2023-2024 Handbook for Applicants

Thank you for applying to the Outdoor Adventure Naturalist Program offered at Algonquin College’s Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, Ontario. We believe our program is one of the most exciting and innovative co-op programs in all of North America.

The Outdoor Adventure Naturalist diploma program features nature interpretation, combined with adventure guiding skills such as canoeing, sea kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, winter camping/guiding and much more. The program also has a strong business component to better prepare you to work in the adventure tourism industry. More information is available on our website listed below.

The following material provides specific information regarding the application process and details of the program. This handbook is designed to complement the basic overview available on our website at www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke/program/outdoor-adventure-naturalist. Please refer to these sources for general college and course information.

The provided information will guide you through the application process and help prepare you for the program. Please keep this package on file and refer to it often.

Once again, thank you for considering Algonquin College as your preferred location to complete your post-secondary studies.

Sincerely,

Bobbie Gormley
Chair
Business, Technology and Outdoor Training

For additional information, please contact:
Ian Pineau, Coordinator
Outdoor Adventure Naturalist Program
Algonquin College
1 College Way
Pembroke, ON. K8A 0C8
Phone: (613) 735-4700 ext. 2759 or 1-800-565-4723
Fax: (613) 735-4734
Email: pineaui@algonquincollege.com

In order to learn the skills necessary to become an effective leader in the outdoor adventure tourism industry, students must perform beyond the limits of a mere participant and assume a greater degree of responsibility and risk.

There is an inherent element of risk in all of the activities engaged in by the program, which is integral to the program and beyond human control. Only those risks that contribute to career related skills, knowledge, and experience are acceptable, as dictated by industry standards, certification, licenses, and specific course outlines. This is termed ‘risk appropriate’ training. Risks that fall outside of the scope of industry practice are deemed inappropriate for technical training programs at Algonquin College. Although effort is made to minimize exposure to these risks, we can ultimately assume no responsibility for your safety or loss of personal equipment.

A signed liability release is required of all students before commencement of the program. The student is encouraged to read it carefully and fully understand the form’s legal implications before signing. A parent/guardian release is required for minors (under 18 years of age).

Student Driving

For any activities where the College provides bus transportation, students are expected to use that transportation. The Outdoor Adventure Naturalist program provides bussing for all curricular activities with the exception of a limited number of student-selected certifications. Students are only granted permission to take their own vehicles to field sites under extenuating circumstances and with advance request for permission.

For students who believe that they have a valid reason to take their own vehicle, they must:

• Inform the program Academic Technologist or the Program Co-ordinator, via email, of the reason, 48 hours in advance and clearly make a request to drive their own vehicle. The technologist or the co-cordinator will reply to approve or decline the request. Students are not permitted to drive other students in their personal vehicles to skills courses or field locations. In the absence of a reply from the technologist or the co-ordinator, students must assume that permission has not been granted.
• Assume the risks associated with DRIVING and release liability, waive claims, indemnify all parties, and give up any right to sue, as outlined in the DRIVING WAIVER.
• Sign the DRIVING WAIVER and have the owner of the vehicle (if someone other than the student) sign the same agreement.
• Remain on the premises of the Outdoor Adventure Naturalist Program activity location in non-instruction hours (i.e. lunch, rest breaks) unless specific permission is granted from the professor.

Students arriving at an Outdoor Adventure Naturalist Program activity unscheduled and without permission are disrupting the learning environment and will be sent home for the remainder of the course activity. The student will not receive grades for the missed activities and there will be no opportunity to make up the missed activities.

Students cannot leave the field exercises conducted in remote locations until permission has been granted by the professor. Algonquin College’s duty of care is released upon course completion and does not extend to the student’s transportation home.

The College is not responsible for loss or damage to personal vehicles while parked at the College, activity location, or moving between any program locations.

Any student who drives in an aggressive or reckless manner will not be permitted to drive to any future skills courses or field exercises

Smoking Policy

The campus of Algonquin College is smoke-free. Students must leave the College property in order to smoke.

While on skills course or field exercises that occur off the College property, students are permitted to smoke tobacco only when and where as indicated by the Professor. Smoking is never allowed in the forest as per the Ontario Forest Fire Prevention Act.

For each skills course or field activity, students will be informed of the rules around cigarette smoking and vaping at the site being visited and will be expected to abide by those rules. The Professor will identify cigarette smoking and vaping areas only when it is safe and permitted. Cigarette smoking and vaping will only be permitted during designated break times. Students should seek professor approval before smoking at any field locations.

