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Alice Longstaff

About Me

Name:Alice Longstaff
Sex:Female
D.O.B.:28 July 1994
Languages Spoken: English
Resorts I can work in: Portes de Soleil
Chamonix
Les Deux Alpes
4 Valleys
CRB Check:01 Apr 2015

Experience & Qualifications

Introduction:

Hello,
My name is Alice, I'm 22 years old and from Kent, England. I have been extremely lucky and worked all over the world including volunteering in Nepal for 3 months; summer camps in California for 4 months; an au pair in America for 12 months for 3 wonderful children and I now work as a Bushcraft instructor back in the UK during the spring and summer teaching 7-16 year olds hold to build fires, nature shelters, wilderness first aid p and how to live in the wild for 1-5 days at a time. In-between these incredible jobs aboard I have worked in nurseries and play schools back in the UK giving me experience with children as young as 3 months. I have been part of girl guiding since I was a young girl and volunteered for 3 years with my own pack giving me the idea to set up and run private bushcraft days for girl guiding to get young girls into the outdoors.
In my spare time I enjoying hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, running, kayaking and of course snowboarding.
I came to Morzine to work as Nanny as I strongly believe you should love your job and I do. What more could I ask for, mountains, snowboarding and getting to work with children all day.
Qualifications:

Credited short course studying Developmental Psychopathology at Harvard Extension University in Boston for 6 months.

Level 3 exercise and sporting sciences diploma.

13 GCSE's between B-A*

Mountain Leader award

Emergency first aid in the outdoors and open water safety

6 years working with children of all ages in different settings.
Experience:

I have worked with children of all ages, including my current position in the UK working as a camp leader for The Bushcraft Company - Leading residential school trips in the woods for 1-5 days at a time for children between 7-17 years: taking them back to basics by teaching them survival skills and giving them a one in a life time back to nature experience. Living inside a tent during days/nights off and next to a fire under a natural manmade shelter while working. Organising and managing 6 members of staff, 60 children and the accompanying teachers on a round the clock physical and mentally demanding role but hugely rewarding and incredibly enjoyable.

Ive also worked as an Au Pair in Massachusetts, USA for 12 months caring for 3 wonderful children: 4 and 6 year old girls and an 8 year old boy. Day to day duties and responsibilities would include dressing and bathing the children, preparing meals, school runs, cleaning, washing and just as important, playing with the children and ensuring they have a smile on their faces.

I've Worked as a camp counsellor in California, USA Working within the beautiful Redwood forest of Santa Jose, California at a summer camp for children between 5 – 17 years, acting as a role model, instructor and most importantly a friend. Spent 22 hours a day with the campers teaching them traditional outdoor living and wilderness skills; cooking on an open fire, tree bed building and orienteering skills as well as assisting in Archery, high ropes and horseback riding.

Ive taught children in Nepal, Asia for 3 months with other UK and Nepali volunteers concentrating on making a lasting change within three key areas; health, livelihood and education. From organizing health camps, blood donations and increasing the community’s HIV and AIDS awareness, to livelihood improvements and teaching children of all ages in government funded schools.

The Christmas just passed I worked in Finland as a Lapland Ranger, an active role based outdoors in temperatures as low as -40 encouraging families with children of all years to participate in our winter activities including husky sled rides, ice fishing, reindeer rides and keeping the Christmas spirit high with songs and games. Dealing with and entertaining guests at their hotels, the airport and at Festive Dinners.

I have worked in nurseries and play schools while living in the UK to give myself more experience with babies and toddlers. From 2009 – 2012 I volunteered as a Young leader at a local Brownies and Rainbows (Girl Guiding) designing and leading group activities; planning and organizing events and bonding and dealing with girls in the age group of 5-11. This summer I wanted to get back into Girl guiding and I now run private Bushcraft days for girl guiding during the summer.

I have a strong passion when it comes to working with children and I look forward to many more fun filled years working with children all over the world.

My References

Reference Received from: Stuart Cotterell

Reference:

"Alice is an incredibly dedicated and hard worker, who has worked for myself for a number of seasons. She has a wonderful manner with the children, and is both caring and fun. She is reliable, loyal and responsible and has never let me down. I believe she would be highly suited to this role, and would not hesitate to recommend her for any childcare position in the future. "
Reference Received from: Vanessa Weisman

Reference:

"Alice is a wonderful caregiver to children of all ages. She cared for our 6 and 7 year old daughters and 9 year old son over the course of a year and I observed her care for children younger than that age and older as well. She is great caring for small and larger groups of children. Children adore Alice - she is a lot of fun - and also teaches children how to be respectful and use their manners. She also will follow parent's rules and recommendations. Our son has a severe food allergy and we always felt Alice took care of our son's needs appropriately and safely. Alice is very adventurous and my children were always learning from Alice. We would leave our children with Alice again if the opportunity arose, in a heartbeat! "