Adventurous Activities License

At the Wild Schools Project, we are proud to announce we are now an Adventurous Activities License holder. This means we can now provide activates such as Rock Climbing, Canoeing, Mountain biking, Kayaking, and a number of other activities, For Schools, Youth groups and under18’s.

That’s nice I hear you say? But, what is An AALA License? and what does it have to do with School trips, Rock Climbing and Adventurous Activities? Well here’s our friendly guide to what this all means and why is it a big achievement for WSP.

What Is an AALA License?

To put it simply an AALA License is a legal requirement that helps to ensure the safety and well being of young people engaging in Adventurous activities. Kind of like Ofsted for Outdoor centre's

AALA is simply an abbreviation for the Adventure Activities License Authority. AALA is a department of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who specifically look at Adventurous activity providers that run activities for Schools, Youth Groups and under 18’s. AALA Licenses came about due to two main pieces of legislation. In 1995 the activities centres

(young persons safety) Act came into law, as a response to the 1993 Lyme Bay disaster, and in 2004 this was updated to the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations Act which meant that anyone who provided adventurous activities to young people had to be regulated.

What Process does a Provider go through to gain an AALA License?

Providers must first apply for a license and submit all of their risk assessments, Safety and management policies, Procedures for review by an AALA inspector. AALA inspectors are experts in the Outdoor Education industry, who have run outdoor centres in the past and provide a great wealth of knowledge and advice for providers. For a new provider like WSP: AALA will conduct two inspections.

The first inspection is usually an interview style inspection where all of the above paper work is scrutinized to ensure it’s suitable for the activities we whish to provide and that we maintain high standards of safety throughout the License period.

The second Inspection is done in person and usually at an adventurous activities location. Here providers show how the venues are used, How new staff are trained and provides the inspector the opportunity to see if the policies and risk assessments match up with the physical operations. After the completion of the two inspections all the information is gathered and put to proposal by the inspector for AALA to make a decision on the License.

If Granted, a license can be held for between 12 months and 3 years. AALA can at any point during the license conduct further inspections, but they also publish lessons learned and advice to providers to maintain and improve safety across the industry.

So what is a Licensable Activity?

Not every activity and outdoor provider offers requires an AALA License to be held. For example Bushcraft, fire lighting, problem solving or a walk in the local park are not AALA Licensable activities. But also Holding an AALA license doesn’t mean the provider can now offer every activity going.

AALA split activities into four Categories: Trekking, Climbing, Caving and Watersports. Trekking for example may includes activates such as Hill and Mountain walking and Mountain Biking, while Climbing will include things like Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Abseiling and weaselling and finally Water sports include things like Stand up paddle boards, Sailing, Kayaking and Canoeing. All Activates a License holder can provide is noted on their Licence and can be checked/found on the HSE website (https://aala.hse.gov.uk/aala/). For a Full List of Licensable activities visit https://www.hse.gov.uk/aala/activities.htm

Are Their Exemptions?

Yes, Voluntary youth organisations such as the CCF or Scouts don’t require AALA Licenses, as they usually have their own internal regulations for who can run activities and do not operate as a service provider. AALA license usually only apply to service providers offering adventurous activates for financial gain to young people (under 18) that not under the direct care of legal parents or Guardians.

How Will We be using our AALA License?

As we are now able to deliver Rock climbing and Abseiling, Weaselling and Bouldering, Hill and Mountain walking, Off road cycling, Kayaking, Canoeing, Stand up paddle boarding and Improvised rafting activities As well as expedition experiences. We will Firstly be able to offer these activities either as stand alone experiences or in conjunction with our pre existing activities and programs.

Secondly as we are a mobile outdoor centre, If your school owns a Bunkhouse or has access to a camp site, Youth hostel or accommodation. We can help deliver a residential program for your students/youth organisation from these locations helping to reduce the cost and get more from these assets.

And thirdly the license will allow us to develop some new projects which we will share with you as we progress with them.

If you are interested in any of these activities we run At the Wild Schools project please don't hesitate to contact us for more information at info@wildschoolsproject.co.uk or visit our website www.wildschoolsproject.co.uk

Legal disclaimer: The above is intended for information purposes only. this article is an awareness of the Adventurous Activities Licensing Scheme and therefore is a personal interpretation and should not be viewed as advice or instruction (legal or otherwise). Further information or Question Regarding AALA licensing scheme can be found at https://www.hse.gov.uk/aala/index.htm