All students who graduate from the Outdoor Leadership Program will receive a Certificate of Completion by Greenfield Community College and the state of Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. In addition to this certification, OLP provides students with two other forms of certification: Nationwide Certifications and OLP Instructor Certifications.Whitewater Canoeing

Nationwide Certifications
OLP offers students the opportunity to obtain certifications in activity areas where national certifications exist. These include:

American Canoe Association

  • Introduction to Canoe Instructor Certification
  • River Canoe Instructor
  • White Water Canoe Instructor
  • Introduction to Kayak Instructor Certification
  • Coastal Kayak Instructor

Professional Ski Association of America

  • Nordic Certification

OLP designed Leadership Ratings
In some content areas, such as Challenge Course and Backcountry Travel, there are no nationwide governing boards that regulate certifications. To provide students with standards to measure themselves by, OLP instructors evaluate students under a competency system tied to national standards for programming in the activity area. The Leadership Ratings were developed for three reasons:

1. to allow individuals to progress at their own particular level of ability
2. to provide students with insights into the complexity of programs they should be leading upon graduation
3. to provide prospective employers with the same understanding

The Outdoor Leadership Program seeks to help students improve their teaching and leadership skills to achieve the highest possible competency within a year. Students evaluate their progress on an ongoing basis through a series of individual meetings with staff.

"Not everyone will be the world's best paddlers and climbers. Being able to teach effectively puts you ahead of the race." - Christopher Lee