Mountain Safety Council - OnTrack Newsletter (March 2011)

WELCOME l

DARRYL CARPENTER CHIEF EXECUTIVE

For the people of Christchurch, Tuesday 22 February would have been a terrifying experience. The task ahead of putting your lives, homes and businesses back together even more so. Many of us here in the office have deep associations with the region and indeed we have member organisations and suppliers also based in the region. Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by the event.

For the rest of us, summer has passed and I hope you managed to fit in a few adventures.

The change in season signals a corresponding change in focus for MSC from the camping and tramping perspective to more of a focus on the alpine environment.

We also continue all the other key aspects of the Council’s work: research, setting of standards, communication and publication of the outdoor safety message and delivery of key projects and activity such as risk management, outdoor first aid, firearms training and testing.

I am sure that many of you are aware of recent high profile incidents in the outdoors and the resulting coronial recommendations but did you know that MSC leads, facilitates and supports the development of outdoor safety standards and the successful education and implementation of these? This remains a key aspect of our work and is a challenge with limited funding.

You will have noticed our adjusting, refining and improving our operational delivery in response to the increasing expectations. Regular feedback reinforces the view that we are making a positive difference in our communities. This edition of OnTrack discusses what each of the operational programmes are doing and highlights some specific activity within these.

MSC continues to be extremely fortunate with the contribution our national network of volunteers and Branches make. OnTrack gives me an ideal opportunity to once again say ‘thank you’ to those who give to their communities through MSC - we are a very fortunate organisation.

CEO Welcome Darryl’s view from the top

MSC - who are we?

An overview plus new faces

Volunteer Focus HUNTS graduates gain diplomas

Safety in the Outdoors Is the message getting through?

Whakatūpato A new firearms safety training programme

Avalanche Conference It’s on in CHCH! Book online now! Limited spaces available

First Hand Experience New Bushcraft Manager speaks

The Navigator The new name for the MSC Outcomes Model. How it works and why it matters

Acknowledgements Our Member Organisations and Funders

Discover more, safely

Calendar

Darryl

All the dates that matter

New Zealand Mountain Safety Council Level 3 l 19 Tory Street l Wellington PO Box 6027 l Wellington l 6141 Tel: 04 385 7162 l Fax: 04 385 7366 www.mountainsafety.org.nz

NZ Mountain Safety Council - who are we?

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (NZMSC) was formed in 1965 with support from key NZ Government agencies and national associations in response to the increasing number of mountain, bush and firearms incidents and continues to promote safe participation in outdoor activities and environments.

At the core of NZMSC’s constitution is encouraging people to participate safely in land-based outdoor recreation activities; foster positive support for outdoor safety in the community and promote the development and maintenance of national outdoor safety standards for land-based activities.

MSC’s strategic goals are:  To undertake research and develop standards for outdoor safety  To produce key outdoor safety information  To publicise the outdoor safety message  To deliver training by skilled instructors Currently the organisation consists of a National Office based in Wellington, a national network of 27 branches with more than 1000 volunteer instructors delivering quality outdoors education. We are supported by a variety of collaborative partners, funders and 25 member organisations including the Police, Search and Rescue organisations, plus outdoors organisations such Guides, Scouts & cadets.

The purpose of the Council is to gather the collective perspectives, wisdom and shared purpose of those committed to outdoor safety. For more information please visit www.mountainsafety.org.nz

Please note: staff with an asterisk work on a part time basis: Administrator - 3.5 days per week; Resources Manager - 4 days per week; Branch Network Manager - 2.5 days per week; Membership Officer - 2 days per week; IT Support as required.

Andrea on a boat off Kapiti Island, Tracy at the Wairere Boulders, Chris in Sierra Nevada, California looking out for bears and Nina in the office with snow aspirations!

Volunteer Focus: Mike Pyatt FMC Introduces Young Adults Scholarship Scheme Federated Mountain Clubs are offering a number of new scholarships to young people under the age of 30 years.

They are keen to promote tramping as an enjoyable experience for young people and to assist clubs to attract younger members.

For more information visit: www.fmc.org.nz

Congratulations to Mike Pyatt who was one of seven instructors to receive the Whitireia Community Polytechnic Diploma in Outdoor Leadership (HUNTS) in 2010.

Having joined MSC Gisborne in 2000 as a Firearms Instructor, Mike went on to attain the Outdoor Leader, Bush 1 and HUNTS 1 Awards. Mike is a committed and talented instructor and is one of a much larger team of experienced outdoor instructors who volunteer their time to deliver the outdoor safety message to the Gisborne branch and East Coast communities.

