OUR COURSES
Our courses are held at our main camp outside of Chicago, Illinois Camp Queen Nzinga, or at a remote site. Students are issued all the basic camping needs for the weekend including tents, sleeping bags, canteens, mess kits etc. Students bring and cook their own food over a campfire.
PHASE I
Basic Awareness Course- Learn an introduction to the basics of Survivalism. In a weekend (Friday night to Sunday afternoon) course in a semi wilderness area. Classes include water purification, wild food foraging, self defense, map reading, land navigation, fire making, first aid and more. At the end of the weekend students are tested and if they pass a certificate is issued.
Advance Survival Course- After attending the Basic Awareness as often as one desires, additional instruction is provided in this course. The same above mentioned areas are covered with greater depth and detail. Additional training in other areas such as shelter construction is included.
PHASE II
Instructor’s Preparedness Course- This course is a test of all the basic skills. You will demonstrate hands on your knowledge of first aid, water purification, shelter construction and all the above areas covered in the previous courses. You will prove your ability in wild food foraging by making a complete meal using wild edible plants or animals. You must pass all the individual skill areas in order to complete this course. Additional training is given in leadership and techniques of instruction as this course qualifies an individual to become an assistant instructor on our Phase I courses.
PHASE III
Self Reliance Course- After completing the above phases and doing additional independent study in survival training and outdoor leadership you can take the Self Reliance Course. This course is conducted over 48-72 hours. The only equipment you can take are a knife, a flint stone to spark a fire, a compass and a note pad for a journal. You go out in a very small group of 2-3 people or solo. You must set up a camp hidden in the woods. Build your own shelter, start and maintain a fire from just a spark. You must find and prepare your own food from plants or animals you collect. Find and purify water plus complete several task of a tactical nature. Upon completion of this course one would be given the rating of Instructor.
PHASE IV
Advance Instructor’s Course- This course involves the complete execution of a Phase I course. You are responsible teaching all the class areas, all planning and logistics of running a camp. You (along with one or two others) through demonstration, will show an internalization of all the material of a Phase I course. Upon completion you are awarded the rating of Advance Instructor.
Other courses: We also offer 1 day workshops, seminars and demonstrations. We conduct specialized internal training that may involve: backpacking, whitewater rafting, climbing, horseback riding, scuba diving and many other skills.
