LEAD A HIKE

Thank you so much for volunteering your time and energy to support our mission of getting local kids outside! To make sure we create a safe, welcoming space for all, we've put together some guidelines that will help you get started. Once you have reviewed the guidelines and hit submit, you are welcome to set up a hike on Heylo.

Please note that the below applies to "official" Trail Kids RVA events. If you have an idea for an event that doesn't fall within the guidelines, please reach out so we can figure out the best way to support you.

What does Trail Kids RVA consider a "hike"?

We want to be both an entry point for new hikers / early walkers as well as provide experienced kids and hikers with new challenges. A hike may be an event that incorporates moving outside from one location to another, or it can look more like a traditional walk in the woods. There's no minimum on how short a hike can be--if you're moving around outside, we consider it a win and call it a hike!

For liability reasons, we CANNOT allow hikes that involve:

Swimming (splashing/knee deep or less in flat water is ok)
Splashing or wading in any rapids or water with waves (e.g. sections of the James River like Pony Pasture or Belle Isle)
Biking on open roads (biking in parks and on closed trails is ok. Please remind participants in your hike description that helmets are required for everyone on wheels.)
Rock climbing (scrambling is ok)
Sledding
Watercraft (kayaks, SUPs, boats, etc.)

You are welcome to invite people to join you in any of these activities separate from the hike, making sure familes. It is important that anyone participating knows that the activity is not a part of the official Trail Kids RVA event.

Outside of these activities, you are welcome to incorporate a nature-related educational component or kid-friendly activity other than hiking into your event. No pressure to build in any extra programming, though–a simple hike is great! Here's some examples of past hikes with programming that we have hosted:

Owl prowl hike
Animal track casting workshop hike
Paw paw hunt and hike
Creek splash hike
Street art photo op hike
Storytime hike

What qualifications or certifications do I need?

Anyone can lead a hike--no special certifications needed! We just ask that you feel comfortable with your hike location and with getting the group to the endpoint of the hike.

If you'd like additional training after reading this guide, we recommend a Pediatric and/or Adult First Aid and CPR course, but it's not required to lead a hike with us.

Who will be joining my hike?

We welcome all families regardless of race, sex, disability, class, sexual orientation or gender expression. We encourage hosts to keep in mind that minority members of these groups often face special challenges when in a rural or secluded setting. Make sure to be sensitive to these issues and ask what you can do to help.

Although the primary caregiver role is one that is often filled by women, Trail Kids RVA is not a mom's only group. We ask that hosts prioritize inclusivity and not limit events to certain types of caregivers.

How do I put a hike on the Trail Kids RVA Calendar?

We use Heylo as our official calendar and to track hike attendees. It is very important that everyone who attends a hike sign up through Heylo to ensure they have signed our liability waiver. To enforce this requirement, we ask that you do not post the hike meeting location to any other platform (e.g., Instagram, Facebook) or otherwise share this information with attendees outside of what information you put in the Heylo event.

The address to access our Heylo group is: https://heylo.group/trailkidsrva

Navigate to the Trail Kids RVA Heylo Events page and click +Add Event. Add a picture to grab attention and to show people what to expect (e.g., trail conditions, grade, sun/shade).

Add meeting place details under the location box. Remember, do not share this information on other social media sites to ensure all attendees have signed up on Heylo and have signed the waiver.

In your description, be sure to let people know:

Hike distance and difficulty level
What the pace will be like (adult paced, toddler paced, exploring/wandering, lots of stops?)
What age range or ability level the hike or activity is recommended for
Whether the hike is stroller or all-terrain stroller friendly, or if there are any accessibility concerns
Suggested things to bring (change of clothes, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.)

Optional features:

If you want to put a limit on the number of hike attendees, you can use the "Waitlist" function. When entering the size limit please keep in mind this is the number of families who can sign up, not individuals.
If you need to know additional information from guests, such as allergies or how many kids will be in their group, you can add questions under "Registration Questions."
You can set up a recurring hike by turning on the "Repeat" function

The Permissions subheading does not automatically expand unless you click on it, but it is important that you adjust these prior to publishing your event. Make sure the Visibility is set to "Members Only" and the Signup access is for the "Event + Group."

