Join us for the next instalment of our 2023 Partners’ Seminar Series. This one will be delivered by Mountain Training and hosted by Robert MacKenzie of Climb Scotland and will cover the content and pathway of Mountain Training’s upcoming bouldering qualification.
When? Thursday 4th May, 10am – 11:30am
Where? Zoom
No advance booking necessary, simply click on the ‘Join’ link below, or on any of our socials at 09:50 on the 4th. For those not able to make it live, the seminar will be recorded and available on YouTube.
Agenda
- Welcome
- Introduction to Guy Jarvis and Mountain Training
- Overview of the rationale behind the National Bouldering Wall Instructor (BWI) qualification
- A summary of the national consultation survey results
- Development pathways for instructors and coaches
Questions for Attendees
- What would you consider a useful job description for the BWI?
- What knowledge, skills, and behaviours would you find valuable in a BWI?
- How easily should the qualification be accessible?
- What advantages do you see for yourself, your business, staff, customers, or participants?
- Does the coaching scheme address your development needs?
- Do you foresee any issues?
If you have any questions about the seminar, or you’re wondering whether it’s right for you, please do get in touch with us or one of our partners.
We are hiring!
The ABC is hiring for one Equality, Diversity & Inclusion specialist and two more general positions to join our voluntary board as Independent Board Directors.
To complement and build on the existing skills we have represented on our fantastic board, we are looking for people with some or all of the following interests (as we are hiring for two similar roles, each person need not fulfil the entire desired criteria).
- A strong interest in and experience with safety pertaining to the running of a climbing wall.
- Current experience of running or being involved in the running of an independent or small climbing wall.
- Experiencing with safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in a climbing or sporting environment.
- Interest in or experience with NICAS.
We particularly encourage applications from groups and communities currently underrepresented in climbing. All applicants must work at an ABC member wall.
The job descriptions and application forms can be found here;
Deadline: April 11th
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Deadline: April 6th
Please email your completed application form, along with your CV, to [email protected]. Questions about the available roles and the application process should also be sent to this email address.
Autobelay Safety
As you will be aware, the use of auto belay devices has grown in the last few years and accelerated during the pandemic. We have been seeing an increasing number of accidents on auto belay lines which are gaining the attention of H&S and Environmental Health.
We at the ABC, and our partners in the UK and beyond, have seen developing evidence that climbers (often but not exclusively experienced ones) are at risk of not clipping in on auto belays and causing themselves severe injury when they fail to do so.
We have collaborated with a number of key partners both here and in the US to create a consolidated set of new and specific guidelines for auto belay usage which you can download below. We feel it is important that walls roll out these upgraded guidelines as soon as possible.
Mountain Training works in partnership with the indoor climbing industry to produce the instructors and coaches of the future. In order to do this our candidates need to gain experience in managing and assisting group sessions in walls as a crucial part of their training.
Trainees can also be very useful. They can act as an extra pair of hands and eyes, even if this is only to fit a harnesses, hold a rope or manage a simple warm up. They can provide some useful feedback for the instructor even though they are there to learn themselves (some come with a lot of experience from other sports or teaching for example). Best of all it is an excellent staff recruitment tool with in-built observation, induction and site-specific assessment.
Managing trainees requires special operating procedures and some basic administration, but this is relatively easy to set up and advice is easily sought. Mountain Training has published its own ‘Guidance for managing assistants during climbing activities’ here: https://www.mountain-training.org/help/downloads
We would ask climbing wall managers that use Mountain Training qualified instructors and coaches to please work with us, and thereby support the indoor climbing industry, by offering these experiences that trainees need to develop their skills – where possible. If there are any concerns or difficulties we would be only too eager to learn about these and to help you with these if we can.
Many thanks.
Guy Jarvis, Exec Officer, MTE
Market Research 2021
This year’s survey was an online survey of 89 ABC member walls.
This is the 3rd bi-annual survey of climbing walls sponsored by the ABC
The purpose of this longitudinal research is to provide a regular update on the state of the climbing wall industry
Previous surveys were conducted by phone with climbing walls in the UK – both ABC member and non-member walls: 36 walls in 2019, 27 in 2017
This year’s survey was conducted on-line, using Survey Monkey, with ABC member walls only
If your wall participated in the market research you will receive a free copy of the research there will be a discounted price for members if they would like a copy.
Non members can also purchase a copy by selecting the correct link below.
ABC safety poster series for your wall
The ABC has been working with the BMC and other industry partners to develop a series of six new safety posters for you to use in your walls. We hope you find these helpful collateral as you prepare for reopening.
There are three folders of PDFs spec’d for A2, A3 & A4 printing. A space is provided for your own wall logo: you will see a jpeg for guidance on placement.
