COEO NEWS
MPWW 2020 – LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
Your 2020 COEO Make Peace with Winter Organizing Committee has been hard at work planning another amazing weekend packed full of professional development, experiential learning and winter fun. Make Peace with Winter is a retreat-style conference for educators interested in learning how to share the outdoors with their students in the coolest of seasons! Snowshoeing, cross country skiing and winter camping skills; games, crafts, learning activities; snow science, winter ecology and much, much more.
Plan to join us as we learn, share and laugh with kindred spirits from across the province and beyond. We’ll savour delicious food all weekend and enjoy an evening social program filled with fun, dancing and live music. You will leave this professional development experience feeling rejuvenated and with many new ideas and resources in hand. The final ingredient for a perfect winter weekend is you! Our host site will be the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre—a place of significant meaning and long standing connection to the Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario.
Amazing Keynote! 30+ Interactive Workshops! 2 Exciting Preconferences! Wintertime fun!!!
***Conference registration will close January 10th – Don’t delay, register TODAY!***
Horwood Conference 2020
The Canadian Student Outdoor Education Conference (aka The Horwood Conference) is an event organized by and for Canadian students studying outdoor and environmental education, health and physical education, outdoor recreation, adventure leadership, experience-based learning and/or related fields. It is hosted at Queen’s University each year and held over a weekend in February. Graduate, Undergraduate, B.Ed and College students from across Canada will meet at the Horwood Conference to present oral or poster contributions on various research topics related to outdoor education, as well as share games and learning activities, lead workshops, attend special invited lectures, and also meet with representatives from participating institutions that offer Bachelor of Education and graduate degrees with a focus on outdoor education. Students can choose to simply register as a conference participant or complete the presentation proposal form and attend as a conference presenter.
The Conference Organizing Committee is now accepting presentation proposals for the February 2020 conference. Proposals for paper presentations, posters, workshops, or creative projects will be accepted up until the submission deadline of December 15, 2019. The theme of this year’s conference is Moved by Meaning—an open theme chosen specifically to encourage a wide range of submissions, diverse in both format and topics related to outdoor education.
REGISTER HERE for the 2020 Horwood Conference.
DATE:
31 January -1 February 2020
LOCATION:
SKHS Building at 28 Division Street, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
KEYNOTE PRESENTERS:
Dr. Angela James, Government of Northwest Territories
Dr. John Telford, Camosun College
COEO’s Advocacy Campaign
COEO’s Advocacy page has been updated to share the details of our recent advocacy efforts. Be sure to check it out here.
Want to get involved in advocating for OEE in Ontario? Please contact your local MPP and request that they write a letter of support. https://www.ola.org/en/get-involved/contact-mpp
Please read and share the Op-Ed article published on July 15th, 2019, in the Toronto Star entitled The Value of Outdoor Education. Maybe you are able to write a similar article about your OEE experience and submit it to a local media outlet?
Please follow our social media accounts and keep an eye on local media as we continue our advocacy efforts to ensure that outdoor education remains top of mind as we prepare to transition from summer into a new school year.
Follow us on:
Twitter (@COEOoutdoors https://twitter.com/coeooutdoors)
Instagram (@COEOoutdoors https://www.instagram.com/coeooutdoors/)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/coeo.org/)
Dynamic Horizons: A Research and Conceptual Summary of Outdoor Education
Response to online OEE AQ at Queen’s University
In the spring of 2019, Queen’s University created an Additional Qualification Course in Outdoor & Experiential Education. However, the decision to make this an online course comes as a detriment to professionals working in the field of Outdoor and Experiential Education (OEE). Natalie Kemp, COEO President, will be sending a letter to Queen’s University on behalf of COEO members, but any additional individual responses (especially from alumni of the Queen’s OEE program) would be appreciated. A letter with some discussion points and contact information for specific individuals can be found here.