Mike also organises and delivers Navigation and GPS courses, firearms safety range shoots and assists with the delivery of Whakatupato to East Cape communities

Bushcraft is Back!

Late last year, Mountain Safety Council released the latest edition of Bushcraft to coincide with the beginning of the busy Summer season.

Every chapter has been reviewed and a fresh new design applied throughout the 270 page wire bound manual.

Chief Executive Darryl Carpenter said “Bushcraft should become as essential to every Kiwi home as the Edmonds Cookbook”.

“It contains info that everyone who wants to enjoy our great outdoors needs to know. Whether you’re a bush beginner or know the backcountry like the back of your hand, there’s something in there for everyone” he added.

To order online, visit www.mountainsafety.org.nz and click the Online Store tab or call MSC National Office on 04 385 7162

Outdoor Safety Code Update The Outdoor Safety Code has now been launched along with the Boating Code and the Water Safety Code.

MSC has been involved in the production of all of these codes and is also the lead on the project to create and maintain a new website portal aimed at being the one stop shop for safety messages. It’s still a work in progress but is live and can be viewed by visiting: www.adventuresmart.org.nz

Mike Pyatt receiving his diploma

Our congratulations go to all seven 2010 HUNTS Diploma graduates: Mike Pyatt, Gisborne; Justin Amor, Wellington; Paul Dekker, Manawatu; Jim Peffers, Canterbury; Karl Schasching, Canterbury; Peter Henderson, Wakatipu & Lance O’Rourke, South Canterbury.

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Outdoor Safety: Is the message getting through?

One of MSC’s roles is ensuring the community is more aware of outdoor safety and if you’ve ever wondered if our outdoor safety messages are getting through, yes they do, and more often than we may realise.

One of the MSC team explains a very real and recent example of this in action: NZ is fortunate to have a dedicated national network of community and volunteer leaders who take MSC’s outdoor safety messages and present these regularly across NZ at the right time, in the right way, with the right content, to the right audience.

“Our 9 year old goes to Girl Guides. The local troop are gearing up for their first one day tramp and have been practicing various activities over the last few weeks and recently their focus was the outdoor safety night.

I caught up with a couple of the other parents who were rostered on as parent help on that night. They commented that the Guide leader was very well prepared, well informed, had downloaded all the relevant material, was able to answer the girls’ questions, had developed a well structured learning session and was exemplary in the briefing and preparation for the trip. The Outdoor Safety Code was used as the primary reference for her key messages.

The documentation our daughter brought home included a copy of the Outdoor Safety Code, a completed visitor intentions form, the DoC forest park map (with the intended walking track highlighted) and a gear list from Kathmandu. We were sat down and given the full briefing as to what she learned, when she is going, what she needs to take – including much reference to chocolate!

From a MSC point of view, this is a wonderful example of how our collective (and individual) pieces of work within SAR and education/preventative activity are incredibly important. If what was reported on this occasion is an indication of what is happening all around the country, we (and NZ) are in a good place.

For all those involved in similar work, thank you for your ongoing support, contribution and continuing willingness to deliver your piece of the outdoor safety puzzle. While this may only be a small example of this sort of work, it demonstrates vividly how we are collectively well on the way to achieving our desired outcome of ‘people participating safely in land based outdoor activity’.

And we need to add chocolate as an essential part of our recommended food lists!!!

>> Whakatūpato: A New Firearms Safety Training Programme This year sees the launch of a new firearms safety training programme called Whakatūpato.

Project Co-ordinator, Tracy Wakeford explains more about this MSC led joint initiative.

Whakatūpato (meaning ‘take care’) is a joint venture between Mountain Safety Council, NZ Police and Iwi to provide comprehensive firearms training for Maori and other rural persons who are firearms users but who for a number of reasons may not be able to access current firearms and hunter safety training.

The programme grew out of research into firearms use and licensing, and from feedback from Bay of Plenty Iwi. The findings indicated a need for comprehensive firearms training that is tailored to the culture and interests of rural communities, is delivered locally by the community for the community and is self-supporting.

The Whakatūpato Programme aims to, first and foremost, promote the safe use of firearms in rural communities and secondly, to encourage people to gain their firearms licence and comply with current NZ law.