When you hit “Publish” you will be prompted to choose whether you want notifications set to “Notify All Members” or be “Silent.” Please choose “Silent”, otherwise all users of the app will receive a notification that you have added a hike.

Note that you can put an event on the calendar at any time, but we encourage hosts to plan their hikes and post the event during the month before the event. At the beginning of each month, we will post to social media with all of the hikes planned for that month, which is a great way to let people know to plan for your hike. We have found that turnout is much higher when a hike is on the calendar well in advance.

Should I limit the number of people who can attend?

It is up to each hike host what they are comfortable with. If you're new to hosting we recommend limiting the group size to 6-8 families until you figure out your comfort level. For most hikes we recommend capping events at 8-12 families. We want to make sure we're good trail stewards and considerate of others when taking a group out on a trail. We also want to make sure the group is a manageable size so that you are able to keep track of and connect with each family. Special events, like meetups in locations with lots of open space, may be hosted with higher or no limits.

How can I spread the word about my hike?

We encourage you to spread the word on your own social media and to your friends about your event. On Instagram, be sure to tag @trailkidsrva so that we can re-share.

We also encourage posting on the Trail Kids RVA Facebook page a week to a few days before the hike. Some tips for posting to the Facebook group:

Remember to not include the meeting location of the hike!
At a minimum, include the hike date, time, and link to the Heylo event page.
To increase the likelihood the Facebook algorithm makes your post appear in group members' feeds, attach a picture to your post. Ask people to comment if they are planning on joining to boost the post's engagement. They will still need to RSVP through the Heylo page.
Information like hike distance, recommended age range, and stroller friendliness is also helpful to include.

Feel free to share information about your hike and about the group generally to other Richmond-based parent Facebook groups as their rules allow.

What should I do during the hike?

Take attendance through Heylo as people arrive. Open your event on Heylo and click 'attendance'. Mark each person present who attends. This can be done after or during the hike if you forget or are unable to during the hike.

Each hike should start with a welcome circle, even if everyone knows everyone or has already been introduced. We recommend limiting the introductions to your name and the names/ages of your kids rather than using icebreaker questions. We also recommend encouraging kids to introduce themselves. Use the welcome circle as a time to describe the route to everyone and to go over what the plan/pace is for the hike. Be sure to ask if anyone doesn't want pictures of their family on social media.

Although your priority will likely be leading the hike and wrangling your own children, try to engage with each person on the hike if possible. Remember that new parents, parents who have recently relocated to Richmond, parents with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities in particular may feel isolated and overwhelmed.

To the extent possible, keep the group together. Stop to allow time for other slower hikers to catch up. As hike host, you are responsible to ensure everyone makes it back to the starting point unless the hiker decides to leave or take a different route.

When the hike is over, be sure to thank people for joining.

Is there anything I need to do after the hike is over?

After the hike, we recommend posting pictures to the Trail Kids RVA Facebook page along with a short blurb about the hike. Do not post pictures of any families unless they give permission for you to post to social media.

If anyone RSVPed to a limited attendance hike but did not ultimately show up to the hike or notify you that they were not going to be able to make it, let one of the Trail Kids RVA leaders know.

Can I team up with a business or another group to host a hike? Can I promote my own business?

We LOVE supporting our RVA community by teaming up with other local organizations, individuals, and playgroups with similar values and priorities! Some examples of organizations we have partnered with in the past include:

Keep Virginia Cozy
Virginia Herpetological Society
The Steward School's Nature Play School
RVA Yoga Hang
Beyond Boundaries

For hikes with community partners, we ask that there is some hiking component involved (usually a short hike followed by an activity). If you want to do a hike with one of our existing partners or want to bring on a different partner, please email us at trailkidsrva@gmail.com so we can help facilitate the partnership process.

Often, these hike partnerships are just for fun, and the businesses or groups are not looking for promotional opportunities. However, promoting businesses and groups with similar values is part of our mission, and we love to do it when we are able! We have a unique approach to social media and P2P marketing which is both organic and honest and has proven to be a great benefit to both our community partners and our members. We ask that community partners give us a lead time of about a month before a proposed promotional event so that we have adequate time to plan and create promotional materials. If you are interested in leading an event to promote a business, or if you own a business you'd like to promote, please email us at trailkidsrva@gmail.com so that we can help to coordinate this process.

I finished reviewing the handbook and am ready to lead!