ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 1 OARS Training fr Leaders and Outings Chairs Presented by the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Outings, LTC and Safety Cmmittees This training and much mre is available n the Leaders and Outings Chairs Resurces website (replaces the ld LTC- OMC and Safety websites): https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/leadership_and_utings OARS Training page is here: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/ltc_ars_training Cntents Abut this Training FAQ page 2 Three Key Steps t Creating an Outing in OARS page 2 What is OARS? page 2-3 OARS Access page 3 Step- by Step: Hw d I create an uting? page 4 Spnsrs Mre steps: Activity Title, Dates, Categry page 5 Mapping, Shrt Descriptin Mre Steps: Display Methd page 6 Status selectins page 6 Mre Steps: Registratin, Adding Leaders page 7 Cpy Functin: Hw d I cpy a repeating uting? page 8 C- spnsred Activities: Hw d I handle? page 8-9 Attaching a Pht page 9 Reminders fr Leaders and Outings Chairs page 10 Safety Cmmittee Supervisin page 10 Scial Media page 10-11 After OARS: On the Trip and After page 11 Incidents page 11 Sign- in Sheets and Archiving page 11 Resurces page 11-12 Cntacts page 12 Cmmittees and links
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 2 OARS Training fr Leaders and Outings Chairs Presented by the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Outings, LTC and Safety Cmmittees This FAQ is a training mdule t help leaders learn hw t use OARS, the Online Activity Registratin System. It s als useful fr utings chairs (OCs). Fr leaders: after yu have gained access by permissin f the OC f yur Grup/Sectin/Cmmittee entity (GSC), yu will be able t enter yur wn utings in the system. Then, yur OC can handle the apprval and yu are gd t g. OC s: use this training t refresh yur wn knwledge and then share with thse leaders that yu want t allw access t OARS fr yur entity. But first, sme backgrund: as a leader fr the Angeles Chapter, yu are in the Sierra Club nline database knwn as LEADERS, the Leader and Event Recrding System. Only OCs and thse in recrds management psitins such as the OMC Chair, LTC Admin, Safety Cmmittee and a few thers have editing access t this database. It is used t update yur certificatins (FA, OLT), membership and ther cntact infrmatin. OCs: Refer t LEADERS training (a separate FAQ) fr reminders n maintaining recrds, r ask us. LEADERS is als used by LTC, the Leadership Training Cmmittee, t track yur prvisinal status n yur way t an Angeles Chapter rating (O, I, M, r E). If yu are a prvisinal leader, yu will need t be in tuch with LTC Admin as well as yur OC s they can set yu n the crrect path t success. Recmmended brwsers include: Chrme, Firefx, Safari (mac). OARS help cntacts: see last page f this dcument, r brwse the Management sectin f the website. THREE KEY STEPS TO CREATING AN OUTING IN OARS 1. Prir Apprval: If yu are a leader, yur OC must first give yu permissin in LEADERS t use OARS. Yu can be affiliated with mre than ne entity, but each OC must update LEADERS with that permissin. An OC will als check that yur leader requirements (FA, OLT) are current as f the date f any uting yu wish t lead. If yu are an OC, yur status is entered int WILD, the master entity database. 2. Input the Write- up: Yu enter an uting in OARS fllwing the steps in this FAQ. 3. Submit write- up t yur OC: Once yu are satisfied with the descriptin and specifics f yur write- up, select Pending Apprval (nt Active ), which prmpts the system t send an autmatic message t yur OC. At this pint, yur OC might ask yu fr additinal infrmatin. Otherwise, he/she will make the activity Active and send a link t the Safety Cmmittee fr a last check. If Safety finds anything amiss, they will cntact the OC. IMPORTANT: - Leaders: if yu need t make changes after an uting is Active (fr example, reschedule the uting r add a leader), yu must change the status frm Active back t Pending Apprval. The OC will get an autmatic email ntifying him r her f the change and will review it fr apprval and submit it t the Safety Cmmittee. If yu change a write- up after apprval, yu cannt lead the uting until the OC has apprved the revised write- up. - OCs: Every entry that yu apprve, including a revisin fr any reasn, must be sent t the usual safecmm email address (see page 12 fr Resurces). Yu can nte the change and reasn. - OCs: D nt delete an activity frm OARS after it has gne.