The programme uses the same core content as the mainstream firearms programme and the same model of recruiting local volunteers who are trained and supported to deliver this programme to their communities.

The only difference is that delivery in the rural areas takes place at venues such as marae and community halls and additional resources have been developed to increase Maori responsiveness to the programme.

Whakatūpato has begun in the Te Urewera region, co-ordinated by Rotorua Firearms Instructor John Ransfield.

We have begun to identify local volunteers from within the rural communities. Training for the volunteers has been planned and we continue to seek volunteers throughout the rural communities that these programmes are being established in. A working group has been meeting regularly to oversee the development of the programme and to enable consultation.

New resources have also been prepared that fit the culture within the communities including brochures, certificate and a DVD amongst other things, all of which will feature the programme brand.

If you would like to know more about this programme, please contact Project Co-ordinator, Tracy Wakeford on 09 405 9242 or email tracy.wakeford@mountainsafety.org.nz

>> The Southern Hemisphere Avalanche Conference 2011 CHRISTCHURCH, 10-12 JUNE Conference Theme: Current Practice, Future Thinking The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council invites the avalanche sector - from senior management to frontline practitioners - to the bi-annual Southern Hemisphere Avalanche Conference.

The Conference will go ahead and consists of a full day of optional workshops kindly supported by NZMSC and NZSAR followed by a two day conference schedule of informative conference presentations relevant for the avalanche sector.

The purpose is to further collaboration, co-ordination and consistency throughout the avalanche community. New Zealand and international speakers will present and workshop the latest knowledge and developments from around the world.

Take the opportunity to meet, learn and share with the best minds in the industry, come and trial the latest gadgets and new technology, catch-up with friends and colleagues

3 Reasons Why You Should Book Your Place Now...  Suitable for anyone involved in the Avalanche community but especially Ski Area and back country personnel, Police, DOC, Road Contractors, LandSAR personnel plus Alpine & Avalanche Instructors.  Fulfils Continued Professional Development (CPD) requirements.  Catch up with your peers, exchange ideas, experiences and best

FOR MORE INFORMATION >> Please visit www.mountainsafety.org.nz/conference Contact Andrew Hobman, MSC Programme Manager: Alpine & Avalanche Tel: 027 446 2626 or email: andrew.hobman@mountainsafety.org.nz

My first hand experience of MSC training in action New Bushcraft Programme Manager Chris Owens recently attended an Outdoor First Aid camp and shares his experience below...

On the weekend of the 18-20 of February I was fortunate to attend an Outdoor First Aid course coordinated by the Wellington MSC branch at ‘Camp Wainui’ near Wainuiomata. This was a perfect area to run this programme, with lots of mixed bushy terrain to support all the scenarios and enough distance away from civilisation so as not to be interrupted by non participants.

The course started on the Friday evening with the usual introductions of participants and our two instructors, Bridget Janse and Nigel Seebeck. The group was a mixed bag of very keen and engaging participants, from local council workers, teachers, students to outdoor enthusiasts who wanted new skills, or to revalidate expired first aid certificates. After the initial greetings were finished we got straight into the course.

The next two days were intensive and well paced, both Bridget & Nigel swapping as presenters and working very well in their tag team style of presenting. The act of filling in workbooks which followed the programme helped greatly on focusing and reinforcing the topic at hand. The introduction of scenarios and outdoor activities during the internal presentations helped keep the course lively and participants motivated.

MSC Branch Network Manager Jane Hoedemaeckers came over on the Saturday afternoon and provided a fantastic pasta meal; this meant we didn’t have down time on the course preparing dinner.

Having attended several excellent Outdoor First Aid courses over the years with my time with MSC as an instructor, I was greatly impressed at the high standard of programme that we have reached. The combination of course structure, venue (and catering), great resources and a highly professional level of instruction indicates to me we are offering a world class programme.

Obituary: Vida Lucock >> It is with great sadness we report the passing of Dorothy Davida ’Vida’ Lucock.

As one of the founding members of the Mountain Safety Council, Lucock learned mountaincraft from some wellknown climbers and then set out to share her skills and knowledge with as many people as she could.

Amongst other things, she instructed with the Girl Guides, established the first Over-40s Tramping Club and helped with the Arthur’s Pass Outdoor Education Centre.

Lucock was described by Mountain Safety Council chairman Ross Meder as “a pivotal member of the Canterbury branch through it’s early years” and will be remembered for the significant and voluntary contribution she made to the organisation.