OTHER OEE & RELATED NEWS
Book of the Month:
The Get-Outside Guide to Winter Activities unlocks the door to a wealth of fun and adventure in the snow. Activities have been compiled by keepers of the trail, experienced winter trekker leaders who know how to lead people in outdoor winter activities that are safe and fun and help people experience the joy of being active outdoors during the cold months of the year.
This guide offers activities and games that have the following features:
• Appropriate for multiple age groups
• Easily modifiable to adapt to varying skillsets
• Designed for a variety of locales, such as schoolyards, community trails, urban and remote parks, and wilderness settings
To see more click here
Use code B182 to receive 50% off regular price. Offer expires 01/31/2020
University of Alberta Canadian OE Research Survey
As a member of The Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario, you are invited to participate in a study about Outdoor Education in Canada, conducted by Morten Asfeldt and Rebecca Purc-Stephenson, Ph.D., from the University of Alberta.
We are interested in learning about your experiences and opinions about outdoor education programs or courses. We are collecting information from outdoor educators who work at summer camps, K-12 secondary programs, and college/university programs.
If you think there is someone in your organization who is more well suited to complete this survey than you, please forward this invitation to them. Please complete only one survey per organization.
By completing this survey, you will be contributing to establishing a unified voice for Outdoor Education in Canada. Your participation is voluntary and strictly confidential.
The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.
All those who complete the questionnaire will have an opportunity to enter their name into a draw for a $50 gift card from Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC). We will draw a name for every 25 surveys submitted, making your odds of winning one-in-twenty-five (1:25).
Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P6KV3WN
OEE P.D. OPPORTUNITIES
Adventureworks Associates, Inc.
-LEAP Series Workshops:
Challenge Course Training & Certification Courses
March 3-6, 2020
Canterbury Hills, Ancaster
March 30-April 1, 2020
For more information visit: https://www.universe.com/users/adventureworks-associates-inc-BKCR4T
UPCOMING CONFERENCES
Coalition for Education in the Outdoors Symposium 2020
January 17-19, Bradford Woods, Indiana
OSEE EcoLinks 2020
May 22, High Park Nature Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Canadian Outdoor Summit
This inaugural event is about bringing people together to celebrate contributions and tackle some key structural challenges affecting all outdoor programs from coast to coast to coast. This national gathering is aimed at celebrating our contribution to Canadian society and solving key challenges faced by outdoor programs. The Summit will be held in Gatineau, QC, from September 29th to October 2nd, 2020.
This project is a collective effort of the outdoor sector, therefore your perspective and contribution offers tremendous value. More information can be found on the event website: http://canadianoutdoorsummit.com/ and social media channels. Please follow and share:
Canadian Outdoor Summit Promotional Video
JOB POSTINGS
Program Facilitator, Adventureworks!
Adventureworks! is hiring talented and experienced Program Facilitators to deliver adventure programs
to school, youth, and community clients. Facilitators work at the Adventure Learning Centre at
Canterbury Hills in Ancaster, ON as well as at partner sites in the GTHA. Many programs use High Ropes
and Low Ropes courses to provide challenge and promote participant learning. Program Facilitators will
work as members of the program team to meet client needs and make a lasting impact for participants.
To view the posting Click Here
UCC Facilitator Position, Adventureworks!
Dates: Thursday April 16-Saturday April 18, 2020 Staff Training
Monday April 20th thru April 24th, 2020 Program Expedition
Responsibilities: Assume a leadership role for 13 – 14 year old boys, in the delivery, debriefing, reporting and evaluation of a multi-day, multi-activity experience that includes camping, bush craft skills,
canoeing, crayfish study, high ropes, low ropes, rock climbing, rappelling, and a service project.
To view the posting Click Here
Junior School Outdoor Education Teacher & Middle/Senior School Outdoor Education Teacher, Country Day School
Over the past decade, The Country Day School (CDS) has built a renowned, integrated Outdoor Education program for students K-12 that makes full use – every day – of our beautiful 100-acre campus. Sitting atop the Oak Ridges Moraine, with the headwaters of the Humber River running through our green, forested property, the setting for Outdoor Education in the GTA is unrivalled.
