What other students are saying about the NAU Challenge Course Trainings
Excellent hands-on training. Not only do you get to have fun doing challenges, but you get to understand the how and why of the activities.- Brad Rishel
I was so impressed by the challenge course I signed up to attend the facilitator training. It was a great opportunity to increase my skills. I was able to learn some great activities that I have used often. It also allowed me to have a deeper respect for the staff at the Challenge Course; they truly give it their all at each Challenge Course and the participants’ benefit!- Sara Gjere
Program Coordinator NAU Educational Talent Search
Trainings
The NAU Challenge Course provides training opportunities for NAU Students and community members interested in leading adventure-based activities.
Challenge Course Facilitator Training
Our Challenge Course training is a two weekend or five day, 50-hour class that will teach the methods, practices, and philosophies of the Challenge Course.
During this training, you will first experience what it is like to be a Participant on a Challenge Course. You will then learn how to lead Participant groups through the course. You will learn how to facilitate, monitor safety, and debrief events. You will learn how to teach various high and low course skills; understand hardware, set-up, and breakdown the course. Upon completion of the training, you will receive a Facilitator Certificate and a Training Report which documents your progress.
This training is the first step in qualifying you to become a NAU Challenge Course Facilitator to work at the NAU Challenge Course. To work at the NAU Challenge Course as a newly certified Facilitator you will be required to attend thirty hours of on-site training before you are hired. These days can be scheduled anytime there is a Challenge Course program being run. Trainees shadow qualified Facilitators and begin to work with clients in real situations. There is no charge (and no payment) for the three additional training days. If you are interested in employment on the NAU Challenge Course, you may schedule an interview once you have completed the 40 hour training and the additional 30 hours of on-site training.
Professional Debriefing for the Outdoor Leader
As an effective catalyst for change, an outdoor educator must touch the heart of each participant. This intense workshop is designed to help outdoor educators move participants into deeper inter- and intra-personal levels where they will be motivated to make significant life changes. May be taken for NAU credit for an additional fee (PRM 215).
Experiential Education for the Classroom
This course will focus on applying the experiential education concepts, methodology, and theory that is used in the challenge course to the traditional classroom model. During the training, students will first experience what it is like to be a participant on a challenge course. Participants will then learn how to lead activities used on the challenge course that can also be used in the classroom. The course will progress through the "challenge model", the "challenge educator" and the "challenge student". After completing this course a teacher should be able to modify any lesson to incorporate an experience that will provide a tool for learning.
Adventure-Based Activities for Teambuilding
The purpose of this workshop is to present a variety of low-prop versatile adventure-based teambuilding games and activities participants can utilize with the groups that they work with. These games and activities can be used to enhance the understanding of concepts like teambuilding, community, leadership, problem solving, communication, trust & support, success & failure, competition & cooperation, consensus building, goal setting, and more. Often associated with challenge/ropes course implementation, these games and activities can also be presented in classrooms, playgrounds, and conference rooms, at youth meetings and group sessions as well as outdoor adventure settings.
Other Training Programs
The NAU Challenge Course presents at a variety of conferences and workshops. Linked here are the latest workshop handouts. Nic Hagemann's Language Workshops from NCCPS 2008. Erin Johnson's Game's for Small Group's from NCCPS 2008.
Click here to view other Trips and Classes offered by NAU Outdoors.
Also look here for more Internships and Employment OpportunitiesContact Us
NAU Challenge Course
928-523-5010
challengecourse@nau.edu
NAU Outdoors
PO Box 5773
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
928-523-3229
nauodr@nau.edu