Dorothy Davida Lucock, born Wellington March 25, 1920; died Christchurch January 14 2011. Pre deceased by husband George, son Bill and one grandchild; survived by sons David, Ron and Tim, daughters Carol and Sally, 16 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Reproduced in part from The Press, Christchurch, 5/02/2011

Abseil Instructors Workshop North Island >> This year’s North Island Abseil Workshop was based in National Park with participants from eight branches (including Ashburton!).

There were near equal numbers of trainees and Abseil 1's which allowed for some good workshop sessions with comparable skill sets.

Some extension activities were included to make sure that everyone got something from the weekend. This year instructors were given individual feedback from the four assessors on the course so that they had something to go away with to work on.

There was the usual healthy amount of instructor networking and buoyant discussions around techniques and different ideas on a number of subjects.

This year’s North Island workshop was a good success and the 18 participants got what they came for and had some fun also.

I would very much like to thank Nigel Seebeck for all the great work he has done in moving the abseil programme forward. This has taken a considerable amount of time and I appreciate all he has done for MSC and the communities we are here to support. Thanks Nigel!

Outdoor First Aid News >>

By Leonce Jones I am in the process of re-establishing the OFA Technical Advisory Committee (OFATAC) in preparation for changes that have occurred to the unit standards. NZQA Units 6400, 6401 and 6402 and Skills Active Unit 424 have all been reviewed. The revised versions of these units are released on the NZQA Framework and the changes are as follows: 6400, 6401 and 6402 replaced by: 26551 - Level 2, Credit 1, V1.

16552 - Level 2, Credit 1, V1.

424 Version 7 replaced by: 424 – Level 3, Credit 5, Version 8 I will be bringing the (OFATAC) together to review the delivery packages and programme as I believe both the old OFA package and the Essentials package will need revision to meet the requirements of the changed units.

In the meantime I recommend continuing with the old OFA Package rather than adopting the Essentials package. The old units have lengthy expiry dates so you can continue to use them.

Triple One Care is processing our First Aid Unit Standard results through to NZQA. The cost of this process cannot be absorbed by MSC National Office and will be passed on to the trainees.

We are working on a process to implement the fee and changes to the individual branch course costs, administrative and assessment processes will be necessary as a result.

The Navigator: Mountain Safety Council’s Outcomes Model Annie Dignan, Programme Manager for Research and Evaluation explains more about the Navigator, the new name for MSC’s Outcomes Model. The Navigator map is essentially a ‘Trip Planning Tool’ and visual representation which will assist us in knowing where we are going and recognising when we get there.

Know the Outcomes Code!

MSC volunteers know a lot about trip planning and the Outdoor Safety Code is a handy reminder of what we need to focus upon when venturing into the outdoors. Establishing where MSC is going and what outcomes it will achieve requires similar planning.

Therefore, MSC Executive, staff and volunteers have been involved in creating a visual model to act as our map to help us get the organisation to where we want and need to be.

We have called this visual outcomes map ‘The Navigator’ as it guides us to our desired outcomes.

How to read MCS’s Navigator map As with most plans the Navigator map has varying depths of detail. The overview map (see diagram 1 on the opposite page) sets out the high level of outcomes MSC is working towards. The box on the far right is MSC’s ultimate goal of ‘people participating safely in land-based outdoor activity’ and the boxes to the left are the steps necessary to achieving that goal.

Under each of these high level outcome boxes, is a more detailed page of the steps required to achieve that particular outcome and further down again is the detail regarding the specifics at project and delivery level.

I’m a Volunteer! What has the Navigator map got to do with me?

The Navigator ‘maps’ the way forward for MSC so if you are involved in MSC then what you do and the reason for it, can be clearly located on the map.

The Navigator map has many layers of detail covering all aspects of what MSC is trying to achieve as an organisation. Naturally much of the map covers specific areas of MSC operation, but for example the area of ‘quality education and training’ directly relates to the role that volunteer instructors have within the organisation.

The Navigator map shows you that your involvement with MSC as a volunteer and your contribution is time well spent on achieving focused outcomes.

Diagram 2 on the opposite page is a simulations of a sub-level of the Navigator map and highlights some of the steps required to achieve the outcome of ‘quality education and training’ which is one part of what MSC as an organisation sets out to achieve. You can see that there are 11 outcomes that need to be achieved in order to know that we are delivering ‘Quality education/training (where necessary on sufficient subjects’.

