INTO THE WILD - PORTUGAL

Outdoor Education leadership foundation course

This is primarily a hands-on, experiential course and is based on nature connection, practices and activities. The program will introduce earth education, nature awareness, creative interpretation, bushcraft, sensory awareness and narrative skills.

Who is it suitable for?

The program has been created for those on a personal and professional development path. It may be at the point of a career change or after graduating that the need for practical experience and mentoring in the field is required.

To align you with your goals, connect you deeply with nature and offer you tools and experience that will translate effectively into everyday life.

The program is geared toward teachers, educators, outdoor instructors, rangers, forest school leaders, play-workers, and in more general terms, those who are change-agents, community leaders, people in personal or professional transition.

For those who long a more fulfillment in their lives and a deeper impact in the world.

What will you learn?

Learn and/or develop new skills, tools and techniques to become a more effective educator
Gain experience with a range of client-groups
Discover more of your gifts, passions and vision
Move yourself closer to your professional aspirations, and toward your dreams for yourself and the world
Receive coaching, mentoring and support
Adopt routines that connect you with nature and can facilitate others connection to nature
Be introduced to new ideas and new practices
Foundation Program Outline

Program Structure:

· 6 modules, 3 days each

· 5-10 days field work on Into the Wild Portugal camps or events.

· Various assignments and practices associated with developing nature connection and integrated learning.

**ORIENTATION**- 9th to 11th January 2026

Learn an unique program rooted in Indigenous wisdom - THE 8 SHIELDS PROGRAM - teaches a framework for deep nature connection, community building, and personal growth, inpired by indigenous principles and ecological principles.
Introduction to Outdoor Survival basic skills - medicine wheel, Orientation, firecraft, campcraft skills, introduction to Core Routines, Nature connection practices, Community building, Compass directions framework, Peace principles . Practical & Experientral activities like storytelling and community rituals.
**Holistic approach, blending ecology, psychology and cultural design. Night walk. Assignments & practices.**

**HANDS**- 20th to 22th February 2026

**Where ancient skills meet modern resilience ; built, craft, and thrive in harmony with the Wild.**
Shelter-building - Learn how to construct safe, weather-resistant shelters using natural materials. Learn how to transform branches, leaves, and earth into protective havens - a skill that empowers self-reliance and awakens ancestral wisdom.
Bushcraft skills - Is about harmony with nature. Fire-making, water purification, foraging, navigation, and natural cordage. Step into the art of bushcraft : mastering fire, water and food in ways that connect you to the rhytms of the wild.
Discover Coppicing - The timeless practice of harvesting wood while nurturing the forest’s renewal - a living lesson in sustainability. Coppicing teaches patience, stewardship, and respect for ecological cycles.
**Woodcraft - Learn craving, shaping, and crafting tools, utensils and structures from raw wood. From spoon carving to frame building, woodcraft awakens your hands to the artistry of survival.**
**Cutting tools - Learn safe handling of knives, axes and saws; sharpening and maintenance. Learn to wield knives and axes with precision, care and respect, unlocking the crafts of survival.**
**Wild foods, Campfire cookery. Assignments & practices.**
**All these skills foster a deeper bond with nature and ancestral traditions. You will not only learn techniques - but also experience a shift in how you depict the natural world.**

**IMAGINATION**- 13th to 15th March 2026

The imagination Module is a sanctuary for creativity and connection. Through Earth Education, environmental storytelling, and narrative techniques, you will learn to animate nature and interpret the world with fresh eyes. Come ready to play, listen, and craft stories that honor the living planet.
Creative interpretation - Emphasize imagination as a tool for transformation. Unlock the hidden meanings in landscapes and stories - discover how creativity reshapes the way we see the world. You will learn how to reframe ordinary experiences into extraordinary insights.
**Earth Education - step into the classroom of the Earth itself; where rivers, trees, and stones become your teachers.**
Environmental storytelling - Position storytelling as activism and healing. Learn to tell the Earth’s story - weaving voices of animals, ancestors, and ecosystems into narratives that inspire change.
Animating nature - nature will be presented as alive, interactive, and full of personality. Playful, embodied practices like role-play, movements and soundscapes. The intention is to bring the forest to life - hear the whispers of leaves, the laughter of streams, and the wisdom of stones.
Narrative techniques - Creative training and personal empowerment ; offering practical tools for crafting compelling stories. Master the art of narrative from mythic archetypes to modern eco-tales. Discover how to shape stories that move hearts and minds.
**Assignments and practices. You will gain knowledge and reverence blending the beautiful nature with wonder.**

**AWARENESS**- 17th to 19th April
2026

The Awareness Program invites you to rediscover the World through awakened senses. From tracking skills and wildlife observation to bird language and medicine walks, each practice opens a doorway into deeper connection with nature and yourself.
**Sensory Awareness - Awaken your senses - learn to see, hear, and feel the world with new clarity.**
**Tracking skills - Step into the ancient art of tracking - discover stories written in the soil and sand. Emphasize mystery and detective-like curiosity.**
Wildlife Observation - Enter the secret lives of wild beings - observe without distrubing, and become part of their world. Learn patience, stillness, and respect for animals. Highlight the joy of intimate encounters with nature.
**Bird Language - Decode the language of birds, hear alarm calls, songs and whispers that unveil the unseen. Feel a practical survival skill and a poetic connection.**
**Medicine Walk - Learn about a guided journey where nature offers insight, healing and reflection- Take a medicine walk - and let the land speak to your spirit, offering guidance and renewal.**
**Night Activity - Join a walk where every sound tells a story. Learn to track not just animals, but your own awareness.**
**Come ready to listen, to see, and to be transformed by the living Earth.**

