About the Organization

OEG Vision: We envision a world where more people think and act to support: positive relationships with themselves; dynamic, healthy communities; and the sustainability of life.

OEG mission: To deliver excellence in Outdoor Education through partnerships with our clients, in order to prepare young people for the personal, social and environmental challenges in their lives.

Values: We encourage respect and taking responsibility for self, others and the natural world.

Founded in 1984, the Outdoor Education Group (OEG) is an independent non-profit organisation with 82 partner schools and tertiary institutions as clients. We teach 20,000 students on adventure based, outdoor experiential learning courses ranging from 2 to 33 days in length.

OEG custom-designs outdoor learning programs to suit a client's educational parameters. Each school decides its learning outcomes which OEG then determines a location, style and program to suit, in full consultation.

Our expertise is in fully staffed, equipped and resourced bush and journey based programs, with a high level of pre and post program education, evaluation, support and interaction.

OEG has administrative and operational bases in Eildon, Victoria and Moss Vale, NSW. We run programs in a diverse range of environments throughout Eastern Australia. Eleven staff are permanently seconded to partner schools in Melbourne and Sydney.

OEG is governed by a voluntary board of directors drawn from business, schools and the outdoor profession.

Job Description

Initially the intern will work as an assistant group leader and will progress to work as group leaders on custom designed experiential education based wilderness programs for Australian school children. Programs range from 5 day trips to 33 day expeditions primarily throughout the state of Victoria. Some trips may take place in the state of New South Wales.

As part of their induction all interns will be provided with a professional development plan to support the organisational needs and their professional development needs. This plan may cover (but not limited to):

Technical skills

Training and assessment is available in a variety of outdoor activities through staff training programs as well as on the job assessment. Typically available in bushwalk, high ropes, cycling, rafting, climbing, canoeing (flat water instructor and ability to instruct on moving or open flatwater); as well as nordic skiing in Australian winter/spring placements.

Inherent in all training is a focus on risk management, group management and facilitation, judgment and decision-making.

Other additional outdoor leadership skills and experience that may be developed on the job include:

•facilitating adventure-based learning

•facilitating delivery of the educational framework of “life skills” competencies and the Learning Journey project (part of a research project & longitudinal study with Canberra University on the efficacy and impact of Outdoor Education)

•working with adolescents

•customer focus

Opportunity to implement a project related their area of study as part of their work program.

# of Positions per term

2

Start Dates

September and January

Duration of Internship

12 weeks minimum

Academic Background

Education, Early Childhood Education, Tourism and Outdoor Leadership, Outdoor Recreation, Recreation Leadership, Child and Family Sciences, Education, Experiential Education, Adventure Education, and other related majors.

Skills/Experience

As Group Leaders, interns will be responsible for guiding and supporting a group of 12-14 students in the wilderness including leading, maintaining their welfare and implementation of curriculum. The Group Leader’s fundamental responsibility is to lead their group in a manner that is both enjoyable and minimizes risk; their key purpose is to facilitate an educational process that empowers participants to reflect on, and learn from their experiences during the program. Group Leaders work in conjunction with a school staff member and are supported by an in-field program leader.

Program activities can include, depending on season and assigned program: rock climbing, bicycle touring, bushwalking, canoeing, climbing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, high and low ropes activities, kayaking, mountain biking, raft building, rafting, sea kayaking, sledding (whitewater river boarding), and surfing.

The intern will also have an opportunity to complete an individual project during the term of his/ her internship. This will be determined in relation to the focus of his/her study, but could focus on developing resource/teaching notes for other group leaders; developing track notes or teaching ideas that support a new venue development project; providing feedback on an aspect of risk management (eg within an activity specialisation).

DISCIPLINES/SKILLS:
Required: Current Wilderness First Aid (minimum 32 hour course), experience leading and working with youth; and facilitating learning experiences in the outdoors, academic background in outdoor education and risk management, ability to live and work comfortably in the wilderness for an extended period of time, ability to work in team environment. Technical skills in some of the activities mentioned in job description. Interns must also pass background check prior to departing and another in Australia.

Preferred: Wilderness First Responder certified (80 hour course)

Language Ability

English

Other Requirements

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.

IE₃ Program Fee

The program fee* for the first term of any internship is $2950 - $3150. You do not pay tuition in addition to the program fee. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

*The program fee noted above reflects the anticipated fee increase that will go into effect for the Fall 2010 term and will apply to all terms thereafter.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
International Travel	AIrfare: $1500
Visa Fees	$180 USD
Recommended Immunizations	Recommended health check: $100 USD

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	$400 AUD
Food	$400 AUD
Local Transportation	$400 AUD
Recreation	$175 AUD
Personal Expenses	$100 AUD

Compensation

•$167-$182 AUD/ day in the field depending on first aid certifications and experience.
•Estimated 30-40 days in field for 3 month internships and 60-80 days in the field for 6 month internships.

•No compensation provided when not in the field.

Check out OEG's website for details about the organization: www.oeg.net.au

OEG works exclusively with educational institutions, each of which has its own mission and ethos and educates young people in a range of domains, eg. academic, spiritual, artistic, sporting.

OEG seeks to understand the unique aspects of the institution and then design a course in partnership with the institution.

OEG sets out to provide expertise in a specific area of learning that is not generally available in Australian institutions and to partner the institution in the delivery of an outdoor learning program. OEG's philosophy has four core parts.

1. The foundations identify who our clients are and how we will work with them.
2. The facets express the fundamental dimensions of outdoor education at OEG.
3. The constructs list the core elements of a successful course.
4. The seven customers expresses the range of people & their needs to be served' by the tension between the two foundations.

The two foundations of OEG's approach to education These are service and beliefs. Our organization believes in a dynamic tension between service (to client institutions) and belief or philosophy (the pedagogy and philosophy of cutting edge outdoor education).

To further explain, OEG believes in providing exceptional service delivery, whilst also assisting clients to understand the philosophy of outdoor education to ensure it is utilized in the most effective way possible. OEG believes that its responsibility is to react to the needs of each school as perceived by the school itself. The institution may identify specific needs such as the need to develop leadership, combat bullying, sexism, homophobia or racism for example

For this to succeed OEG understands that we must have an excellent relationship with the institution and the individuals within it, and the institution must respect OEG's work.

The three facets of outdoor education at OEG OEG seeks to achieve student learning outcomes which focus on self; others and the natural world, and the interaction between these elements.

The seven constructs of effective outdoor education These constructs have been developed and refined in the 20 years of OEG operation and relationships with many educational institutions during this period. OEG believes that it is the following aspects which ensure effective outdoor education.

1. A semi wilderness environment.
2. Isolation from as many/all forms of technology and human impact/development.
3. The presence of a course facilitator, and a structured curriculum.
4. Small groups of learners (eg l6-18 or less)
5. Continual contact with the learning medium.
6. Appropriate level and forms of challenge (physical, emotional, spiritual)
7. Transfer of learning to and from the course.

The seven clients' needs in an outdoor learning program OEG understand that in order to deliver an effective outdoor educational program a range of clients need to be attended to.

1. The student attending.
2. The organizing staff member.
3. Other institutional staff that attend.
4. The leadership of the institution.
5. The student's parents.
6. The community associated with the institution (all other staff, students, parents etc not mentioned above).
7. The beliefs on which the course is founded.