GUIDE TRAINING REPORT
MARCH, APRIL & MAY 2011
Guide Training Report
Part 1
New Resident-guide Training
The yearly guide training program was commissioned by Asilia Lodges & Camps to train 10 new resident guides for their camps in Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks.
After screening 150 applicants for driving and English proficiency, 30 were selected for an intensive 3 day interview consisting with the assistance of Arusha Mental Health Dept. Among factors affecting selection were the following: perceived maturity, ability to conceptualize, honesty, natural leadership and cooperative qualities and perceived passion. 10 candidates were selected for the course.
Week 1 was spent in Arusha covering basic concepts such as earth structure, basic understanding of the universe, introduction to ecology, introduction to
classification, evolution and the history of life. The group then departed to Tarangire for the remaining 5 weeks of the initial course.
The days were structured as outlined below allowing for flexibility depending on sightings etc.
| Time | Activity |
| 6:00 | Tea |
| 6:15 | Game drive |
| 9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:45 | Classroom |
| 13:00 | Lunch |
| 15:30 | Game drive/classroom |
| 19:00 | Dinner |
| 19:30 | DVD |
The candidates were divided into pairs and worked as a team throughout the training period. Game drives were alternated between teams.
The focus on game drives was as follows:
· Identification of mammals, birds, plants, insects, and tracks.
· Vehicle positioning
· Identification of behavior
· Interpretation
· Experience
Birds sighted were recorded on a list (only recording birds that all trainees had seen or heard) and some time spent highlighting interesting facts about the birds and also explaining basic behavior.
Classroom sessions focused on the modules in the Asilia Guide Training Manual as well as presentation skills and trainees were required to give 1-5 minute presentations. An emphasis was put on the short presentations and only giving key and relevant information. Trainees were often asked to read an article from Swara magazine and base their talk on what the learned from it, and included great topics such as bioluminescence, mimicry, conservation issues such as invasive plants, and the little things like Ant lions, Saturnid moths, and Dung beetles. This worked on their abilities to learn and identify interesting information from resources that are readily available to them in the camps.
I used the following diagram to explain natural history of living things and tried to get trainees to ask the questions of why. During game drives I would ask three questions:
1. What is it?
2. What is it doing? and
3. Why?
The 48 guides were divided into 8 groups of 6 (the maximum we could have had was 56 due to space in vehicles). Different sessions were conducted by teams of trainers and groups of guides rotated between sessions using the following timetable.
| Day | Robin Peterson & Moira Earnshaw | Allan Earnshaw & Jackson Looseiya | Colin Beale & Markus Coerlin | ||||||
| 1 | 1, 2, 3, & 4 | 5 & 6 | 7 & 8 | ||||||
| 2 | 1, 2, 3, & 4 | 5 & 6 | 7 & 8 | ||||||
| 3 | 1, 2, 3, & 4 | a.m. 5 & 6 p.m. 7 & 8 | a.m. 7 & 8 p.m. 5 & 6 | ||||||
| 4 | 1, 2, 3, & 4 | 7 & 8 | 5 & 6 | ||||||
| 5 | 1, 2, 3, & 4 | 7 & 8 | 5 & 6 | ||||||
| 6 | 5, 6, 7, & 8 | 1 & 2 | 3 & 4 | ||||||
| 7 | 5, 6, 7, & 8 | 1 & 2 | 3 & 4 | ||||||
| 8 | 5, 6, 7, & 8 | a.m. 1 & 2 p.m. 3 & 4 | a.m. 3 & 4 p.m. 1 & 2 | ||||||
| 9 | 5, 6, 7, & 8 | 3 & 4 | 1 & 2 | ||||||
| 10 | 5, 6, 7, & 8 | 3 & 4 | 1 & 2 | ||||||
| 11 | ALL TOGETHER Q & A SESSION WITH COLIN, MARKUS AND ETHAN | ||||||||
| 12 | EXAM | ||||||||
| | BREAK CAMP Robin Peterson, from the Arusha Mental Health Department taught a program on self-awareness, different personalities, effective communication, and dealing with conflict. Moyra assisted with relaxation methods and exercise including Yoga, 5 Tibetan Rites, and deep breathing relaxation as well as drawing.   Allan Earnshaw and Jacksoon Looseiya brought together 60 odd years of guiding experience and worked on skills such as briefings and handling clients. Their sessions were motivational and also emphasized a professional work ethic and culture within the company.     Colin Beale, an Ornithologist and expert on Savannah ecology and climate change, and Markus Coerlin, a walking guide at Oliver’s camp, concentrated on the more scientific aspects of guiding and focused on ecology of different habitat types- grasslands, woodlands, kopje systems and swamps and in addition to this covered their top 10 things to talk about if you can’t find the charismatic Big ‘5’. You can read more on the blog: safari-ecology.blogspot.com    On day 5 & 6 Ken & Michele Dyball joined us and did a short photography workshop covering the basics of how a camera works and trouble shooting problems with cameras including the basics of photographers vocabulary to assist guides in helping their clients get better photographs.    | ||||||||
No comments:
Post a Comment