FAQ Outoor Immersion Programs
Free Informational Evening March 13, 2012, 7pm-9pm, Portland, OR
Immersion Information Session Learn more about Trackers. This evening we cover the focus, philosophy and unique teaching methods of our long-term training programs for adults.
Contact Us to RSVP 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, OR
What is difference between various Outdoor Immersion Programs?
Our Outdoor Immersion is designed for maximum flexibility for your work and social life. You can choose to attend for 1 to three weekends a month for 9 months. During each weekend you focus on a specific core study of our guilds; Wilderness survival, tracking, stealth nd nature awareness, edible and medicinal plants, homesteading crafts, and skillets restore the wild lands around us.
Who Can Apply?
Anyone over 18 years of age or will be 18 years of age can apply to any of our programs. On occasion we take unschool students under 18 with parents consent and if we feel they are approaching the program with the maturity that will match all our other adult participants.
What about housing and food?
You are responsible for your own food and housing for the rest of the week. During the weekend we will provide dinner. For all core study programs we work to incorporate as much wild and homegrown food as possible. For folks moving here from out of town, we will help you seek out housing options to the best of our ability.
What about special diet needs?
Since being a hunter-gatherer, horticulturist or fisherperson (a Ranger, a Wilder or Mariner) is about living with the local diversity of the land, all of our meals could contain a full range of fruits, meats, spices and vegetables. This makes it impossible to accommodate specialised diets such as vegetarianism and other food restrictions for community meals. We will happily accommodate all dietary needs by leaving a key station in our in-house, primitive or outdoor kitchens open for students who find they may require other options. This additional food must be planned, purchased and brought ahead of time by students of their own accord. Program untensils and cooking pans and pots will not be distinguished or separated according to diets.
Can I work during the program?
The Outdoor Immersion program is specifically designed so that you can have a job while also training these skills. Each weekend option begins Friday evening and goes until Sunday afternoon. On top of that, you can choose one weekend a month, two, or three -- whatever best fits your work schedule and social life.
What if I can't afford it?
Each program offers scholarship and payment plans. For scholarships apply here. For payment plans contact us. Scholarship or Our Outdoor & Environmental Educator Training Program awards available of up to 10%-30% or tuition for students in need. Due to limited funds of awards we recommend you apply early to increase your chances of acceptance. Submit a scholarship or Our Outdoor & Environmental Educator Training Program application
What does a class day look like?
Fridays typically begin with a presentation or lecture concerning our focus for the weekend We often have core routines that focus on developing the fundamental skills of at the core study in the morning along with hands on field experience in the skill or craft we are focusing on, Saturday is a student debrief and seminar discussion of reading material along with community celebration and conversation. Sunday is more field experience plus and overview of independent study work to be met before the following weekend.
Where do the different courses take place?
Typically they occur in the foothills of Mt Hood at the Trackers Homestead in Sandy, Oregon. The homestead lies in the Marmot Valley and is connected to the 90 acre wildlife refuge of the Audubon Society of Portland. Occasionally a weekend will occur in a specialised location such as the Oregon Dunes meant to feature a certain skill or concept the weekend is focused on.
Can I bring my laptop, cell phone, and comic books?
All Programs Absolutely. While each program is designed to be immersion in tradition, skills, we still respect your connection to the world around you. Communication with and respect for our outside relationships is important and vital. The purpose of all these programs is to shift towards and deeper relationship with the natural world. This is not about isolation, it is about inclusion and integration.
Do I need a vehicle?
You can either drive yourself or join our shuttle for a 5$ fee.s
What qualities are you looking for in an immersion student?
For the part time immersion program, students need to want to commit real time to learning these skills, but don't have the ability or desire to immerse themselves fully. The typical participant has a job, a social life, a family outside of the program, but also has the drive to commit between one and three weekends a month to their studies in the program.
What are the primary skills I'll be learning in these programs?
Wilderness Survival and Primitive Skills Wilderness survival is an awareness that not only keeps you alive, it allows you thrive and find a deeper connection to the natural world.
Wildlife Tracking The ancient art of tracking requires deep awareness and knowledge of the natural world. It is about seeing the wild as though it is family.
