True Open Space
This post was written by Jacob McNulty
Jefferson County, Colorado has over 1,000 miles of recreational trails within it. This is largely due to Jefferson County Open Space which exists through a minimal tax slotted to “fund planning, acquisition and maintenance of lands and waters for the enjoyment of current and future generations.”
Today I spent the afternoon with a crew going through training to learn how to lead youth groups on one of the many trail maintenance trips that are required to keep Jefferson County beautiful and accessible. I was just there as an observer and I witnessed an approach that was simple and very effective. These future crew leaders received a blend of the following:
- Face-to-face classroom instruction
- Pneumonic devices (i.e. CUSS for tools: Carrying, Using, Storing, Safety)
- A field trip
- Hands on experience
- Informal learning
A ‘Master Instructor’ was our guide - both in the classroom as well as the trails. The group was very diverse in terms of age and experience. Members of the group were encouraged to speak up on their areas of expertise and many did so, pointing out features and techniques for the rest of us. We watched a golf ball being rolled to predict the path that water will take - a very memorable tip that will certainly be adopted by some of my classmates. It was suggested by a group member and demonstrated immediately by our guide.
It was refreshing to see the impact that adherance to the basics can have when combined with an intrinsic motivation to learn. Many organizations try to make training too complicated. Give people the incentive to do something and then let them acquire the skills to do it. Kudos to the trails teams at Jefferson County Open Space for their approach - they take those that want to help preserve CO and then show them a way to do it.
If you’re local and would like to help out, please contact Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado.
Tags: Action learning, Blended Learning, business training, colorado, corporate training, development, informal learning, learning, learning strategies, organizational learning, professional development, workforce development