Get to know our JCA instructors

“My name’s Emma and I’m an Apprentice Outdoor Activity Instructor at JCA. Last year, when I worked at JCA as a general assistant in the evenings, I saw first hand the friendships built between instructors, the excitement of groups onsite and the challenges during activities, and it inspired me to join them! I’ve always loved the outdoors but didn’t realise you could make a career from it until coming here.”

“The best prepared groups have these things in common:

• Everyone participates – when being told about the activities beforehand, the participants that are originally apprehensive have had time to talk about any worries etc, helping them complete the activity
• Footwear/Clothing – being prepared means arriving with the correct clothing and footwear, we recommend warm clothes and old trainers or wet shoes for water sport activities. No crocs!!”

“A piece of good advice for someone coming to JCA for the first time would be to ‘live in the moment!’. If the weather is poor, it can be hard to stay engaged and excited, but if you just accept it for what it is, and appreciate the time you have here onsite, you will have the best experience!”

“If a student is worried, it’s best to remind them that it’s completely normal to feel that way — we’ve all been there and we’re only human! We have an amazing bunch of staff on-site who do everything they can to make sure every student has the best time, but we would never push a participant to do something they don’t feel up to.”

“If a parent feels anxious , please do not worry. At JCA we are fully staffed during the day, and all instructors are First Aid trained. In the night, we have Night Security, who ensures everything is closed, packed away and anyone out of their room at this time must provide an on-site ID. We are a secure site, and everyone here is happy to help one another, including visitors.”

“One tip I’d give is to pack for independence as well as comfort. I would recommend bringing extra clothes, as it can get muddy, or if you get splashed on the lake. I would also recommend bringing a reusable water bottle, plenty of snacks and having an organised essentials bag for things such as toiletries — do not rely on borrowing!”

“During Archery Tag, the group wanted to compete against me. It was me VS 14 kids and a teacher — safe to say I didn’t win! It was brilliant as everyone was engaged and had a really fun time.”

“One thing students tend to forget to pack is old shoes you don’t mind getting mucky! I once had a group where99% of them had brand new trainers on which were wrecked by the end of day 1.”

“One thing I wish more students would bring is suitable clothing! So many people come with just shorts and T-shirts because it’s sunny, but that’s not always the case.”

“My name is Josh and I’m an Activity Instructor. I have been at Condover Hall for 2 years and I’m now in my 3rd year here. I was an instructor at a different company after leaving my job as a chef. After my contract ended at the last company, I found a job advertisement for Condover and applied. It’s a job I was always interested in but never knew how to get into doing it.”

“My favourite activity to run at Condover Hall is the Aerial Trek because my passion has always been working with ropes. Being able to help young people push past those boundaries with heights is really rewarding.  I would also say campfire  as I love singing and dancing around a fire, somewhat making a fool of myself!”

“I have been described as being a chill, sarcastic and funny instructor.”

“I became an instructor because I have a passion for the outdoors and making a difference to people. I also wanted to travel around the UK to visit different places until I could find somewhere that feels like home.”

“JCA stood out to me specifically because of the wide range of activities that they offer, and the diverse training that is involved with that. Also, the opportunity to be a group’s instructor for their whole stay was a massive bonus and it helps have more of an impact and bond with the groups you work with.”

“I bring a few years of diverse training in different companies into the role, as well as some high-level qualifications such as ERCA high ropes Instructor.”

“I feel my role has changed by having more responsibility in the job, offering help to instructors who are early into their career and also gaining more qualifications whilst at JCA.”

“I enjoy being an instructor because of the impact I can have on a group, getting over fears, pushing their boundaries and teaching them skills they wouldn’t find anywhere else. It’s also the most social job, meaning we can make lasting friendships and have adventures that you wouldn’t normally have.”

“My favourite JCA memory so far is being recognised by a participant who had been at my previous centre over a year prior. It made an impact on me knowing that I had had an impact on this participant.”