Alongside being a volunteer mentor for the Mountain Training Association (MTA), I also offer a personalised 121 mentoring and coaching service to all prospective Hill & Moorland and Summer Mountain Leader trainees. I also deliver Mountain Leader training in Snowdonia as part of Paul Poole’s team.
ML Training
For the last two years, I have been delivering Mountain Leader Training courses on behalf of Paul Poole Mountaineering of North Wales. Paul is very highly regarded and well-established as a course director for Mountain Training. If you’d like to find out more about the Mountain Leader training courses in Snowdonia, please contact Paul Poole Mountaineering. I can help support and advise you before you begin your ML journey, or during your consolidation period.
Mentoring
After several years of mentoring for the MTA, and being approached regularly for more private mentoring support, I realised how much I enjoyed this aspect of my outdoor work so I’m now offering this privately through my business.
My decision to offer mentoring to others was a result of my own experience whilst training to become a Summer ML. I had a really challenging time on my Summer ML training and I came away feeling unconfident, unsure about what to do next and how to go about it. So, I reached out for some mentoring support of my own. As a result, I gained a greater understanding of the ML qualification process and syllabus, connected with peer-to-peer support networks, and attended follow on CPD opportunities. I am now also working as staff on Mountain Leader training courses.
The support and insight I received was invaluable, so I decided that I wanted to mentor other trainees and help them with their own journey. Mentoring & coaching has since become one of the most rewarding aspects of my business.
My mentoring offer is simple.
If you are exploring whether an outdoor career is for you, if you have already done your training, or you’re wondering what the qualification journey looks like, then get in touch and I can work with you to reach your goals.
You may want extra support with navigation, want time exploring what ‘group leadership’ really means, or you may need someone to help you plan and execute a structured set of objectives with realistic timeframes based on your skills, experience and knowledge.
I offer a combination of Zoom calls and/or skills checks online and in person. The frequency and time commitment needed will always be decided by you. I also offer 121 time out on the hill/mountain to work on some of the practical skills with you, to find out what gaps you may have in your skill set, and what a good timeframe might look like as you head towards assessment.
Many people also spend time with me before they go to their training days to gain a better understanding of the expectations or knowledge needed during their pre-training. Often people believe they are not good enough or capable of becoming a Mountain Leader. Everything is possible.
How it works
Get in touch for a free 20-minute consultation to find out more. Following this call, we can then either meet regularly online or in person to begin our mentoring and coaching journey together. At our meetings, with the agenda driven and agreed by you, we will discuss your progress, skill and knowledge, but also do some practical work together. We can build a structured plan together with your identified goals which will help you to move forward with your objectives.
If I can’t help you, or feel like you would benefit from further training or support, I will signpost you to other providers or outdoor colleagues that I know, trust, have worked with and who I value personally and professionally. I only work with other instructors who have a similar approach to myself.
The time frame is set by you
The goals will be your goals and we will work together at whatever pace you need. I offer all, or a combination of any of the following: regular Zoom calls, a mentoring agreement, time out on the hill with some skills and knowledge checks.
My role won’t involve finding the answers. I will simply inspire, encourage, and support you along the way with as much involvement as you wish. I will challenge your thinking at times, I may suggest alternative ways of learning or developing as a leader.
The mentoring and coaching agreement can be stopped at any point (by either party). All I ask for is honest, open communication and that you come to every session with an open mind.
My style is very patient, supportive, friendly and I ask a lot of questions. I need to find out about you, what you think your strengths and weaknesses may be. I tailor every session in detail to the needs of my client.
*Disclaimer. I am not a Course Director for Mountain Training or a qualified Coach. However, I do have experience of working on Mountain Training courses and I will always look for external support or signpost you if I feel unable to help in anyway.
Pricing*
Your first discovery call is free and will last for 20 minutes. Zoom sessions are £25/hour. Please see my Prices page for more information about reduced rates for trainees for 121 instruction.
*If you are an ML trainee and have been matched with me as part of the MTA Mentoring Programme, there is no cost to you.
What my clients are saying
You can see other reviews on my TripAdvisor page.
Just wanted to drop a quick note to say how brilliant Ben was yesterday. He has a nice way of explaining things, without being condescending and was the perfect person to help build my confidence. He is certainly going to be a great asset to your business. It was a brilliant night navigation session last night. I really enjoyed it and came away feeling much better about the whole thing. Ben presented everything in a logical and clear way, which helped me to feel much more at ease. We covered all the things that I wanted to and the evening flowed really well. Thanks once again, Ben. I really appreciate all the effort you put into making it such a good night nav session.
– Helen
I contacted Emma towards the end of 2023 when I was looking for a Trainer to help me prepare for my Hill and Moorland Leader assessment. I wanted someone to give me a critical view and highlight key areas for development. Emma was a great listener and had a real intuitive feel for where I was in my development; this then helped me build a clear plan going forward. Emma is a real professional. Her communication style is clear and personable. If you are preparing for your HML or ML I would strongly recommend spending time with her – I’m so glad that I did!
– Christopher
I booked a 1-2-1 weekend with Emma in the Peak District to start my navigation education, to build confidence when out about in the hills/mountains, and to gain a better understanding of what life as an ML might look like. I am a complete beginner and Emma was absolutely fantastic throughout the weekend. She is warm, personable, highly experienced and not at all daunted by my inexperience. In just 2 days I learnt so much and feel more confident taking myself off on adventures! Emma took the time to get to know me, my level of experience and expectations before we even met and that really showed in her planning of the weekend. She was incredibly generous of her time, knowledge and expertise and I would highly recommend her to anyone wanting to improve their navigation skills.
– Tasha
I’m incredibly grateful to have had Emma as a mentor in my journey towards qualifying as a Mountain Leader. She takes the time to understand your goals, and generously draws on her knowledge and experience to support you in just the way you need it. You learn something from any time you spend with Emma, and are guaranteed to share a laugh together while doing so! As a mentee of Emma, you can’t help but feel her genuine commitment to helping you succeed.
– Ben
“I was fortunate enough to have two full days out with Emma in preparation for my Hill and Moorland Leader assessment and also observed Emma working with a large group of 16 walkers. Emma inspires confidence as a walk leader, navigator and instructor as a consequence of her years of experience, knowledge and skill. Interpersonally, she is calm, endlessly patient, personable and able to tailor her work to the client(s) with ease and skill. I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
– David
Emma has a rare quality as an outdoor instructor , she’s kind , compassionate , but most of all she has the ability to latch on to the needs of the client as a person , not only on the technical skills but also the mindset of the individual. Thank you for pushing me that one step further and for understanding.my requirements, to prepare me for the HML.assessment You nailed it Emma!
– Joe