Use of any substance that leads to impairment and risk of injury to self, others, or property is prohibited by the Student Conduct Policy SA-07. All field activities in the following programs: Outdoor Adventure, Outdoor Adventure Naturalist, Forestry Technician, Environmental Technician, and Action Sports Park Development are deemed to be unsafe for recreational cannabis use due to the nature of activities being conducted during those field trips/activities. Recreational cannabis use in these programs is strictly prohibited.

Students using cannabis for medical reasons should contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) to set up an accommodation plan.

Drugs and Alcohol

A student behaving in any way that poses a risk to themselves or to other members of the college community will be immediately removed from skills courses or field activities, or if remote, will be asked to stay in the bus for the duration of the field exercise and will not receive any marks for the exercise. Students putting themselves or others at risk of injury, including while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, will be subject to student misconduct penalties. Please refer to the Student Conduct Policy SA-07 for details related to misconducts and resulting sanctions.

Part I

• Meet College Eligibility Requirements
• Meet Program Eligibility Requirements; English Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent is required) and Mathematics Grade 12 (MAP4C, or mathematics with similar content, is acceptable).

For more information regarding program eligibility please refer to the following link www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke/program/outdoor-adventure-naturalist/#application_admission

Part II

Upon final acceptance into the program, students must complete the following:

• Provide proof of Basic/Standard First Aid and CPR certification (C level).
• Sign and submit an Outdoor Adventure Naturalist Program Assumption of Risk and Indemnifying Release Form and Parental Consent if the applicant is under 18 years of age.
• Complete and sign a Personal Information, Consent and Health Form.

Visit our program webpage for the most recent year’s tuition fees and expenses: link here.

The program will include an optional co-op* semester during the summer months. As such, the program delivery schedule is as follows: Level 01 (fall), Level 02 (winter), co-op (summer), and Level 03 (fall).

Note: The co-op is optional and only available to students who qualify academically. The cost for the co-op program is approximately $579. Note that this fee is subject to change.

Note: In Levels 01 and 03, an average of two days of every week take place at Wilderness Tours, our partner training facility, or at another designated training site, usually in the Ottawa Valley. During those training days and for the Fall & Leadership Camps, transportation, outdoor equipment, accommodations, and *meals are provided (i.e. Thursday lunch and dinner, Friday breakfast and lunch). *If the skills course is occurring somewhere other than the Wilderness Tours location, meals will not be provided. This occurs mostly in the Level 03 portion of the program.

In Level 02, transportation and outdoor program equipment are provided. Meals will only be provided on multi-day expeditions organized and run by Wilderness Tours. (When students are taking classes at the Pembroke Campus in all levels, they are responsible for their own meals.)

• Books and Materials: $400 per term (approximate).
• Ancillary (Incidental Fees): For the 2020-2021 Academic year these fees were $323.50 in Level 01, $225.00 in Level 02, and $308.00 in Level 03 – these fees cover some manuals and certifications in certain courses that deliver equivalent-to-certification content. Fees are subject to change annually. For the latest incidental fee information please use the fee estimator www.algonquincollege.com/ro/pay/fee-estimator.

  Examples of certifications that students may earn are Canoe – Water Front Instructor, Mountain Bike – Trail Guide and Trip Leader, and First Aid – Wilderness First Responder.

  In addition, the program is structured in such a fashion that the student, through the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, works toward their certification as a National Heritage Interpreter. Upon completion of the program, it is expected that the student will have successfully completed the workbook and examination criteria of the certification requirements.

• Clothing & Equipment: Suitable outdoor clothing and gear are vital, not only for comfort but for safety. Most students will already own appropriate items; therefore, not all of the listed equipment needs to be purchased.

  Students reporting to Fall Camp must have all of the equipment on the ‘Basic Gear list,’ but should not purchase items from the ‘Complete Gear list’ until after Fall Camp. Advice from faculty and special workshops will ensure students spend their money on appropriate equipment.

  If a student has absolutely no personal gear and is starting from scratch, expect to spend $1,500 on gear over the duration of the program. Keep in mind this equipment is required for work in the industry and has a useful life far beyond the Outdoor Adventure Naturalist Program.

Safety Equipment Package

These items are included within the Incidental Fee first term. These items become the property of the student.

• Whitewater PFD
• Whitewater helmet
• Throw bag

Note: If this equipment becomes damaged to the extent it is considered unsafe, the student will be required to provide an approved replacement.

Some equipment is available at wholesale pricing, please consult your program coordinator or the program technologist for more information on wholesale pricing options.

