ISES Seasonal Gap Year Semesters (GYS)
Focus: Career visioning and skills development
Age Profile: 17 - 25 (Coed)
Length: 10 weeks
Cost: $10,000 / student (inclusive except travel to ISES)
Dates: June - August, September - November, January - March
Program Outline (Summer & Autumn, 2008):
ISES offers mature students exhilarating 10-week summer, autumn and winter gap year semesters (GYS) filled with experiential discoveries. Through outdoor skills certification, skills based development, life skills and academic coaching and nature discovery and awareness-building sessions participants learn and grow within our unique multidimensional classrooms. The ISES GYS is ideal preparatory training for young adults wishing to pursue employment opportunities in outdoor adventure tourism or diploma programs related to Aboriginal and/or Ecotourism.
Outdoor Skills Certification
Animal Husbandry & Rehabbing Critters: Make the
connection, share the love (30 hrs)
Students connect with our husky sled dogs, horses, and birds of prey through
animal care and conditioning. ISES’s provincially licensed wild animal
rehabilitation facilities also provide students with rare opportunities to
care for wild orphaned critters such as baby raccoons, squirrels, bear cubs,
fawns, etc.
Basic & Advanced Lake Water Paddler: Learn the
skills, be the guide (30 hrs)
Through this intensive course certified by *RCABC students develop
flat water canoe paddler skills: Basic tandem (1), basic solo (2), advanced
tandem (3), and advanced solo (4). Paddlers also engage in out-trip logistics
for two wilderness canoe trips and must complete tests on canoe theory & paddling
technique should they seek skillsbased certification. Ultimately, participants
not only fine tune their own paddling skills and techniques but learn the
principles of instructing individuals and small groups.
Skills Based Development
Digital Photography & File Manipulation: Capture
an image, tell a story (15 hrs)
Our digital photography course emphasizes photo composition and
file manipulation. Basic camera skills and terminology are introduced and
students learn how to approach outdoor photography as it applies to lighting
conditions and environmental factors. Students also capture their ISES
memories by creating their own personalized multi media presentation DVD
that can be included in their personal resumé or
portfolio.
Life Skills Coaching
Life Mapping & Journal Writing: Hold the compass,
record the bearing (15 hrs)
ISES’s leadership development includes sessions involving
professional life-skills coaches who engage students in life mapping exercises
aimed at helping participants better define their visions within an environmentally
sustainable world. Students are also encouraged to record their ISES experience
through daily journal writing. Subsequently students gain appreciation
for journaling as it applies to professions where log entries and/or field
notes are required.
Positive Peer Dynamics: Be an individual, support the group (15 hrs)
Daily group meetings provide students with opportunities to develop verbal
communication skills within a positive peer group. Principals of “The
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey are also
applied providing a step-by-step guide to helping teens improve self-image,
build friendships, resist peer pressure, and achieve personal goals.
Subsequently, participants become more effective listeners, speakers
and facilitators within a supportive and interactive group milieu.
Nature Discovery & Awareness-Building
Custodians of the Land: Embrace Earth Mother, feel the Spirit (15 hrs)
ISES students care for two organic vegetable gardens and a Medicine
Wheel garden - a sacred area where a variety of medicinal plants for human
and animal use are grown. Students learn and discuss the holistic benefits
of organic foods and the healing powers of natural remedies. Participants
are also taught a variety of indigenous wild edible plants and learn basic
homeopathy as it applies to animal husbandry.
July & August Field Trips: The Eeyou Istchee experience
Over the course of two separate field trips GYS students live
the life of modern day adventurers by exploring the James Bay region of
north-western Québec.
In July participants drive to the shores of Lake Nemaska for
the annual gathering and paddle to the original Nemaska Cree Nation village.
Eating of traditional foods, participating in reunion and ISES activities
highlight the week. On the second trip to “Cree
Country” in August students visit the town of Radisson
and “LG2”,
one of the more famous hydro electric dams of the Hydro Quebec
system, then continue on to the Cree Nation community of Chisasibi
and historic Fort George on the shores of James Bay. Exploring
this wilderness paradise in a motorized Hudson Bay freighter canoe, developing
group facilitation skills, fossil hunting and evening fireside story-telling
are trip highlights.
September & October Field Trip: The ultimate introduction
to Canadian ecotourism
For four weeks students live the life of modern day voyageurs
exploring some of western Canada’s world recognized national parks. The
focus of this cross-Canada oddessy is to help Cree students develop an appreciation
for Ecotourism within a broader national prospective. Through exploring and viewing
an eclectic diversity of geological phenomena, flora and fauna participants will
gain appreciation for the physical diversity of Ecotourism. Students will also
be introduced to successful Ecotourism operations and meet with guides and managers.
They will also be introduced to Aboriginal communities benefiting from successful
Ecotourism programs.
For more information please contact Geoffrey Cushing - Director of Operations