**HEART-** 8th to 10th May 2026

The Heart Program is where you can really lean into soulful language, ecological wisdom, and collective imagination. It’s about awakening emotional conection to the Earth and inspiring you to act from Love and responsability.
**Gaia Theory - An invitation for spiritual awakening, bridging ecology and myth. Discover Gaia - the living Earth, a vast web of interconnection where every breath and heartbeat matters.**
**Deep Ecology - Emphasize the intrinsic value of all beings, beyond human.centered thinking. Step into deep ecology . a philosophy that honors rivers, forests, and creatures as kin, not resources.**
Active Hope - Cultivate Active Hope - a resilient practice that empowers us to face ecological challenges with courage and creativity. Hope as practice, not as a feeling - inspired by Joanna Macy’s work.
Council of Beings - A ritual practice where participants embody non-human voices ( animals, plants, rivers, ancestors ). Highlight play, empathy, and transformation through role-play and storytelling. Step into the voices of wolves, trees, and oceans, and speak for the Earth.
The Heart Program is a journey into ecological wisdom and emotional connection. We learn to see Earth as a living whole, honor all beings as kin, and cultivate resilience in the face of global challenges. This is not just learning - it is remembering our place in the great web of life.
**Overnight solo. Assignments & Practices.**

**LEADERSHIP**- 5th to 7th June 2026

The Leadership Program is a transformative journey into conscious leadership. Through exploring diverse leadershipe styles, engaging in eco constellations, and accessing resourses for environmental education, you will learn to guide communities with empathy, vision, and ecological responsability. This is a leadership for a thriving planet.
**Leadership styles - Explore leadership styles that inspire cooperation, creativity, and resilience - from servant leadership rooted in empathy to visionary leadership that sparks collective action.**
Eco Constellations - Experiential practices that illuminate our place in the web of life and guide us toward balanced, regenerative leadership. A healing ritual and a practical tool for ecological awareness. Inspired by systemic constellations, this practice reveals hidden dynamics between humans and ecosystems. It is a living map of our relationship with the Earth.
**Resources for Environmental Education - Gain access to resources for environmental education - from storytelling techniques to hands-on activities that empower communities to learn and act.**
**This Module will provide you tools , curricula and frameworks to teach and inspire others.**
**Celebration - celebrate the path we’ve walked - from first steps to newfound wisdom !**
Celebration of the living Earth ! Join us for a circle where we honor the Journey & Transformation ; highlight achivements and create a memorable closing ritual. We will empahasize Gratitude & Reflexion, Joy & Creativity ; Community & Connection Spirit .

**FIELDWORK:**

Students work with "Into the Wild" staff to gain experience assisting on courses and camps.. By negotiation there is an option to work with similar external organisations. A minimum of 3 days is required.

**PRACTICAL EVALUATION:**

**The evaluation is based on the student's practical performances on various assignments and practices associated with developing nature connection and integrated learning.**

**ONLINE PEER GROUP:**

**Group support with online sessions. Help each other to connect ourselves with the environment and discover our true nature.**

Course Fees:

Total fee for the course: 1.800€

Fee per module: 300€

Each module runs for 3 days from Friday - Sunday and includes breakfast/dinner.

First 3 Modules are held at Eco Camping in Galamares and the last 3 Modules at our Magical Venue located at Cerca dos Pomares, Aljezur, Portugal.

You must provide your own tent /sleeping bag and lunch.

You must pay a 50% deposit of the total cost upon application(paid by direct payment to Into the Wild Portugal) and the remainder to be paid 1month before each module.

Please contact us for further information and/or bursary.

Please note, money cannot be refunded after enrollment in the course.

The Into the Wild journey is unfolding organically. Venue and dates may change, and we will share updates with you in good time so you can plan with confidence. We flow with nature’s rhythms and the opportunities that arise.

A diploma will be awarded when all modules are completed.

Review by Eva Richterová

July 14, 2019

As a child's mentor in the field of nature connection, I often look for an inspiration in nature literature. When years ago I first discovered the book Coyote's guide to connection with nature a spark was lightened in me, together with curiosity and acknowledgement that there is more people out there with love for children and this world, working in this field for years with great experience, connected to a linage of truly and deeply involved naturalist, trackers and guides.

After some years of self studying, when I started to feel the need to deepen this path, "Call of the Wild”, foundation course in outdoor education and nature connection came to Portugal. Facilitated by Chris Salisbury, a genuine guide, gifted storyteller and extraordinary skilled group leader with a wider vision.

We were taken on the journey of awakening senses, bushcraft and survival skills, learning how to capture the child's (and adults) interest in nature through games, stories and play. After this course you not only gain practical tools but also an understanding of the whole picture of human influence on this planet and an importance of every little step of each human individual, as well as the necessity of communal action! And an extra recognition, that our role as parents and mentors is to keep the spark in the child's eyes lightened!

Review by Maria Lobo - October 2025

I can highly recommend this education training program ! It was such a plus in my life ! Saying both professionaly and personally. It’s more than a Course to learn skills in the Outdoors education fiels, it is a transformative life course.

I learned how to be more resilient, self sufficient, more confident and more truthful with myself and others. Despite I have done it 5 years ago, it was a life changing experience. Thank you Claudia and Into the Wild team.

Review from Joana Gorjão - I also sign up for Maria’s sharing ; Simple, fun and yet so profound … Back to the Foundations of life and connection with inner Child and inner wised Elder. Trully recommended !