Alpione Mountaineering Course – Chamonix 2019
In May, through the support of the Snowdonia Partnership Fund,which is administrated by Menter Iaith Conwy, three outdoor instructors from the Urdd Outdoor service and Menter Iaith Conwy went on an Alpine Mountain Course, to Chamonix in France.
Menter Iaith Conwy has implemented a training scheme for trainers in the outdoor industry for over 10 years. A scheme initiated to address the lack of Welsh speakers working in the industry according to a study in 2003, due to the work of Menter Iaith Conwy, the Urdd and the Outdoor Partnership to name but a few, the numbers are now much healthier. However there is a need to continue training local Welsh speaking instructors to attain the higher level qualifications in the industry.
Part of this was the recent course at Chamonix with the aim of upskilling of 3 instructors who work through the Welsh language across the whole of Wales, as well as working in Europe with Welsh-speaking groups. Menter Iaith through the Clwb Eira has been arranging annual tours for France for a decade now, while the URDD have a new centre in Hungary.
After learning about avalanche safety, ski touring techniques, rope skills on the mountain and travelling on glaciers safely the three are going to share their experiences and what they have learned to other trainers within the Urdd in order to upskill and increase knowledge amongst the instructors.
If you are interested in furthering your qualifications in the outdoor industry please contact Menter Iaith Conwy, who, through the Snowdonia Partnership Fund scheme has a grant of up to 75% to assist you. For more information call 01492 642357 or Email bedwyr@miconwy.org