Participants
We are looking for young people aged 16 to 21 with a sense of adventure and an interest in caving, or other adventure sports. You must be reasonably fit, be prepared to rough it and work as part of a team in a remote, location away from the luxuries of home life, you will also be expected to mix with the local people. Priority will be given to people with an interest/career plan in the areas of environment, earth sciences, geography, sports or photography.
Application and Selection
If you are interested you should print out and fill in the
application form. This should be returned to Colin Bunce before November 13th. A short list of up to 30 people will be chosen to attend a selection weekend at the Burren Outdoor Education Centre in County Clare. This will be held on November 27-29th. Fifteen participants will be selected to go on to the training process.
Leaders
All the leaders are qualified by the Speleological Union of Ireland. They have extensive experience of leading young people in caves both at home and abroad and have all visited Romania on previous occasions. They all work in the education sector and enjoy working with young people.
Dates and Location
Probable dates for the expedition are June 24th to July 9th. (To be confirmed). The location will depend on our contacts in Romania, but maybe either of the two areas we have visited before. At both locations conditions are comfortable but primitive e.g. there may be no running water or electricity depending on location.
Equipment
All group equipment will be provided i.e. group safety kits, ropes and ladders etc. Participants will be expected to provide their own helmet, suitable light, safety belt, overalls, boots. You would also need your own tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat. Specifications, suggested retailers, special offers or possibilities for hiring will be available at a later date.
Training
After the selection weekend there will be three training weekends at the Burren Outdoor Education Centre. These will be on January 28-30, Feb 2-27 and May -22. During these weekends participants will learn cave say, understanding of the cave environment and features, expedition planning, health issues, Romanian geography and key words.
Costs
The expedition will cost each participant an absolute maximum of €1500, this will cover training, equipment purchase, travel, insurance, food and accommodation in Romania. We hope this figure will be substantially reduced by grants and sponsorship. A €500 deposit will be needed at the first training weekend.