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First, you can really help in a big way by telling someone WHERE you’re going and WHEN you’ll be back BEFORE you leave on your hike, camp, or picnic, so always tell an adult where you are going.

Second, when you realize that you’re lost, Hug-A-Tree and stay put.

Third, keep warm and dry until the searchers find you by making a shelter, tucking in, and zipping up.

Fourth, help the searchers find you by answering their calls.

To help you remember this, we’re going to see a story about a boy named John. John wanders away from his campsite and gets lost. We’ll see how he keeps safe and comfortable, while also helping the searchers find him and bring him back safe.

After the story, I will demonstrate some of the things that John did, because ANYONE can become lost no matter how OLD OR EXPERIENCED they are.

So pay attention, watch and listen. See if you can find the tricks John used to help him stay safe.

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Stage One: Introduce yourself and the program.

1. With an emergency shelter sticking out of your pocket and a whistle around your neck, explain who you are and what you are about to do.
2. Present the opening points given in “Introduction.”

Stage Two: Present the Video

You can build pauses into the video to allow you to ask questions like what “John” should do next, if he has done the right things and finally what else he could have done. It is recommended that these pauses only be used with older youth. If you don’t have access to audio-visual equipment, John’s story can be followed through the colouring book.

Stage Three: Demonstrations and Recap.

1. Review the main points with a questions/answer session.
2. Demonstrate, with help from the audience:
   • How to keep warm and dry with an emergency shelter
   • How to be heard and seen, and help searchers find you

Stage Four: The Conclusion

1. Sum up the lesson by emphasizing the 4 key points.
2. Ask for any last minute questions.
3. Distribute any handouts.
4. Thank your audience and say goodbye.

NOTE:

To ensure the children’s attention is retained, the program should be presented in 45 minutes or less.

At no time should you be in a room without another adult present. This is to protect you, the presenter, and the program.

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Explain the advantages of using a large emergency blanket (also called an emergency shelter)

• Wrap a volunteer in an emergency shelter and have him/her sit or kneel on the floor. Adjust and tuck the shelter around their feet and knees. Leave the volunteer in the shelter for a while, and then ask the volunteer to tell their friends how well the shelter worked in trapping body heat.

Remind them that John’s footprints were the only clue as to which way he had gone.

• Discuss how difficult it can be to identify any child’s footprints from among many that may be found. Searchers will know which footprints to follow if an imprint is made of the child’s hiking shoe or boot by pressing down on a piece of aluminum foil placed on a carpet or folded towel or you can take a picture of the sole.
• Demonstrate the technique with a second volunteer. Make sure he/she is wearing shoes with a well patterned sole.

Follow these tips about voice, physical behaviour, and attitude for a great presentation!

Voice: A presenter’s main tool is their voice! There are four main components to your voice that will affect your delivery. Together, proper volume, articulation, rate of speech, and pitch of voice can ensure your participants understand what you’re saying.

• Volume: Adjust your voice so that participants in the first and last rows, and everybody in between, can hear what you’re saying. Good volume is usually based on confidence, so take a deep breath, pause briefly, and let the words come out strongly.
• Articulation: Producing clear sounds is important to ensure your audience understands you. Open your mouth when speaking, enunciate each word, and speak clearly.
• Rate: If you speak too fast, the audience cannot keep up with what you’re saying, but if you speak too slowly they can lose interest. To avoid being monotone, change your rate of speech throughout. A faster rate is useful for generating enthusiasm, a slower rate can help emphasize important points, and pauses give the audience a chance to digest what you have just said.
• Pitch: Varying your pitch between high and low frequencies enhances verbal communication, because it can convey intentions and feelings such as enthusiasm, emphasis, and caution. It also makes your presentation more interesting, because it prevents you from being monotone.

Physical Behaviour: Physical behaviour, including your appearance, actions, and eye contact, is a valuable communication tool between you and your audience. While good physical behaviour can improve your presentation delivery, poor physical behaviour can have an impact on your audience’s focus and understanding.

• Appearance—By appearing clean and neat, you and your message will appear professional. How you look will affect how well your audience remembers and perceives what they have been taught.
• Actions—There are three types of actions: bodily movements, gestures, and eye contact can be as much help as a hindrance to your presentation.
  1. Bodily Movements: A presenter who does not stand immobile and rigid is much more interesting. By subtly moving around, and using natural gestures, you can keep your audience engaged. Also, rather than standing in front of your audience, consider sitting with them, to be on their level at a distance that is not too far, to appear distant, but also not too close to appear overbearing.
  2. Gestures: Gestures are to speaking, what pictures are to writing, as they are a visual aid to the message you are trying to convey. While they are beneficial, remember that too many gestures will begin to take away from your words.
  3. Eye Contact: Try your best to consistently maintain eye contact with the audience. By doing this, you establish a closer relationship with them, and appear more confident. Effective eye contact has to be direct, impartial, and random; rather than fix on one student, have eye contact with the audience as a whole.

Attitude: A participant’s motivation can be affected with the general mood of the audience, which is strongly influenced by the attitude of the presenter. Your attitude should be enthusiastic, helpful, and tactful, in order to secure the good will and co-operation of the audience. You should also be in control of the presentation, be firm and honest to maintain discipline, and have patience to go over a point until it is understood.

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