Two opportunities exist for experienced outdoor educators to join our program (both Commencing September 2020). The successful candidates will have experience working with either young people in Grades JK-6 and/or Grades 7-12. A degree or specialist qualifications in an outdoor/environmental field is preferred, as is certification to teach in Ontario.
Click here to view the job posting.
Multiple Postings, Outward Bound Canada
Outward Bound Canada’s greatest asset is our instructional staff. We value group facilitation skills, life experience, passion, dedication, resiliency, and teaching ability as highly as technical proficiency.
As a leader in outdoor, experiential education, Outward Bound Canada offers a diverse selection of working opportunities in scenic and remote wilderness or urban areas. Our busiest season is from April to October, with winter and year-round programs on offer only in select regions. We accept instructor resumes year-round.
At Outward Bound Canada, each region conducts its own staff training before the start of the summer season. Successful instructor applicants will be selected to attend these trainings in BC, the Rockies, or Ontario. In BC and the Rockies, this is a four or five-day training program for instructors who have been offered contracts.
Outward Bound Canada has the following positions currently available: Toronto Centre Course Director, Rocky Mountain Director, Northern Ontario Course Director, Atlantic Canada Winter Wilderness Instructor (2 Positions), Northern Ontario Instructor.
NOLS Yukon Expedition Rations Coordinator, NOLS Yukon
Will oversee provision of food to participants of extended wilderness expeditions. To maintain and track an adequate inventory of food for all NOLS Yukon courses. To aid in educating participants (students on our courses, as well as staff) on basic nutrition, meal planning, and the NOLS bulk rationing system.
Click here to view the job posting.
Community Education Specialist, UTRCA
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority is currently accepting resumes for the short fixed-term contract position of Community Education Specialist. This position will be up to 12 months in length. This position is intended to fill in for a maternity leave and therefore the term of employment for this position is dependent on any variances to the return of the incumbent. There will also be a layoff period for the month of August.
Click here to view the job posting.
Outdoor Education Instructors, CVC
Reporting to the Coordinator, Education, these positions support CVC’s commitment to providing quality education to enhance ecological literacy throughout our watershed. Assisting with program implementation, Instructors lead educational initiatives focused on priority CVC issues targeting diverse audiences such as elementary students, adults, multicultural groups, and families. 4 positions available During February to April, Instructors deliver the Maple Syrup program at Island Lake Conservation Area. 6 positions available from February to April, Instructors deliver the Maple Syrup program at Terra Cotta Conservation Area. From April to November, these positions support other education programs including, but not limited to: outdoor education programs, multicultural programs, Stream of Dreams, and in-class/school workshops.
Multiple Postings, Scouts Canada
Want to change the world? At Scouts Canada our Vision is “Canadian youth making a meaningful contribution to creating a better world.” We need passionate people who share our Mission to develop well rounded youth better prepared for success in the world.
Scouts Canada has the following positions currently available: Associate Director, Program Support (Ottawa), Program Support Manager (Ottawa), Program Support Manager (Greater Toronto Area), Program Support Manager (Southwest Ontario), and Director of Safe Scouting.
ONTARIO CAMPS ASSOCIATION – JOB BOARD
The OCA Job Board is always an excellent place to find job postings in the field of outdoor education. Check out their website, as many full-time positions at outdoor centres and camps are now being advertised.
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ABOUT THIS ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
For consistency, the COEO electronic newsletter is now published on the first of each month. Anyone having an item of interest to outdoor & experiential educators and desiring publication in this newsletter needs to submit it to newsletter@coeo.org at least two days before the publication date.
The newsletter is generally organized according to the following headings: COEO News, Other OEE & Related News, P.D. Opportunities, Opportunities for Students, Resources, Job Postings. If your organization wishes to post information (e.g., notice of upcoming events, etc), it needs to be an organizational member of COEO.
If you would like to be removed from COEO’s eNewsletter mailing list, please send an email to newsletter@coeo.org and ask to be unsubscribed.