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Workshops

About Certification

• Update regarding Certification Standards
• 2007 High 5 recommendations on Certification
• Key difference between Skills Refresher/Verification and Certification Days
• Practitioner Certification Program
• 3 types of certification for practitioners

Dear High 5 Customer,

This letter is an update regarding Challenge Course Practitioner Certification. It also includes some High 5 thoughts and recommendations for both you and your organization at this time.

In January, at the annual ACCT conference in Boston, the Practitioner Certification Standards were approved by the Professional Vendor Members (PVM) of ACCT. High 5 is a Level 4 PVM and we voted in favor of these standards.

What does this mean for you at this time? It means you now have a set of standards that can be referred to that are finalized and accurately reflect the various levels of certification. For ACCT, this means that the Implementation Committee can finalize plans for implementing certification via the PVM network. This will take some time. We have said from the beginning that full implementation of practitioner certification will take several years. This is still true.

With that said, we’d like to share some thoughts about High 5’s position and approach to certification and to offer some recommendations for the coming year.
Our focus at High 5 continues to be on training, not certification. We have frequently said over the years that all practitioners should be well trained and qualified. We believe that people with good training who stay current with their skills will have no problem becoming certified when and if you desire it or if it is required of you. We strongly urge you to spend your limited budget dollars on training rather than simply trying to become certified.

Practitioner Certification is not a requirement at this time. This is a very important point to remember, particularly as the winds of certification continue to spread throughout the industry. As with anything new, there is a certain amount of anxiety that develops and many questions that need answering. There is also the challenge of gathering accurate information and determining the appropriate next steps for you or your organization. Please allow High 5 to do that for you. We have been and will continue to be very involved with this process with ACCT and see it as our responsibility to keep you well informed.

For 2007 High 5 is recommending the following:

• That you continue to attend trainings that enhance your facilitation and technical skills.
• That you refresh or verify your technical skills as needed or on an annual basis
  
• That you attend a High 5 certification testing day only after speaking with us to confirm that this is appropriate for you at this time.

NOTE: We have added certification testing days to this year’s High 5 calendar for those individuals who have completed various trainings over the years and would like an opportunity to be tested at the various skill levels. We project that only a limited number of people will do this during the coming year.

We encourage you to think of your training needs along a continuum.

Workshop Trainings > Skills Refreshers / Verification > Practitioner Certification

The chart below has been designed to help you determine the difference between Skill Refresher / Verification and Certification Days. It should help you in deciding what you and / or your staff most needs. Please review it carefully and then call us with any questions.

We are very committed to helping you understand and attain the skills that you need to run your program successfully. We hope this update is helpful and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

You’re Friends at High 5

Table of Key difference between High 5’s
Skills Refresher/Verification and Certification Days

Skills Refresher/Verification		Certification
Practical skills review only		Written test and practical skills test
Can offer skills training and coaching during verification process		Pass/Fail, no coaching or instruction
Can be a part of an overall program review or Training		Separate from training
Can be customized to meet needs of program		Measurable to a standard, Customization only in Site specific Certification
Can have a Program Review Aspect (LOP's)		Strictly Skills and knowledge
Recommended for:		Recommended for:
Practitioners who need a general review of skills		Experienced practitioners with an extensive challenge course portfolio
New Practitioners who have limited hours on a challenge course		Practitioners who have been mandated to be certified by state regulations or insurance companies
Organizations who want to ensure consistent training standards and practices at their site.		Challenge Course Managers who are responsible for running a challenge course site
Practitioners who have received internal training and want to review/verify their skills		Practitioners who work at multiple sites who may need documentation of their skill sets.

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High 5 Adventure Learning Center Practitioner Certification Program

High 5’s Practitioner Certification Program is designed to complement our various training programs.

As a Level 4 Professional Vendor Member of the Association for Challenge Course Technology ACCT, High 5’s certification program is required to meet the Practitioner Certification Standards developed by ACCT.

As with our trainings, our certification program focuses on the technical skills and core competencies necessary to facilitate a challenge course program to the level accepted as standard in the field. Our Certification process is designed to be intensive, professional, thorough and enjoyable.

The High 5 Practitioner Certification process takes place separately from our training workshops. We’ve done this for a couple of reasons but the primary one is to preserve an exciting, non pressured learning environment within our training workshops that accommodates the varied learning pace of participants.

Practitioner Certification Workshops are scheduled specifically for the purpose of verifying technical skills for those desiring certification. These one day programs include both written and practical tests and take place both at our High 5 training site and at various locations around the Northeast (USA). They are offered several times a year.

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We currently offer 3 types of certification for practitioners:

Level 1 Challenge Course Instructor: A Level 1 Practitioner will have received a minimum of 50 hours of training based upon attendance at a High 5 Adventure Basics five day workshop (or its equivalent) and one other skills based workshop of 1-2 days in length. Participants must show competency in an understanding of basic program facilitation skills and technical skills. Participants should have a minimum 100 hours of program experience as a facilitator on a challenge course.

Level 1 is designed for practitioners who facilitate lead up activities and low and high challenge course elements. Testing includes a written and practical test. The written test must be passed with a score of at least 80%. Participants must show mastery of all practical skills. Testing at this level takes place over a one day period. Level 1 certification must be renewed annually.

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Level 2 Challenge Course Instructor: A Level 2 Practitioner will possess an advanced level of program knowledge and advanced competencies in the area of facilitation and technical skills. Participants will have received a minimum of 85 hours (this includes the 50 hrs. from Level 1) of training based upon attendance at a High 5’s Beyond Basics four day workshop (or its equivalent). Participants should have a minimum 200 hours of program experience as a facilitator on a challenge course. This experience should include high elements.

Level 2 is designed for practitioners who facilitate all low and high challenge course elements. Testing includes specialty skill areas such as challenge course rescues and a written and practical test. The written test must be passed with a score of at least 80% Participants must show mastery of all practical skills. Testing at this level takes place over a one day period. Level 2 certification must be renewed every three years.

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Challenge Course Manager: The Challenge Course Manager requires a minimum of 30 hours of training in topics specific to program management. High 5’s three day Managing an Adventure Program workshop (or its equivalent) meets this requirement. Participants must also have completed Level 2 certification and have a minimum 500 of hours program experience. This certification is designed for those individuals responsible for program management at their site, i.e. program directors, challenge course coordinators.

Testing at this level includes a written exam with a practical testing element and is conducted in a half day workshop format.

Note: Not all programs need a Certified Challenge Course Manager. Depending upon the size and scope of one’s program these responsibilities may be incorporated to the degree necessary within the Level 2 certification.

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High 5’s Practitioner Certification Program is designed to help adventure practitioners achieve and maintain a high level of facilitation skill and technical competence.

A combination of training workshops and / or certification is the best route to assuring that practitioners develop and maintain the necessary skills to assure competency.

Interested candidates for certification should discuss their needs with a certifying vendor to determine the appropriate steps.

A combination of training workshops and / or certification is the best route to assuring that practitioners achieve and maintain a high level of facilitation skill and technical competence.

NOTE: High 5’s Certification may change as ACCT Practitioner Standards are refined and implemented over the next several years.

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