers and anyone in the community
who wishes to:
·
Train people in the basic skills involved in
journeying on foot in the British Isles in summer conditions
·
Lead parties or groups in lowland areas
·
Have responsibility for the care of others
(particularly the young) out-of-doors, including day journey parties
·
Organise base and standing camps.
The Award does NOT
qualify people to lead groups in remote or mountainous country.
What does the award cover?
The
BELA syllabus contains ten units. The units concerned with technical competence
also teach the elements of leadership and party management as well as
instructional skills. Naturally, care and concern for the countryside permeates
all aspects of the Award.
Unit
1 - Leadership & Party Management
Unit 2 - Instructional & Organisational Method
Unit 3 - Planning & Preparation
Unit 4 - Conservation & Access
Unit 5 - Navigation
Unit 6 - Equipment
Unit 7 - Living Out-of-doors
Unit 8 - First Aid & Emergencies (see below)
Unit
9 - Fitness & Weather
Unit 10 - 30 Hrs Voluntary Leadership Experience
**
every candidate must hold a recognised first aid certificate before they can
receive the award.
How long does it take?
The
award requires a minimum of 90 contact hours of instruction and practical work.
This is followed by 30 hours of voluntary leadership experience during which the
skills from training are put into practice under supervision.
The
course director will schedule the training according to local needs, combining
evening, day and weekend sessions in the way that is most convenient to the
training staff and candidates. The training needs to be paced to allow
candidates time to consolidate the skills and knowledge, but should not extended
over too long a period. It should normally be possible to complete the training
course within a 2-3 month programme
What form does the training take?
It
is a requirement of the Basic Expedition Leader course that the training should
be brought to the candidates, rather than taking the candidates to the training.
It is mandatory for the training to be performed in local, lowland areas. This
reduces travelling time and costs to a minimum, and avoids the need to hire
expensive centre accommodation.
The
course is essentially practical and the skills and techniques will be acquired
by doing rather than by listening in a classroom though this may be appropriate
from time to time.
The
Course Director has considerable discretion over the location and accommodation
but will concerned with providing the most suitable learning conditions for the
candidates.
What does it cost?
Candidates
will need to pay a registration fee to the British Sports trust, and to
contribute to the running costs of the course.
The
experience of other Wings suggests that each candidate should expect to pay
about £50 for the course (excluding any first aid training)
How does it fit with the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme?
The
Basic Expedition Leader Award is the minimum qualification required by many
Local Authorities and Operating Authorities of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Scheme to train and lead groups in the expedition unit of the Bronze and Silver
Awards.
The
Basic Expedition Leader Award also counts towards the service section of all
three Awards in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
How does it fit with the ML scheme?
The
ML and WGL schemes are run by the Mountain Leader Training Board, and BELA by
the British Sports Trust. These are two separate National Governing Bodies (NGBs),
and the schemes are quite separate.
Within
the ATC completion of the one-week ML (Summer) training course is currently
deemed to be equivalent to a BELA. If you have registered with the MLTB for the
WGL or ML award, and have logged enough mountain experience to do the training
course, you therefore have little to gain by doing BELA.
If
you have no intention of gaining a mountain or walking group leader award, or
have not yet logged enough experience to apply for the ML or WGL training
course, then BELA is for you…
How does it fit with the Air Training Corps?
ACATI
42, section 2 states:
“a)
As a uniformed youth organisation undertaking many adventurous activities
out-of-doors, there is a requirement that these activities are led and
supervised by suitably qualified and experienced personnel. BELA is the minimum
nationally recognised qualification for those who train and lead groups in
expedition skills. It also provides a good foundation for those who progress to
higher awards such as the Walking Group Leader (WGL) or Mountain Leader (MLTB)
award
b)
A large percentage of the expedition work, day journeys and green camps
undertaken in the Corps fall within the scope of the award, which is attainable
within one expedition season.
c)
Arranging and conducting a BELA course is within the capabilities of most Wings
in the Air Training Corps, and they are encouraged to do so”
In other words, if your Squadron does navigation
exercises, Duke of Edinburgh award expeditions, camping trips or green camps,
you must have someone with BELA (or above) to train and supervise the cadets.
It’s just what I’m looking for - where can I find a course?
Herts
& Bucks Wing are in the process of setting up BELA training for members of
the Wing. Before we can run it for the first time, our course programme needs to
be approved by the British Sports Trust, we need to be accredited by HQAC as a
course provider, and we need to get all the usual authorisations from Wing and
Regional HQ. As soon as this process has been completed, the course will be
advertised and squadrons will be invited to nominate candidates.
Our
target is to run the first course over a nine-week period during September and
October 2004. Once established, we aim to run two courses a year, in the Spring
and Autumn
Alternatively,
many local authorities and colleges now run BELA courses, which you may find
more convenient
Where can I get more information?
For
details of the BELA scheme, try the British Sports Trust website at www.bst.org.uk/bel.html
To
find out about BELA in the ATC, refer to ACATI 42 in the new issue of ACP17