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Outdoor Training Academy

Training and qualifications

First aid training for schools and workplaces, water safety courses and instructor qualifications, taught by the team who run Ballyhass every day.

School first aid Workplace first aid Book a place on a course
  • First Aid
  • FAR
  • Paddle UK
  • RLSS
  • ERCA
An instructor in a Team Ballyhass top works with trainees in helmets and harnesses at the high ropes course

School first aid

First Aid Training for Schools

Two first aid courses for secondary schools, run for your own group at your school or at Ballyhass. Our instructors travel to schools within approximately two hours of Mallow or Coachford.

For Transition Year

TY Basic First Aid

A four-hour basic first aid course that gives Transition Year students the knowledge and confidence to help in an accident or medical emergency.

Who it is for
Transition Year students, in sessions of up to 24 students.
What students learn
  • CPR and the recovery position
  • Using an AED (defibrillator)
  • Heart attack, choking and stroke
Where
At your school, or at Ballyhass Mallow.
Format and group size
One practical four-hour session. Every student receives an Outdoor Training Academy Certificate of Completion.

Request School First Aid Training: TY Basic First Aid Full course details: TY Basic First Aid

For teachers, staff and students 16+

First Aid Response (FAR)

The three-day PHECC First Aid Response course, run privately for your school. It is the standard the Health and Safety Authority recognises for occupational first aid.

Who it is for
Teachers and other school staff, and students aged 16 and over.
What they learn
  • Patient assessment and incident procedures
  • CPR and using an AED
  • Common medical emergencies, injuries and shock
  • Care of an unconscious patient
Where
At your school, or at Ballyhass Mallow.
Format and group size
Three days (18 hours), for up to 8 people per course. A PHECC certificate, valid for two years.

Request School First Aid Training: First Aid Response (FAR) Full course details: First Aid Response (FAR)

How schools arrange it

  1. Tell us about your school: the course, how many students or staff, and dates that suit.
  2. We confirm the date, the venue and the numbers with you.
  3. Our instructors deliver the course at your school or at Ballyhass.

Request School First Aid Training

Group training is arranged with our team rather than booked online. Tell us about your group and we will come back to you.

Workplace First Aid & Safety Training

First aid training informed by real-world operational experience

Ballyhass runs adventure activities, welcomes visitors, assesses risk and deals with practical safety every day. We bring that experience to first aid training for your workplace, so your team has thought through what they would actually do if something happened where they work.

The recognised course

PHECC First Aid Response (FAR): three days, for up to 8 people per course, at your premises or at Ballyhass. The Health and Safety Authority recognises it as the standard for occupational first aid, and the certificate is valid for two years.

Request Workplace Training Full course details: First Aid Response (FAR)

Built around your workplace

  • First aid equipment review a walkthrough of your first aid kits, stations, AED locations and how easy they are to reach, with practical recommendations where relevant.
  • Workplace scenario training realistic practice incidents based on your premises, activities, workforce and likely risks.
  • Review of previous incidents where you wish, anonymised examples of incidents you have had, to talk through the response, decisions, communication and lessons learned.

These practical elements are optional. They complement the recognised course syllabus and your own risk assessments, and do not replace either. We agree what is included with you before the training.

Request training for your school or workplace

For schools, workplaces and other organisations who want a course delivered for their own group, at their premises or at Ballyhass.

Booking a place on a course for yourself? See course dates

Request group training

Email us about your group: who it is for, how many people, roughly when, and where you are. Or call the team.

Email us: [email protected] Call +353 22 27773

[email protected]

For individuals

Book a place on a course

Course dates, places and prices come straight from the Ballyhass booking system. Choose a date to book your own place.

Nothing published today

No course dates are published right now

New dates appear here as soon as they are published in our booking system. Ask us when the course you want runs next.

Ask about a course date

Training a school or workplace group? Request group training

Our courses

Choose your training

Each course has its own page with what it covers, who it is for and what you need before you book.

First Aid

Outdoor Qualifications

Professional Development

About the academy

The Outdoor Training Academy

The Outdoor Training Academy is run by Ballyhass Adventure Group. It grew out of the way Ballyhass trains its own team. Many of the instructors at Ballyhass Mallow and Ballyhass Coachford started here as trainees and qualified through internal and external training.

The academy offers the same training to everyone else: individuals, schools and employers.

  • An instructor in a Team Ballyhass top talks a trainee through the high ropes course, with the lake behind
  • An instructor checks a young climber's harness and helmet
  • A line of kayakers in helmets and buoyancy aids gathered on the water for a paddlesport session

How our courses are certified

  • First aid Cardiac First Response and First Aid Response (FAR) are courses of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC). The Health and Safety Authority recognises FAR as the standard for occupational first aid.
  • Paddlesport Paddlesport Safety and Rescue, the Paddlesport Instructor award, SUP Safer and the Stand Up Paddleboard Instructor award are Paddle UK courses.
  • High ropes the ERCA Traditional High Ropes Instructor course is certified by the European Ropes Course Association (ERCA) and delivered with Vertex Training, an ERCA certified training body.

Where we train

Most courses run at Ballyhass Mallow, on the quarry lake and at the high ropes course. Equipment for water courses is provided, including wetsuits, buoyancy aids, cagoules and paddles. Mallow has changing rooms, showers and a café on site, and accommodation is available for course days.

Accreditations

Ask about a place on a course

For individuals: ask about a course, or when it runs next.

Training a school or workplace group? Request group training

Email us with the course you are interested in and when suits you, or call the team.

Email us: [email protected] Call +353 22 27773

[email protected]

Train with the Outdoor Training Academy

Book a place on a course Request group training