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 3 OARS: ONLINE ACTIVITY AND REGISTRATION SYSTEM https://tiga.sierraclub.rg/activity- entry/lgin.jsf OARS: What is it? OARS is yur gateway t inputting utings write- ups. Als knwn in the Angeles Chapter as the Schedule f Activities, it is accessed by the public via the Get Outdrs pages n the chapter website and via entity websites. If yu are new t OARS, first get familiar with hw utings appear in the chapter schedule and yur entity websites. Yu will nte that there are several views : List, Map and Calendar. Participants see the infrmatin yu have entered in OARS. Click n varius utings t cmpare; yu may even see lnger entries that include phts. Yur OC can prvide further guidelines that suit yur specific entity. New t OARS? This FAQ shuld help. Yu can als check ut the Clubhuse Tutrial n the Natinal Sierra Club website. This tutrial is geared mre twards Sierra Club Natinal utings leaders than ur chapter leaders. See last page under Resurces. Remember that Angeles Chapter utings rules differ frm Natinal especially fr ratings and leaders. Refer t the current Angeles Chapter Leaders Reference Bk (LRB), and ther resurces such as Refreshing / Renewing Yur Rating links n last page. OARS ACCESS: Hw d I get access t OARS? First step is t cntact yur OC. (If yu are an OC, fllw the same steps fr access.) Everyne is autmatically affiliated with a gegraphic grup, but t enter utings - r scial activities - with a Sectin r Cmmittee, yu must first be listed by yur OC (in LEADERS) as assciated with yur GSC. If yu dn t knw wh yur OC is, please cntact us. Nte that yu may lead fr mre than ne GSC. Then, g here: https://tiga.sierraclub.rg/activity- entry/lgin.jsf (This link is als fund n the Schedule f Activities page n the chapter website as well as n the OARS training page.) Nw yu are ready t create an accunt; get a passwrd and then lg in.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 4 On the lgin screen, enter the email assciated with yur Sierra Club membership. It als helps t knw yur membership number. Dn t have that handy? Ask yur OC, r ne f us t lk that up fr yu. Yur cpy f Sierra Magazine als has yur eight- digit member number within the numbers n the mailing label. Yu will next get an email with a temprary passwrd. It will include yur member number. Remember the number and passwrd fr the next time. Yu can change yur passwrd and there is a frgt passwrd link if yu frget. Yu may be able t set yur brwser t remember yur passwrd and number s that next time yu can get in easier. Be patient, and Bkmark the OARS link! STEP- BY- STEP: HOW DO I CREATE AN OUTING? There are fields and drp- dwn menus thrughut with chices t make. Always keep in mind chapter rules regarding utings. Cnsult yur OC fr yur entity s specific guidelines. Here are the steps t creating a new activity: a. SPONSOR: Select yur entity frm the drpdwn menu. Very imprtant t make yur selectin here. If yu frget, the default is 0400 Angeles Chapter which sends the entry t the OMC Chair wh then gets t figure ut what entity is the right spnsr which takes time. CO- SPONSORING prcedures appear later in this dcument.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 5 b. ACTIVITY TITLE: e.g. O: Tuesday Cnditining Hike. Nte that fr an uting, yu shuld include the rating f the uting in the title. Yur OC shuld catch this if yu frget t d it. c. DATES: enter dates frm the pp- up calendar r type int fields. d. CATEGORY, TYPE and LEVEL: chse frm drpdwn menus. Categry: Chse amng the fllwing drpdwn menu items Outing, Activist Event, Club Supprt Event and Scial Event. Type: Several chices in drpdwn menu, e.g. Backpack, Biking, Bus Trip, Car Camping, Fishing, Hike, Internatinal, Leader Training, Muntaineering, etc. Select the primary type fr yur uting. The list includes several activities that we dn t usually d like Dgsledding (!). Level: drpdwn menu chices include Easy, Mderate and Strenuus. Entity Specific Level: this is a free- frm field where yu enter the chapter rating (e.g. O, O- 2, I, etc.) f the uting. This rating must nt exceed the rating that yu can lead fr the chapter. e. CLUB ACTIVITY CHECKBOX: Leave checked (default). f. SHOW ON MAP: By using Map It, Ggle Earth helps yu pinpint a trailhead, meeting place r backpack destinatin. Once yu select the spt, the latitude & lngitude crdinates are saved and will appear in the fields. Great fr participants ding a map search n the Schedule f Activities page t find smething nearby r wh want t see the uting r trailhead lcatin. g. SHORT DESCRIPTION: Enter yur typical write- up here. Imprtant that it is brief s that the entire write- up appears in the Schedule and is easy t read.