COMMENT

“Leadership” in Clubs
And the fear of Responsibility

The MCofS guidance on safety, liability and the organisation of club affairs is being re-drafted in the light of numerous requests for advice about these issues. The present guidance observes, “Experienced club mountaineers have expressed concern about the responsibility they carry for people attending club meets who wish to be led and who decide to take very little responsibility for themselves.”

There is a risk that these concerns may cause a decline in the tradition whereby novices learn the ropes by being taken under the wing of more experienced mountaineers and hillwalkers and that the route by which so many of us found our way into the hills will be denied to subsequent generations.

There is no question here of the MCofS telling clubs how to go about their business. The guidance is only for the assistance of clubs if they feel the need. Many clubs don’t have a problem with these issues and this will often be because of the robust way in which the club manages its affairs. The organisation of club affairs is the key to promoting safe practice and dealing with that most modern of curses - liability.

Within the 145 clubs which are affiliated to the MCofS, there is a wide variety of organisational structures ranging from almost none at all to clubs with meet “leaders” who have responsibility for other club members.

If a club designates a person to arrange Club meets, the responsibilities of that person may go no further than arranging accommodation, transport and sometimes food. If a club member decides to accept responsibility for an activity (taking a group walking or climbing), it should be on the basis that he or she is only helping by sharing his or her experience, is not in any way qualified, is not regarded by the club nor regard themselves as ‘technical experts’ but are amateur climbers or walkers with some experience which they are prepared to share. Any less-experienced members accompanying this more-experienced member should be made aware that they take any advice on this basis and that the onus of responsibility for deciding whether or not to rely on any such advice lies with the less-experienced member.

Clubs may be “making a rod for their own backs” by using the word “leader” which has so many possible different meanings and, most importantly within mountaineering terminology, is used to describe someone who will take responsibility for those being led. This ambiguity may cause misunderstandings where individuals within a group have different ideas about the level of ‘leadership’ which is being provided.

So how does your club address these issues? Do these points strike a chord or hit a raw nerve? How does your club cater for absolute novices, children and those with disabilities?

The re-draft of the guidance notes needs to deal with current club issues and reflect the views of club members so please make your views known to me. It will also be useful if clubs could send copies of any written information provided for their members.

By Roger Wild
Mountain Safety Adviser