The Curriculum of Shadows: Stealth & Nature Awareness Camouflage not only helps you better see the secrets of the wild, it also takes you into an entirely new world of observation and awareness.
Edible and Medicinal Plants For over 1 million years of human history humans have been feeding and tending to the health of their family by harvesting and living from a "Wilders" garden.
Homesteading CraftsTrain skills in self-sufficiency applicable to both the rural and urban village while working with local resources and your own two hands to provide for you and your family.
The Hunter-Gatherers Garden: Restoration, Remediation & Intensification Hunter-gatherers thrive, they don't simply survive. We must remediate, restore and intensify our long-established native landscapes.
Will I receive any sort of certifications?
The simple answer is no, we do not offer certifications with this program. The more complex answer is to be careful of programs that claim they do. There is currently no true standard or professionally recognized standard of certification for bushcraft, primitive skills, wilderness survival or tracking. For instance, there is a tracking certification that is claimed to be professional recognized used by many schools, unfortunately this certification primarily focuses only on clear track identification. It also is not a central factor in getting work as a wildlife biologist. Whatever any school claims it is important to judge them based on their individual merit. We work to teach real world skills that actually will have application in professional setting. We could also claim we certify you in those skills but would rather focus on quality and hands on experience. Unfortunately many of the certifications currently offered related to tracking, permaculture or wilderness survival are not universally recognized in what should be their applied field such as wildlife biology, restoration or outdoor education. Also unfortunately there are a lot of claims that these same certifications will actually gain an individual employment when this is concretely not the case in spite of claims made. We use to offer permaculture design certification until we had to admit that the standardized curriculum was not necessarily fulfilling the full potential of the content. Standardized permaculture design courses were primarily lecture and did not truly leave students more capable through experience after their 2-week course. We redesigned and remade the concepts of permaculture curriculum into our current Way of the Wilder program.
We teach these skills so that people can change the world. We don't teach them to give them a false perception of a career when they are best suited to attending a collegite institution.
A couple common misperceptions to avoid when looking for an Outdoor School...
Certifications that claim they will get you a job Watch out when a school is the only one offering that certification. It is important to question the actual capacity of that certification to lead to a career if the school is the only one offering it. Also, certification like Permaculture Design is found in many schools. A point of concern is how people believe this "certification" will often lead to a career of livelihood. We believe that more unemployed people have their permaculture design certificaiton than are employed in a related field. That does not mean the training is pointless, it only means the claims of leading to a career are not necessarily valid. What most often leads to a job or career is a full degree or intelligent network capacity (see .
Credits through other colleges Often programs claim they can get you up to 20, 40 or 60 credits at a local institution. Be wary of this. It is often what is called "practicum credi"t. This type of learning situation is easily implementable by students themselves with any organization through university institutions. It is not necessarily the university's stamp of approval. You often have to enroll in the university, work with an advisor and even do outside assignments. The concern is, they are claiming credit, but you do all the leg work.
A degree that is not really a degree This is the most serious issue out there. Some institutions say they offer credit when they really do not through the US, UK or any other recognized body. Always follow the paper trail. We know of one institution that gets their accreditation through another institution, who gets their accreditation through another institution, who gets their accreditation through another institution who lost their accreditation in the UK over 5-years ago. Yet hundreds of people are enrolled in their program across the North America and believing they are earning a legitimate degree.ood that is the best match for them.
Will I have breaks for holidays?
We schedule the part-time weekends around the holiday breaks.
What do I need to and will I be able to bring with me?
Once participants are accepted into the program, they are provided with a detailed packing list. In general, you need basic camping gear, clothing for all weather and a good knife.
How do I join?
You can register online or set up a payment plan by contacting us.
Scholarships or Our Outdoor & Environmental Educator Training Program We have scholarship or Our Outdoor & Environmental Educator Training Program awards available for all programs of up to 10%-30% or tuition for students in need. Due to limited funds of awards we recommend you apply early to increase your chances of acceptance.
Submit a scholarship or Our Outdoor & Environmental Educator Training Program application...