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 6 Yu can test befre yu are dne just hit the preview buttn next t save near the tp and yu will see the uting as it will be listed in the nline Schedule. Then, click n the uting in the list t see hw it is displayed (next example). T much infrmatin in the shrt descriptin will nt display nicely. Use the Lng Descriptin tab n the tp rw t add all thse extra details. Nte: If yu are adding any elevatin infrmatin, d NOT USE the symbl (i.e. single qute) fr feet. Instead, please use ft after the number. Use ft als when yu enter gain. Reasn: single qutes are incmpatible with the tracking feature in OARS. Example 1): Mt. Humphreys (13,986 ) Preferred: Mt. Humphreys (13,986 ft) r Mt. Humphreys (13,986). Example 2): 3 miles RT and 2100 gain. Preferred: 2100 ft gain. Here is what yu and yur prspective participants will see when they click n the title. h. DISPLAY METHOD: Easiest is t select Cnstruct Page frm Entered Infrmatin n All Tabs (i.e. tabs at the tp f the page Activity Details, Leaders, etc. Yu can chse an external URL such as an nline newsletter r a URL that cntains even mre infrmatin. i. STATUS: Drp- dwn menu will shw these chices: In Develpment, Pending Apprval, Changes Required, Disapprved, Active, At Capacity, Cancelled. Here s what they mean: In Develpment - The activity is being created. Yu will be able t view hw it will display using the Preview Functin but it will nt shw up in the nline schedule fr participants until set t Active by yur OC. Be sure t save as yu g. Yu can tinker t yur heart s delight, but when yu are ready t get it ut there, yu must chse Pending Apprval. Pending Apprval Chse this when yu are ready t have yur OC apprve. Hit save and OARS will trigger an autmatic email t yur OC wh can use the Preview Functin t view and apprve the entry making it Active as belw. Active Making an activity Active shuld be dne nly by yur utings chair. Leaders: d nt d this. When yur OC chses Active, he/she sends an email with the DIRECT LINK t the Safety Cmmittee at safecmm@angeles.sierraclub.rg (see example belw).
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 7 The fllwing chices are fr yur infrmatin; they are less used. Changes Required - The persn apprving (e.g. the OC, r an utings reviewer frm the Safety Cmmittee) des nt think the activity is ready fr publicatin. Yu r yur OC will then knw there are sme parts that need t be changed r updated. Disapprved - If the persn apprving the activity (e.g. frm the Safety Cmmittee) des nt think this is a valid r apprved activity, they can set the status t "Disapprved," and the activity will nt be published. Yur OC may d this if asked t by Safety. At Capacity This chice applies t activities fr which a limit is set, and/r may invlve registratin. The maximum number f attendees has been reached. The activity will appear n the main Activity List page, but will be nted as At Capacity. Cancelled - The activity is n lnger taking place. It will appear n the main Activity List page, but will be nted as Cancelled. Cancellatins can be dne by the OC, r at the request f the Safety Cmmittee if the uting des nt meet their apprval. Fr example, an uting descriptin that exceeds the level f the rating. Or, an easily crrected prblem with leadership requirement status. Or, simply an uting that is n lnger ging. The uting leader may als cancel the uting but must ntify the OC wh then ntifies Safecmm. Rescheduling an uting: if a leader needs t reschedule a trip fr any reasn, he r she must send the OC an email with the direct link t the new OARS entry, indicating the ld and new dates fr the uting and the reasn fr the change. Whether the leader r the OC reschedules an uting, the OC must send the rescheduled uting t Safecmm. j. LIMIT PUBLICATION TO SPONSORING ENTITY: Yu r yur OC can check this bx if yu nly want the uting t appear n yur site r newsletter. It will remain in OARS fr tracking and archiving purpses. k. REGISTRATION: OARS prvides an ptin t shw nline registratin. The default is n registratin. Cnsult yur OC r us fr mre infrmatin n hw this wrks. l. ADD LEADERS: This is a very imprtant tab. Yu will need t add at least ne leader befre yu can save the activity even while In Develpment. In rder t publish, the Angeles Chapter Safety Plicy requires that every chapter uting list at least tw rated leaders. List tw fr every write- up that yu enter. Yu can select yurself and c- leader frm Add Leader drpdwns.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 8 COPY FUNCTION: Hw d I d cpy a repeating uting? This is usually dne by yur OC, but it is useful t knw hw t d it. Here are the STEPS: First, lk at the uting yu want t cpy in list view. Click n cpy. When asked, click t cnfirm. The uting will appear with all fields filled in. Enter the new date and any change in leaders. Remember t Save. After yu save the first time, yu may be able t make changes. Smetimes, the changes will nt stick, in which case yu may need t enter a new uting. Cpy the mst recent versin. This prcess wrks mst f the time. If yu get an errr message, yu may try this: Fllw the cpy steps, then use the drp- dwn menu t change the Categry frm Outing t Chse. G dwn and change the status t Active, then g back and change the Categry t Outing, and select Type as Hike (which will have defaulted back t Chse). Then click Save. Prblems? Cnfused? Cntact yur OC, OMC Chair and/r OARS Liaisn. See last page. CO- SPONSORED ACTIVITIES: Hw d I handle a c- spnsred uting? EXAMPLE: Yu have asked the OC f tw r mre different entities t c- spnsr yur activity. Yur OC can help yu set this up. The advantage is that yu will have a larger pl f participants. C- spnsring can wrk especially well fr prvisinals. If yu are a prvisinal leader, be sure t ask yur OC and LTC Admin fr advice.