Learn and Lead
Explore skills trainings to deepen your impact
ONLINE TRAININGS
Self-paced online trainings designed to build foundational stewardship and leadership skills.
IN-PERSON TRAININGS
Hands-on, field-based trainings that build real-world stewardship and leadership skills across Colorado.
BECOME A LEADER
From leading crews and cooking meals to managing tools and shaping trail design, our volunteer leaders make our work possible.
OUTDOOR STEWARDSHIP INSTITUTE (OSI)
Whether you’re a first-time volunteer, an experienced steward, or part of an organization looking to train your team—Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) has a training opportunity for you. Through our Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI), we offer a wide variety of online and in-person training courses to help individuals and organizations build the skills needed to care for Colorado’s public lands.
Online Training
Our training courses include self-paced, online components to make it easier and faster for volunteers, students, and professionals to obtain the skills necessary to effectively care for Colorado's natural resources.
These online courses allow flexible skill-building. They can be taken on their own as an introduction or refresher, or paired with field training for hands-on practice.
In-person training
VOC's Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI) offers affordable, in-depth training courses for any individual or organization to learn or improve their stewardship skills and prepare for a variety of leadership roles.
Our pre-scheduled training courses are open to all experience levels. Courses take place across Colorado from March through October and cover topics ranging from Crew Leadership to Ecological Restoration, Rock Skills, and more.
FOR VOC VOLUNTEERS
No training is required to volunteer, but those looking to sharpen their skills can take advantage of our many online and in-person training courses.
The training calendar is where you will find the training you need to become a certified VOC Crew Leader or Crew Chef. Learn more about these leadership roles and how to get started.
FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Employees and volunteers from any organization can benefit from our many online and in-person training courses.
Sign up for pre-scheduled trainings in topics such as trail building, first aid, ecological restoration. Custom trainings may be available upon request.
Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI)
Each year, we train hundreds of people through our Outdoor Stewardship Institute, not only to train VOC volunteers, but also to assist government agencies and stewardship organizations across the country in effective and sustainable stewardship efforts.
Training Calendar
Our pre-scheduled training courses are open to all experience levels. Courses take place across Colorado from March through October and cover topics ranging from Crew Leadership to Ecological Restoration, Rock Skills, and more.
Crew Leader Resources
These resources are intended to serve as a refresher for VOC Crew Leaders, as well as those who have taken the Crew Leadership for Trails and/or Ecological Restoration training course through VOC's Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI), or with other groups using the OSI curriculum.
OSI CREW LEADER'S DAILY REMINDER
Our self-paced online training courses offer a flexible, efficient way for volunteers, students, and professionals to build the skills needed to care for Colorado’s natural resources - on their own, or paired with field training.
GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR CREW
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado’s Outdoor Stewardship Institute offers a wide range of training manuals and materials, available for purchase online, to support volunteers, land managers, and organizations in effective trail building, ecological restoration, and leadership.
TOOL & SAFETY TALK
While no training is required to volunteer, those interested in becoming a certified VOC Crew Leader or Crew Chef can find the necessary training courses on our calendar and begin their leadership journey.
BASIC TRAIL MAINTENANCE
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SIX STEP METHOD OF TRAIL CONSTRUCTION
ButtonSteve Austin Training Scholarship
Named for one of our most skilled, longest tenured, and committed volunteer leaders, the Steve Austin Training Scholarship awards up to 3 recipients each year with $175 in waived fees for training through VOC's Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI), valid for two years upon receipt.
