What’s it about?
To meet a growing need in Outdoor Education, the Institute for Outdoor Learning provides a system of courses to equip those of you who are/aiming to use bushcraft skills as part of your programmes.
This 2 day IOL Bushcraft Competency Award training course has been created by the IOL Bushcraft Professional Practice Group using some of the most experienced trainers of bushcraft in the country. This is provided by individual training organisations; Jack Raven Bushcraft is proud to be one of them.
The course has been designed for people working in outdoor centres or schools and delivering simple bushcraft skills sessions.
What will I do on this IOL Bushcraft Competency Award training course?
The syllabus meets the IOL Statement of Good Practice. On this 2 day course you will cover:
- UK knife law and its relevance to bushcraft,
- Safe use of basic bushcraft tools such as knives, folding saws and bow saws,
- Making feather sticks,
- How to sharpen a bushcraft knife,
- Making simple carved implements such as a tent peg,
- Have plenty of practise creating a flame using matches, fire steels, fire pistons, wire wool & a battery, solar mirrors, flint & steel and chemicals,
- Constructing and using a tinder bundle to light a fire,
- How to light a fire usig the ‘V’ lay,
- Fire maintenance,
- Put up a hammock and tarp using 3 simple knots that can be tied and untied wearing gloves,
- Learn a couple of useful lashings for the outdoors,
- Adapt a tarp to different configurations to meet different conditions and environments,
- Learn a variety of back country cooking techniques using a pit oven, dutch oven, grills and embers,
- Locating, filtering and purifying water,
- And of course, ensuring that we leave no trace,
Throughout the course we’ll offer you advice and guidance based on our own years of experience; examples include advice on tools and equipment, how to teach the skills covered to other people, whether that be individuals or groups and much more.
To be added to the register of holders of the IOL Bushcraft Competency Award, you’ll need to log 80 quality hours and attend a separate assessment, available through Jack Raven Bushcraft.
Take a look at our ‘IOL Hall of Fame‘ to see photos of the people that we know have successfully taken their assessment. and gained the IOL Bushcraft Competency Award.
Book now
You can see our entire course schedule here.
Other information
Location: Westwell, Kent
Duration: 2 days
Start: 6pm Friday
End: 4pm Sunday
Course size: Maximum of 8 – to make sure that you get the best possible tuition on this busy course
Catering: We’ll provide tea & coffee, breakfast and dinner but you’ll need to bring a packed lunch
Note: There is a short walk from the meeting point to the camp. We’ll transport your bags in our 4×4.
You might also find these Frequently Asked Questions useful.
What our customers say
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I learnt a tonne on this course which felt very slick and well thought through. The skills were explained well, with the 'how to' as well as the 'why' explained which I appreciate. There was time to practice and ask questions and everyone was very welcoming and helpful.
Thanks so much for a fantastic weekend. I learnt so much and it is definitely one of the best courses I have ever done!
Really hoping to practice all the skills we learnt in readiness for the assessment.
Thanks again Gary!
I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to really learn and have a lot of fun. I left feeling like I had achieved something, learnt a lot yet inspired to learn to learn so much more.
The instructor's were fantastic and able to go far beyond just showing skills explaining, giving you time to try and adapting to the individual. The group size was great and the camp felt like how you would imagine a bushcraft camp to be.
Advice on what gear to go for was really helpful and even how to pass on these skills safely and effectively was a big help too.
Food was yummy and the kettle was always topped up.
A great experience and I will be returning in the future. Cant wait to practice my skills
I've just finished this course and it was super! I've undertaken some bushcraft training in the past and there was still new things to learn from Gary, and more efficient techniques than some of those i was using. Gary and Steve are really knowledgeable and have a great teaching manner and pace. Nicola is a super outdoor cook, and as cooking will be part of the assessment it was beneficial to see an expert in action and pick up some good tips! Thank you Gary, Steve and Nicola!
I thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. I went over some stuff i already knew and equally, i learned some new things such as tinders that I've never heard of and some very useful knots. I also discovered some new plants that i was hoping to see for myself.
All in all, a great weekend. The menu was brilliant too. I especially enjoyed the venison in red wine 😋
I made some new and interesting friends too.
Thanks to Gary and his team for a lovely weekend
This IOL Bushcraft Competency Award training course is accredited by the Institute for Outdoor Learning. This means that it has been through a quality assurance process covering the experience and procedures of the organisation, the design of the course and the qualifications/experience of the trainers.
If you have any concerns about the quality of your IOL Bushcraft Competency Award course, please talk initially to the course staff and organisation. If there are still problems, please contact the IOL office.
The Institute for Outdoor Learning encourages outdoor learning by developing quality, safety and opportunity to experience outdoor activity provision and by supporting the good practice of outdoor professionals. Member benefits include professional journals and workshops, discounts on equipment, national and regional conferences, etc.