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 9 CO- SPONSORING RULES: OC s fr bth entities must be aware and agree t c- spnsr befre publishing, with ne entity taking the lead as primary spnsr. If yu enter yur wn uting, be sure t get apprval frm the secndary spnsr. After the uting, send the riginal sign- in sheets t the primary spnsr with a cpy t the secndary spnsr. STEPS: In OARS, the drp- dwn Entity menu nly allws yu t select ne entity as primary spnsr. Hwever, in the adjacent free- frm Spnsr Descriptin field yu can add the secnd spnsr by typing and after the default entity, fllwed by the name f the secndary as in example abve. NOTE: Sme entities may have different strategies fr c- spnsred wrding and prcedures. Yur OC can advise yu and/r will make changes t the Spnsr Descriptin field t cnfrm. ATTACHING A PHOTO: Hw d I make my write- up mre attractive? Outings write- ups are sales tls t engage participants. While cmmn utings dn t require a big pitch, thers d. Yu can enter a shrt write- up as well as a lnger mre detailed descriptin using the Lng Descriptin tab. Keep the shrt write- up brief, appealing and clear because it s the first thing that a prspective participant will see in the Schedule f Activities (nline r print). Anyne interested can then click n the uting title and see mre. Yu can als attach a pht. See illustratins belw t find ut hw t uplad an image. Maximum image file size is 200kb, s scale dwn yur big phts fr use here. Best will be a dynamic sht that highlights the destinatin. Here is a final example, a shameless plug fr the Outings Assembly 2014 We ll have anther assembly in 2015.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 10 REMINDERS FOR LEADERS AND OUTINGS CHAIRS SAFETY COMMITTEE SUPERVISION All utings must be apprved by the chapter Safety Cmmittee. OARS des nt send an autmatic email t Safety. When yur OC changes the status t Active, he/she cpies the Direct Link and sends an email with the uting in the subject line t this email address: safecmm@angeles.sierraclub.rg. While scial events and nn- uting club activities d nt require Safety Cmmittee apprval, chapter and club rules still apply. SOCIAL MEDIA: My entity is nt using OARS. We prefer scial media. What d I d? RULES: Sierra Club utings must be published (r psted) n Sierra Club media first. Examples: yur entity newsletter r website. But in all cases, the uting must first appear in a Sierra Club publicatin befre it can be published utside the club/chapter. WAIVERS and CST: all participants must be infrmed f the fllwing: the Club- mandated waiver (fund n he Chapter site) and the legally mandated Califrnia Seller f Travel language ("CST 2087760-40: Registratin as a seller f travel des nt cnstitute apprval by the State f Califrnia."). It's easy t handle bth f thse chres in a cuple f paragraphs n yur grup, sectin r cmmittee's utings web page. It's impssible (r extremely difficult) t d s in scial media. Easiest is if yur website has all this infrmatin in ne place, then it s cvered. POSTING AN OUTING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA: Be sure t include the phrase "Sierra Club" r "Angeles Chapter" and/r yur grup, sectin r cmmittee name smewhere in the psting. OC s: be sure t link back t the riginal psting n OARS (r a Chapter website) by sending the DIRECT LINK as belw in an email t safecmm@angeles.sirreclub.rg. AFTER OARS: ON THE TRIP AND AFTER INCIDENTS: What if there is an incident n an uting r a Club activity? Refer t the latest Incident Reprt (IR) frm fr all current instructins. Remember that incidents can ccur n scial events r ther club activities and these must be reprted per the instructins. The IR prvides the Sierra Club with the infrmatin it needs t mnitr and learn frm incidents thrughut the utings prgrams and t determine whether additinal investigatin is required. Yu can dwnlad the IR and ther frms frm the fllwing page: http://angeles.sierraclub.rg/ltc/frms.html Fllw instructins n the IR Frm. Original dcuments fr incidents that fit the descriptin requiring Natinal reprting g t the Natinal Sierra Club ffice. See frm fr instructins n wh gets cpies. The Safety Cmmittee des nt penalize leaders wh file incident reprts. It has disciplined leaders wh failed t reprt accidents.
