You may now purchase your half year membership with NATWC. The membership cost is only $100 at this time of the year. This is half of the membership fee for a full year. Benefits will remain the same for the rest of the calendar year and member programs are encouraged to make your reservations for the 2009 National Conference now!

National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping
16^TH Annual Conference
September 20 – 22, 2009 |Villas by the Sea, Jekyll Island, Georgia

Other membership benefits include job postings and bulletins, Wilderness Counselor Certification Process, and many other opportunities that can be found at our website.

Please visit the website or contact us at NATWCINFO@gmail.com with further questions.

We look forward to having programs take advantage of this half year rate and we invite you to enjoy the incredible benefits that NATWC offers.

As much as they say they disliked their experiences, refused the oatmeal or rice and lentils, shut down on rain soaked hikes, or refused to attend class, they typically still take the time write, call, or stop by for a visit after graduation.

 The letters are real and genuine more so than any they wrote during their time at our programs. The visits are some of the most heartfelt and joyous occasions I have experienced. The phone calls are upbeat and they are eager to share their success stories with us. They love to send pictures of them completing the Appalachian Trail, hugging their college sweet heart, standing beside their first car, holding their diploma, or in their Military Class A’s (formal attire).

I had a trifecta this past week! I got a visit from a student who struggled dearly with a ASD diagnosis. He is now succesfull in the IT world and has become proficient in operating ham radios. I also recieved a picture of another student via email right before his departure for his first tour of duty in Iraq. The third moment was a phone call from a student who is finding success back home with is friends and family after along and uphill journey.

These type of situations only occur when the professional services are being provided for our students. These professional services are acquired through trainings and then put to use each day by program staff. These trainings are provided by NATWC and other high-quality agencies.

Hundreds of students are graduating programs that employ staff accredited through NATWC’s Certification Process each year and enter back into the world with the skills and tools the need to be succesfull. 

These are the moments I live for. A phone call, a letter, or a visit from a student who swore he never would come back. Some even come back with a resume in hand, wanting to complete the circle of giving. I encourage programs to continue to take advantage of the chance to certify their staff with NATWC’s Counselor Certification Process. This will ensure that we can set our students up for success and hopefully sit in on an interview with them at your program, thus keeping the circle unbroken.

DATE: September 20, 21, 22 2009
LOCATION: Jekyll Island, Georgia – Villas by the Sea

The New Year also brings about our annual NATWC membership drive and renewal.

NATWC membership continues to be a low cost way to be “at the table” when networking, industry advocacy and Wilderness Counselor credentialing and recognition are the entrée’s.

• Organization, Corporation, Business Rate -  $200 annually
• College/ University Rate – $100 annually
• Individual Memberships – $ 75  annually
• Student Rate (with current school ID) – $ 25  annually

The National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping membership includes:

• Organizational representation and informational link on our website
• The Journal of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping
• Free information for families seeking outdoor program placements
• The latest CD version of the Wilderness Counselor Certification; an amazing compilation of historical and philosophical perspectives, research submissions, and the NATWC curricula for wilderness counselor credentialing
• Member discounts for the Wilderness Counselor Certification
• Discounts at the NATWC annual training conference
• Membership decal and certificate
• Association and networking opportunities with programs, individuals, colleges, universities and businesses in the outdoor education and therapy industry
• Job Postings
• Event bulletins and postings

The National Association of Therapeutic Wilderness Camping continues to be a low cost way of staying connected with the industry-wide picture. Our annual training conference is still one of the most cost efficient ways of supplementing your staff’s training needs. Your staff will return from the yearly conference with new skills, new contacts, and a renewed energy to face the daily challenges of outdoor programming.

Vendors and sponsors find the atmosphere friendly and return with new business contacts. Click here to download a membership application and join today!