Supervision

• In-the-area supervision is recommended following initial skill instruction and after all safety concerns have been emphasized.
• Safety Considerations
  • Getting lost: Disorientation and safety when exploring outdoors
  • Offsite trips: It is recommended that you have a safety and emergency action plan created and in place. To use Orienteering Alberta’s template, visit https://www.orienteeringalberta.ca/safety-in-orienteering.html
• Identify and address any hazards, such as poisonous plants, wildlife risk, or water hazards before getting started.
• Always have participants work in groups or partners.
• With younger participants, only use areas which can be overseen by supervisors.
• Check the weather forecast before going out and communicate with participants about appropriate clothing.
• Ensure you don’t disturb any wildlife and leave the space as you found it.

Instructional Considerations

• Program organizers need to select an activity space where participants can move around freely without crossing any major roads.
• Prior to initial use of orienteering course or geocache route, teacher should do a safety check “walk through” to identify potential hazards.
• Length and difficulty of course should be appropriate to the age and skill level of the students. Progress from classroom to schoolyard to off-site courses.
• Proper warm-up and cool-down should be included in all activities.
• Control flags and markers should be set in a safe manner, away from hazards.
• Organizers must identify and teach participants the activity area boundaries and ask them not to go beyond it.
• Offsite areas must involve teaching the participants to understand directions and what to do in case of disorientation. Choose big landmarks or prominent features and point them out to help participants to return in case of disorientation.
• In more advanced activities teach participants what to do in case of lost or injured:
  • Stop, try to track back to the last point that you were certain about your location.
  • Choose a safer route to return. If you are lost or hurt stay still and ask your partner to get help or blow the distress call (three whistle blasts) until help arrives.
• In new areas always work in groups or partners: ask participants to tell the leader if they can’t see their partner or someone from their group.
• Emphasize safe map reading practice: to avoid tripping and falling, look up from the map and familiarize yourself with the terrain before you start running. Adjust your running speed to terrain difficulty.

Equipment/Facilities

• Obtain permission to use the space, if required by the city or town.
• In forested areas for more advanced activities, if students participate alone in the activities (e.g., orienteering competition) students should carry a whistle and be instructed in its use, e.g., three loud blasts indicate that they require assistance.
• Be sure to remove cached item after activity to not litter or cause public alarm.