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 11 An Incident Reprt must be filed fr: Sierra Club Incidents A fatality. Any incident that requires search, rescue r evacuatin. Any injury that requires advanced first aid. Any injury r illness that culd have future cmplicatins r require medical attentin after the uting (i.e. animal bite, severe sprain). Any act f suspected sexual harassment r child abuse. Any act that vilates the law. Any act that results in prperty damage that culd result in a claim. Angeles Chapter Incidents Additinal Angeles Chapter- nly requirements: Any ther incident that cmprmises the uting's bjective fr all r sme participants, including: lst persn(s) altitude sickness r heat illness a prblem participant recurrence f a prir cnditin. An Incident Reprt des nt need t be filed fr minr injuries such as scratches and blisters, r ther persnal illnesses that will nt likely have future cmplicatins even if the illness causes the persn t leave the trip. SIGN- IN SHEETS: Where d these g? Original sign- in sheets nrmally g t yur OC, unless there is an incident in which case, fllw the instructins n the IR frm. Fr c- spnsred utings, send the riginal t the primary spnsr and a cpy t the secndary. Yu may als keep a cpy fr yur wn recrds. Yur OC stres the riginal fr seven years. ARCHIVING: Hw is this dne? If yu pst an uting in OARS, the write- up is autmatically archived backed- up and stred. The Sierra Club IT department des this when it backs up OARS. Because write- ups must be stred fr seven years, all activities must remain in OARS and shuld nt be deleted after an event is cmpleted. If, n the ther hand, yu publish an uting utside OARS (fr example in print nly r in a nn- OARS website nly), then yur OC must manually archive the write- up fr seven years. Yu may keep cpies f yur utings fr yur wn recrds; in fact, this is a gd idea! RESOURCES as f 1-04- 15 CONTACT EMAILS FOR OARS HELP OMC Chair: Jane Simpsn OMC OARS/LEADERS liaisn: Meldy Andersn LTC Admin: Bb Draney Yur entity Outings Chair utdrjsimpsn@gmail.cm meldygrace1@gmail.cm rrdraney@yah.cm Outings Management Cmmittee Chair and Chapter Outings Chair; OARS trainer OMC rep and OARS trainer Leadership Training Admin; Prvisinal Leaders Admin Mre next page, including links
ANGELES CHAPTER OARS TRAINING as f 1-04- 15 12 ANGELES CHAPTER LEADER S REFERENCE BOOK ( LRB ), current editin can be fund here: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/ltc_the_lrb ANGELES CHAPTER LEADERSHIP TRAINING COMMITTEE (LTC) https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/ltc_becme_a_leader Manages the Leadership Training Prgram (LTP) and Seminar. Trains leaders thrughut the prvisinal prcess, including checkffs, AMP. LTC Chair: Anne Marie Richardsn LTC Administratin Chair: Bb Draney ANGELES CHAPTER SAFETY COMMITTEE: Supervises all utings and grants ratings. Safety Chair: Rn Campbell ANGELES CHAPTER SAFETY POLICY: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/mc_safety_plicy SAFETY email cntact fr Outings Chairs: safecmm@angeles.sierraclub.rg ANGELES CHAPTER OUTINGS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (OMC): manages all aspects f the utdr activities prgram f the Chapter. Cntacts are here: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/ltc_mc_cntacts OMC Chair: Jane Simpsn OMC GOVERNANCE POLICY link (fr Outings Chairs): https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/mc_gvernance- plicy REFRESHING / RENEWING YOUR RATING: Infrmatin can be fund here and in the LRB Refreshing Requirements pages: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/ltc_refresh_yur_rating NATIONAL SIERRA CLUB CLUBHOUSE : a wealth f infrmatin that applies t all Club utings. Angeles Chapter has sme apprved, but differing requirements that can be fund n Chapter pages. Clubhuse link: http://clubhuse.sierraclub.rg/ Username: Clubhuse Passwrd: explre NATIONAL CLUBHOUSE TUTORIAL ON OARS: http://clubhuse.sierraclub.rg/cmmunicatins/web/supprt/activities/activity- entry.aspx. OTHER ESSENTIAL ANGELES CHAPTER ITEMS FORMS: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/leadership_and_utings_resurces_frms RULES OF CONDUCT: https://angeles2.sierraclub.rg/ltc_rules_f_cnduct End.