Official Association of Mountaineering Instructors Mentoring for the MCI

Official Association of Mountaineering Instructors Mentoring for the MCI
Mark Reeves is head coach of snowdonia mountain guides is one of the nine Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) recognised mentors for the Mountaineering Instrcutor Award (MIA). He runs a small business in North Wales offering courses in all aspects of the MIA. As such he is offering opptunities for MIA trainees to gain long-term mentorship through the award, to help you pass first time.

As a result of a recent plunge in pass rate in the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Award, the Association of Mountaineering Instructors are trialling a new mentoring programme. It’s idea is to help reduce the failure rate from over 60% in the current assessment process. As such MIA trainee now have nine official mentors to work with to help them reach their goal of becoming a mountaineering instructor.

Developing coaching talent is something that our head coach Mark has been excited about for many years and we have worked with a variety of people to help them become rock climbing instructors, mountain leaders, mountaineering instructors and guides. If you work with us then it is our aim to turn you into a high effective and professional instructor, someone we will be proud to tell people we worked with to develop them. We   hope you feel the same and that you got the help and advice you needed to reach your goal of becoming a mountaineering instructor. As such mentoring we see it is a two way street and for us a long-term commitment in order to reach the best outcome for everyone.

Why Use Mark Reeves and Snowdonia Mountain Guides as a Mentor?

  • Mark has lived in North Wales for 25 years and worked as a climbing instructor and mountain leader for 20 years and been a MIA holder for over 12 years. Giving us an excellent knowledge base; 
  • Holds a Master’s Degree in Effective Coaching, Sport’s Psychology and Performance Physiology giving him an extremely high level of knowledge of coaching climbing, teaching skills and learning styles. Which will help you teach/coach rock climbing;
  • Author of North Wales Climbs, Mountains of Snowdonia (release date 2020 summer) and the North Wales Slate for Rockfax, one of the two geographic areas where you can be assessed for your MIA, giving him unparalleled knowledge of the crags and routes of North Wales.
  • Written extensively about coaching climbing both through his book How to Climb Harder, Effective Coaching for Rock Climbing Instructors and most recently becoming coaching columnist for Climber Magazine.
  • Written extensively on the History, Technology, Sciince and Culture of rock climbing and mountaineering with his book Hanging By a Thread and over fours years as a Climber Magazine Columnist covering technology and history.
  • Current active rock climbing coaching working both in the UK and overseas.
  • Current active mountaineering instrcutional work.
  • Current active rock climbing (Onsighting E5 and 7b in 2018)

Whats is in It for you?

  • Highly Experienced Instructor who has mentored numerous people on various award schemes.
  • A Personal long-term development plan based on your needs and aimed at your success.
  • Help developing a strong logbook, climbing and scrambling profile
  • Unlimited email and phone support for the first year.
  • Chance to observe coaching and instruction in practice both in the UK and abroad.
  • Additional Days, Evening Training/meet ups and Online workshops. (additional costs may apply)
  • Possiblity of working with real client.

Getting on Snowdonia Mountain Guides mentoring scheme?

Sadly I cannot give away my time, however I think I have come up with a compromised way so you get the best out of the process. The inital cost is a single day where we either climb or scramble to discuss your needs informally allow me to see you operate in a mountain environment. We will aim to be off the hill for 3.30 to start a more formal needs assessment, whilst I will give verbal feedback on the day, this will be followed by a written development plan specific to your needs and commitments.

Whilst for you the main part of this first day is to develop that action plan, it is also an opportunity to start to develop trust between us. For me to allow people onto observing and potentially working with my real clients, I need to be able to trust my mentees and from your perspective trusting me back means that you  can feel happy to develop your own teach/coaching/instructing style.

The cost is £170 and the day is run at a one to one ratio, although if you can find another MIA trainee, I will run this day at 1 to 2 for £200.

Based on attendance on the initial assessment day we invite mentees on the scheme along to observe days work, as well as evening and day workshops for which there can be an additional fee. Although informal meet ups for a quick evening climb will only cost you a beer. We hope in the end to use our mentee for work days with us, potentially prior but also post assessment. 

Small Print on Additional Cost

  • A day observing Snowdonia Moutain Guides instructors at work – FREE
  • A day being observed working with SMG clients – FREE but no Pay
  • A day being observed with non-paying mock clients – £170 a day (If you develop your own paying clients and wish to be observed the cost is £200 a day)  
  • A day working in proximity to Mark or being deployed to a crag with SMG clients – We pay £120
  • A day workshop – £170 1 to 1: £200 1 to 2+
  • An evening workshop – £30
  • An informal meet up for a climb after work – FREE but a bag of chips and a beer would be nice!
  • Online E-Learning Courses – FREE.
Prior Experience: MIA Training as minimum, although will also help move people towards registering for the scheme.
Duration: 1 Day
Cost: £170
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    …or call us on 07872565225

    Photos from Previous Courses

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    Abseiling into Castle Helen, Gogarth.

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    Katie Haston making the final pull round the crux traverse of Plexus's 3rd pitch.

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    Jeremy on the amazing Dream of White Horses, Wen Zawn, Gogarth.

    A good harness will last you a goof five years or more. Adjustable leg loops means you can put it on over winter clothing and in the wake of the christmas bulge!

    A good harness will last you a goof five years or more. Adjustable leg loops means you can put it on over winter clothing and in the wake of the christmas bulge!

    Lobo at Toix, one of the fine 6a that sever as a great introduction to the grade.

    Lobo at Toix, one of the fine 6a that sever as a great introduction to the grade.

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    A rather tough 6b Warm Up at El Salmon.

    Simon Geering on the amazing Teenage Kicks on Holyhead Mountain.

    Simon Geering on the amazing Teenage Kicks on Holyhead Mountain.

    Katie Haston running up Combat Rock, E1 in the Slate Quarries

    Katie Haston running up Combat Rock, E1 in the Slate Quarries