Basic Gear List

Recommended gear list for Fall Camp:

• Outer layer hardshell jacket and pants (2, 2.5, or 3 layer waterproof system), $100-800
• Sleeping bag summer use (to -10C), ‘mummy’ style, $150-$500
• Any sleeping bag will do for Fall Camp, however, a warm winter bag (minimum -20C) must be purchased by November for fall season and into the winter semester
• Sleeping pad (evzolite yellow foam)/Therma-rest – self-inflating, $15-90
• 2 Nalgene water bottles, wide mouth, steel/plastic, unbreakable, $15
• Camp cook set: cup/bowl/generic trail-eating utensils, plastic, $6
• Headlamp and batteries (specialized flashlight), i.e. Petzl ‘Zoom,’ $40
• ‘Day’ backpack, 25-45 litre capacity, medium-sized, $35-75 – not to be confused with a ‘book bag’ – need sturdy, mid-sized backpack for day hikes
• Personal first aid kit: band-aids, swabs, Polysporin, etc., $15
• Nylon ‘quick dry’ shorts (+ one-piece swimsuit for women)
• Sports bra for women, $40
• Long underwear tops and bottoms, 2 sets, $40/set – polyester/polypropylene or wool
• Wool or fleece toque and light gloves
• Warm layers: fleece pants and sweater, $50 each – trim fit to be layered under and over other clothes
• Sun hat/ball cap
• Sunscreen and bug repellent
• Sunglasses and retainer/string
• River shoes or sandals, old running shoes or non-Velcro sandals
• Casual clothes for evenings
• Towel and basic toiletries
• “Write in the Rain” (waterproof notebook) and pencil

Complete Gear List

In addition to the above list, students should bring any equipment already owned, but hold off buying new gear until after Fall Camp. This gear does not need to be purchased all at once.

Sleep System

• Down or Synthetic Sleeping Bag – winter use (minimum -20C), ‘mummy’ style, $150-500
• Sleeping pad (evzolite yellow foam)/Therma-rest – self-inflating, $15-90

Next to Skin Clothing

• Polyester or wool blend top/bottom, $20-100
• Sock liner – polyester
• Glove/mitt liner (slim-fitting for dexterity)

Middle Layers

• Mid-weight fleece top/bottoms, $40+ each
• Mid-weight hiking sock – polyester or wool blend

Outer Layers

• Down or synthetic or heavy fleece jacket/parka, $100+
• Outer layer hardshell jacket and pants (2, 2.5, or 3 layer waterproof system), $100-800
• Heavy-duty winter mitts and toque

Footwear

• Mid-weight hiking boots – leather, mid-stiff sole, for moderate backpacking, $100-350
• Winter boots “Sorel” type (-30C) with removable liner, $50+
• Water Sandal – “Teva” type or OLD running shoes

Other

• Compass with base plate, sighting mirror, and adjustable declination
• Pocket knife and river knife, $10-40 each
• Whistle Fox 40
• Full-size backpack (65-80 litre capacity for multi-day hiking trips), $100-400
• Neoprene booties and gloves, $20-40
• ‘Skull’ cap or bathing cap to wear under helmet for warmth, $3-15
• Extra foam pad for winter camping
• Small dry bag (optional), $15

Optional

• Paddling jacket/dry top, $65-200
• Bivy bag or over bag for sleeping bag (increases warmth), $100
• Rock climbing shoes, $90
• Insulated ‘booties,’ $25+
• Stuff sacks/compression sacks (basic design, can waterproof with plastic bags)
• “Write In The Rain” field book, $5-15, available at Campus Bookstore
• Camera

*As a rule, students will not be wearing cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, etc. during outdoor skills days since cotton gets wet and cold. Fleece and polyester stay dry and are warmer. These items are available at any outdoor store and at outdoor shops in the Pembroke area. Program instructors and staff will provide advice on requirements and best value for each piece of equipment needed through workshops and training.

Gear Provided by the Program

• Mountain bikes and helmets
• Tent, camp kitchen, and stove
• Full wetsuit
• Snowshoes
• Kayak, canoes, and paddles

Please bring any of the above gear you may already have. Please note, if any of the faculty has safety-related concerns with your gear, you may be asked to use program equipment instead.

Financial assistance programs are meant to supplement, not replace, the financial resources which the student is expected to contribute toward his or her own education. Financial aid is designed to help students from lower-income families meet the costs of tuition fees, books and supplies, and basic living expenses.

Students planning to apply for financial aid through OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program), or any other provincial funding program, are advised to do so as soon as applications are available, usually around May 1. You do not have to wait until you are accepted into a program to apply. It is recommended that students find more information and apply online at osap.gov.on.ca.

The information here reflects the most current at the time of publication. Modifications may be made prior to program commencement. For inquiries, please contact 613-735-4700 or 1-800-565-4723

Ian Pineau, Program Co-ordinator X 2759
Jamie Bramburger, Manager, Community & Student Affairs X 2756
Emily Quenneville, Admissions/Registration X 2811