2010 will be the 23rd annual National Conference on Outdoor Leadership hosted by the Wilderness Education Association.   The first National Conference on Outdoor Leadership was held in 1988 in Saranac Lake, NY.  Since that time the conference has found its home in over 15 diverse locations across the country.  This event creates a unique opportunity for furthered education through the use of workshops and presentations, as well as a chance for networking with other outdoor organizations and leaders. The 2010 Conference on Outdoor Leadership will be held at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, CO.

 

 

         -Professionals in the field of outdoor recreation and education

         -Representatives from over 40 colleges and Universities with academic and/or 

           outdoor/adventure pursuits programs

         -Undergraduate and Graduate students, the future of our profession

         -Representatives from guide services and other outdoor education organizations

         -Representatives from camps, non profits, and private adventure companies

 

 

The Pre-Conference is about providing additional hands-on learning opportunities for conference attendees to engage in professional development workshops that last anywhere from a half day to 3 days in length.  Many of the workshops are skills based and dependent on the conference location.  Some examples include ice climbing, caving, surfing, sea kayaking and mountain biking and avalanche safety.  There are also classroom based workshops that cover teaching methodology, risk management, and Wilderness First Responder recertifications.  This is also the time when the WEA Board of Trustees holds their annual 2 day meeting.   

 

 

The main conference is full of shorter workshops presented by conference attendees.  There are usually two sessions in the mornings and two sessions during the afternoon.  Each session has 5-6 different workshops for attendees to choose from.  Formats range from lectures to round table discussions and hands on activities.  Workshop topics are focused around the WEA's curriculum based on the 6 Core Competencies: Outdoor Living, Planning and Logistics, Risk Management, Leadership, Environmental Integration, and Education. 

In between workshops, meals and social events we hold meetings for WEA Instructors, Affiliate Representatives and Members to keep people abreast of the latest happenings and to gather feedback.  The evenings play host to socials, the keynote address as well as the annual auction and raffle.  We recommend that you plan to show up on site the Thursday before the conference so that you can pick-up your conference materials at the registration table, settle into your room and join us for the Welcome Social and Opening Remarks that evening.