Should you pay to become a BSAC instructor?

[OneDragons]

Before I start, I have no particular deep seated personal on this one way or another but is something that just occured to me.

The BSAC is a wonderfull organisation that I am lucky enough to be part of. It operates on a voluntary basis with people at club level giving of their time freely to pass on their skills by becoming instroctors at an appropriate level of experience.


Now if you want to become and instructor you have to pay for the training and qualifications. In other organisations e.g. PADI, if you become an instructor there is the incentive of making money out if it, BSAC however have no such incentive so should these charges be covered by BSAC?

[beanie]

hmm interesting

my club pays for half the course but not the exam

I guees your supposed to do it becasue you want to and for what you get out taking others in

[bottle_monkey]

Like beanie our club covers 2 thirds of the costs.

But you could look at the point that instructors gave up their free time to teach you in the first place and you paying money to become an instructor is in a way paying for your qualification.

Or you could look at it that you are paying to give up your free time

kev
(spouting more crap than usual as it's been a slow day)

[Fiona]

I am not sure what my old club do but when I did my CI and OWI courses I paid for my own training, isn't it just a feeling of putting something back.

I received all my training up to Sports diver free and then the open water aspects of DL and Advanced were provided free by other instructors, I had to pay for SDC's.

[Dr Stevil]

What? Do you mean HQ covering the costs for our Instructor training?

If so, I'd say a resounding "no". I became an instructor to "give something back" as did those before and after me, with the additional benefit that if you're constantly helping others to develop their skills, you are by default constantly practicing and reviewing your own abilities.

The costs of getting to OWI are, IMO, negligible, I paid for at least 50% of the costs of my own courses whilst a student and was happy to do so. I feel the BSAC system has a touch of that curious beast "British Socialism" as typified by other UK oddities such as "The Co-op". Having grown up with that eclectic post-war socialism firmly embedded in UK culture, it's something I tend to approve of.

Well, that's my tuppence worth anyroad.
Steve (BSAC OWI)

[Janos]

We discussed this in our club last year, but decided to keep with the current system - the branch doesn't contribute to costs.

I became an instructor partly to 'give something back' but also because I enjoy it. It's good being in the water, and taking a relative newbie in the water is a great experience for all concerned. Having said that, you need to get the right balance between teaching and 'proper' diving but that's not really the issue being discussed here.

Oh. And I think I'm definitely a better diver as a result of becoming an instructor - it forces you to think a little bit more about what you're doing.

If you don't want to be an instructor then don't become one - I think you'd be missing out - but there are plenty of other ways to contribute if you want to.

Laters,
Janos

[Paul Beal]

I did my CI as a very newly qualified DL as the club was short of instructors and I didn't mind paying to do the course as I was unhealthily keen to become an instructor. I have gradually worked my way up and am now an AI and starting to work as a staff member on IFCs etc. I have to say that throughout my instructor training actually paying for the course has come second to my desire to continue training.

You only actually pay a percentage of the cost of putting an IFC/OWIC/TIE/PIE event on - the rest is picked up by BSAC. My view is that you pay for the ability to teach diving to others to put effort back into the volunteer organisation you have been taking from through your training. You will understand what I mean when a happy trainee first gives you their QRB to sign!

If BSAC was to pick up the cost of instructor courses in full membership fees would have to rise so you would pay for it somewhere along the line anyway!

Paul

[nigelH]

Hang on. I've just has an SE region mail offering a weekend IFC for 75 quid.
With pool and classroom that must be nearly cost. If I teach people it will be because I want to so I'd happily pay for my fun.

Somehow I feel that everything has a cost and for BSAC club instructors the cash on training must be one of the least considerations.

nigelH

[vid]

I agree - no to the club covering charges.

Where would it end? Should the club pay for everyone to take the O2 course, coxain, first aid, life saver etc etc etc

Plus - there's a very fine line between (1) your club paying all or part of the course fees and (2) being paid the equivalent of a cash benefit. The Inland Revenue, DTI and a host of Her Majesty's Departments might take a very keen interest.

Getting fees paid for you, might open a whole can of worms. Is that the start of professionalism? a higher duty of care to trainees?

DON'T forget - this is only for clubs - the BSAC schools work differently

[tiewrapdiver]

Well i became an instructor to put back into the club what i took out, money would be nice, but seeing the smile on your trainees face as they master mask clearing in stoney after struggling with it is rewarding enough for me. Its also a great way of keeping skills sh*t hot, because to be honest who practises theirs skills if they dont have to, we all should be we dont.

I think the cost of the BSAC courses is very reasonable, £70 odd for the IFC, and then the others are all around the £30 mark. It does help that the uni pays 2/3 of the course costs, but i havent bothered to claim back my last two fees due to it being a pain in the arse.

Tim