Job Profile

What does your job involve and what might a typical day involve?

Being a Wild & Active Courier involves planning, promoting and running environmental and outdoor activities for happy Canvas holidaymakers. The program runs six days per week. The aim of the program is for customers to discover the local area, learn about the surrounding environment, meet other happy campers and have fun.

Overall, the Wild and Active program is based for the whole family. Some sessions are specifically designed for young children aged 4 to 11. Activities during these sessions may include; scavenger hunts, bug hunts, face painting, water and ball games and crafts. Some sessions cater more for the environmentalist, with activities such as nature walks, bird watching, visits to caves, museums and local villages. There are of course sessions that appeal to the more adventurous, where canoeing, horse riding, bat walks, high ropes courses are just some of the possibilities.

Each day two sessions will be run, varying in length and time of day, except for when we take a day trip to explore a nearby village. Most days end with visits to the customers. Here I have a chat, answer questions, promote Wild & Active sessions and make sure everything is okay. Sometime during the week you need to find time to plan and promote the following weeks program.

What qualifications and experience did you have before starting the job?

I have a degree in ‘Nature Tourism,’ which is basically a mixture of environmental education, outdoor education and eco-tourism. A large amount of practical experience and fieldwork was included in this degree. Since finishing this degree I have done a small amount of freelance work in this industry.

The majority of my previous employment has been in the hospitality industry, providing me with customer service and communication skills.

Most importantly I believe you need to have experience in learning and sharing your knowledge about the environment you are in and enjoy undertaking and leading activities in this environment. Most of my childhood incorporated an aspect of this.

What are the best and worst bits of your job?

The best part of this job is that most of your week you are teaching people about the local area and the environment, usually while participating in a fun and exciting activity. It is a very social job.

The worst bit of the job is when you have had some terrific customers who have participated in many of your Wild & Active session, then it is time for them to leave the campsite and return home. After two weeks of working with and mingling with these families, a bond is definitely made.

Another bad point about this job is when you have some fantastic activities planned for the week, then the heavens open and the rain comes pelting down. The activities can no longer happen and everyone is disappointed, yourself and the customers.

What satisfaction do you get from your work and how does it make a difference?

The job is extremely rewarding as you get to see and help others undertake and thoroughly enjoy activities that they might not have done if it weren’t for you. You witness fun and laughter between family, friends and strangers. You see new skills being learnt and confidence being built by all. It is also rewarding as you assist people discover a new surrounding and environment, and hope that they will take this knowledge and appreciation home with them.

The sense of appreciation is overwhelming when you have parents and children write you a letter of thanks, emphasising the impact you have had on making their holiday so memorable and fantastic.

*Do you have any tips for someone looking for a career in this area? *

Three tips:

• Experience working with people and undertaking activities in outdoors is very beneficial.
• Have a basic knowledge about the environment and be eager to learn more. Environmental appreciation is essential.
• Be organised.Be enthusiastic. Be confident. Be prepared to learn a lot. Be prepared to have fun!