The Outdoor Safety Code is a good analogy for what The Navigator Map will achieve >> 1) Plan the Trip

3) Be aware of the weather

4) Knowing our limits

The Navigator, MSC’s Outcome Mapping process, has clearly defined what outcomes we are planning to achieve (where we are headed) and the Navigator map enables us to provide a visual description of what these outcomes are.

Just as the weather is prone to change, so The process of mapping our intended is the environment that MSC works outcomes, or planning our trip, has meant within.

MSC has to explore what it can and can’t do and prioritise what should happen first.

In developing our Navigator map, MSC has considered many current and projected Given the level of resourcing and the environmental circumstances that could economic climate, we have to know our limits affect MSC operation and the delivery of and ensure that we can fulfil our existing 2) Telling someone (everyone) where we its outcomes. commitments (business as usual) plus are going achieve success via one-off projects.

Part of our work includes understanding The Navigator map illustrates to everyone the wider social and political context we It is essential therefore that both types of what outcomes we are working towards operate in, identifying risks and putting work are clearly linked to helping MSC and the steps needed to get there. plans in place to ensure MSC’s ‘survival’. achieve its outcomes.

The Navigator map is also an evaluation plan which enables us to tell people when we get to our destination safely or when we have got to significant way points on the journey/trip (i.e. when some of our outcomes have been achieved or there are indicators that we are successfully progressing towards our destination).

For example, if there were a change to gaming and lottery funding legislation, this could significantly impact upon MSC’s operations and whilst it is out of our control, we have to mitigate the risks such a change could pose.

5) Take sufficient supplies MSC doesn’t have unlimited resources so for us to plan exactly how we are going to achieve our outcomes, we have to identify all of our available resources and plan how to maximise the opportunities these afford.

These resources include funding, volunteer time and intellectual property.

It could be debated as to whether our existing supplies are sufficient but the Navigator map ensures we use our supplies wisely.

Diagram 1: This graphic depicts the very top level of the Mountain Safety Council’s Navigator map model Each box describes a desired outcome or aim for the Mountain Safety Council as an organisation. The ultimate aim is located in the box on the far right: ‘People participating safely in land-based outdoor activity’. In order to get to this point, all the other boxes located to the left, are the steps that need to be taken and achieved to reach the ultimate aim. The level underneath each box goes into more detail and describes more steps that need to be achieved and so on.

The Navigator - The Map of MSC’s Journey to Achieve its Overall Purpose

Diagram 2: Is a simulation of the next level down from of the very top level of the Navigator map This diagram shows the detail on the next level down. In order for the ‘Quality education/training’ outcome to be achieved, there are 11 boxes to the left, containing further outcomes that also need to be achieved. The level below this diagram is not shown but would have specifics relating to how MSC actually goes about achieving these outcomes.

Summary: the Navigator map charts an exciting pathway to achieving MSC’s ultimate outcome of ‘people participating safely in land-based outdoor activity’ and enables us to mark off the ‘way points’ as we progress. More detail of the entire Navigator map will soon be available on the MSC website so you can see how all the layers fit together.

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council is formed of 25 member organisations all with a stake in promoting safe participation of New Zealand’s great outdoors.

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“Volunteering – every minute counts” will be the theme for the 2011 Volunteer Awareness Week which will take place from 19 – 25 June.

The theme highlights that volunteers provide an invaluable contribution to our society and that every minute of their work counts.

For anyone who is considering volunteering, it means that every moment of their busy life they can spare for volunteering is valuable because volunteers all contribute no matter what amount of time they give.

Mountain Safety Council is very proud of the work that is carried out by our volunteers on every level whether it be as an instructor or via administration. The organisation couldn’t exist without you!

We will let you know nearer the time how we will celebrate our recognition of the tireless effort that you put in on behalf of Mountain Safety Council.

Volunteering for MSC is challenging and rewarding. If you or you know someone who would like to volunteer for the Mountain Safety Council, please contact your local branch. The details can be found on the MSC website: www.mountainsafety.org.nz

About OnTrack >> The OnTrack newsletter is published by the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council in March, July and November each year. Disclaimer and submission guidelines >> All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy but no responsibility will be taken by the Mountain Safety Council for errors or inaccuracies or for any consequences of reliance on this information. If you have any feedback, ideas or items that you would like to submit for consideration please email: marketing@mountainsafety.org.nz >> Submission deadline is 5pm, Friday 20 May. Publication is not guaranteed and the editor’s decision is final.