Dive Leaders in Diver Training
The BSAC's stated aim some years ago was that all training should be carried out by Nationally Qualified Instructors but it was also acknowledged that this would not happen overnight and would take some time to achieve. The important point is that not only do we need to maintain our standards now but must keep an eye to the future to ensure the BSAC remains a Club based organisation with control over our own training programme.
It is still our intention to work towards achieving this aim over the next few years. We still have a lot more work to do to enable branches to develop sufficient instructors to teach our next generation of divers. The current work in the Instructor Training Scheme Review and Diver Training Review is geared towards this. We must, however, acknowledge that it is not just the instructors that are necessary for a branch to survive and grow, it is the experience and input of the experienced divers too.
With the introduction of Club Diver it was announced that:
The role of teaching Club Diver trainees should be undertaken by Club Instructors or above assisted by divers who had undertaken the Instructor Training Course, Assistant Club Instructors (ACI). This latter group should only undertake this training with the specific authorisation of the Diving Officer and supervised by a Nationally Qualified Instructor.
This is still the case. But there has been considerable feedback from clubs that the role of Dive Leaders was substantially undermined by this move and I do sympathise with this view. Of course we would like Dive Leaders who wish to be involved at this level of training to take an Instructor Training Course so that they can learn specific teaching skills, but I accept that not all wish or are able to do an ITC. However, I believe Dive Leaders, in addition to enjoying more adventurous diving, can still play an important role in developing trainee divers.
It is therefore proposed that the Club Diver training programme in respect of open water dives will be amended as follows: -
'Teaching' on dives covers the elements of training where the trainee is exposed to a skill in sheltered open water (e.g. first open water shore dive, AAS, CBL, use of compass etc.) Because of the new environment and/or the skill there will be a significant amount of teaching and, therefore, these dives must be led by a Nationally Qualified Instructor or, as mentioned above, an ACI approved by the DO and under the supervision of an NQI.
However, the element of the Club Diver course under the heading "exploratory dives" requires more emphasis upon dive leadership rather than specific teaching skills. In this case, the Branch DO can choose to have the dive led by someone who has been assessed as a BSAC Dive Leader, or above. The Dive Leader should be more than capable of supervising a trainee practising and repeating their diving skills while gaining experience hence building confidence and competence in their new underwater environment.
It is also recognised that, in many branches, trainees are taken on "experience" dives to maintain their interest and confidence levels whilst working towards their diver qualification. Dive Leaders and above, approved by the DO, may lead these dives as long as they fall within the experience base of the trainee in skill level achieved and depth. However, any such dives are for fun and experience and should not be portrayed to the student as a required part of the training, as it should also be remembered that the primary aim of BSAC Diver Training is to provide the trainee with the core skills necessary to safely progress and gain further experience. As a consequence any 'experience' dives, prior to the award, should not replace appropriate training nor significantly delay the achievement of the Club Diver Qualification.
Lizzie Bird
National Diving Officer
September 1999
The above statement was published in 1999 to clarify the situation at that time in relation to the role Dive Leaders could play in Diver Training.
With the introduction of the completely revised Diver Training Programme (DTP) in October 2002 the same principles apply although the Entry Level diving qualification is now called Ocean Diver.
Lizzie Bird
National Diving Officer
November 2003
It is still our intention to work towards achieving this aim over the next few years. We still have a lot more work to do to enable branches to develop sufficient instructors to teach our next generation of divers. The current work in the Instructor Training Scheme Review and Diver Training Review is geared towards this. We must, however, acknowledge that it is not just the instructors that are necessary for a branch to survive and grow, it is the experience and input of the experienced divers too.
With the introduction of Club Diver it was announced that:
The role of teaching Club Diver trainees should be undertaken by Club Instructors or above assisted by divers who had undertaken the Instructor Training Course, Assistant Club Instructors (ACI). This latter group should only undertake this training with the specific authorisation of the Diving Officer and supervised by a Nationally Qualified Instructor.
This is still the case. But there has been considerable feedback from clubs that the role of Dive Leaders was substantially undermined by this move and I do sympathise with this view. Of course we would like Dive Leaders who wish to be involved at this level of training to take an Instructor Training Course so that they can learn specific teaching skills, but I accept that not all wish or are able to do an ITC. However, I believe Dive Leaders, in addition to enjoying more adventurous diving, can still play an important role in developing trainee divers.
It is therefore proposed that the Club Diver training programme in respect of open water dives will be amended as follows: -
'Teaching' on dives covers the elements of training where the trainee is exposed to a skill in sheltered open water (e.g. first open water shore dive, AAS, CBL, use of compass etc.) Because of the new environment and/or the skill there will be a significant amount of teaching and, therefore, these dives must be led by a Nationally Qualified Instructor or, as mentioned above, an ACI approved by the DO and under the supervision of an NQI.
However, the element of the Club Diver course under the heading "exploratory dives" requires more emphasis upon dive leadership rather than specific teaching skills. In this case, the Branch DO can choose to have the dive led by someone who has been assessed as a BSAC Dive Leader, or above. The Dive Leader should be more than capable of supervising a trainee practising and repeating their diving skills while gaining experience hence building confidence and competence in their new underwater environment.
It is also recognised that, in many branches, trainees are taken on "experience" dives to maintain their interest and confidence levels whilst working towards their diver qualification. Dive Leaders and above, approved by the DO, may lead these dives as long as they fall within the experience base of the trainee in skill level achieved and depth. However, any such dives are for fun and experience and should not be portrayed to the student as a required part of the training, as it should also be remembered that the primary aim of BSAC Diver Training is to provide the trainee with the core skills necessary to safely progress and gain further experience. As a consequence any 'experience' dives, prior to the award, should not replace appropriate training nor significantly delay the achievement of the Club Diver Qualification.
Lizzie Bird
National Diving Officer
September 1999
The above statement was published in 1999 to clarify the situation at that time in relation to the role Dive Leaders could play in Diver Training.
With the introduction of the completely revised Diver Training Programme (DTP) in October 2002 the same principles apply although the Entry Level diving qualification is now called Ocean Diver.
Lizzie Bird
National Diving Officer
November 2003
Page last modified: 18th Dec 2006 - 13:23:13