Completing Training Abroad

[Mark Twynham]

Hi

Does anyone know about a BSAC referral form (I know PADI do one)as I would like to complete my Old Sports Diver and maybe the additional exercises for the new one in the Grand Cayman.
I emailed Divetech and they mentioned this form but I have never heard of it

[edward haynes]

Mark

Two things:
1. Your BSAC Qualification Record Book should give the BSAC School all the information they need.

2. Unless you are a BSAC Direct member you will need to get the OK from your Branch Diving Officer; their request might be a letter from your Branch Diving Officer that they can undertake your training. All the lessons can be done somewhere else, but your 'Main' Branch Diving Officer is the only one who can award your Sports Diver Grade, its one of the quality controls of the Branch system.

Just my interpretation of the guidance.

Edward

[Mark Twynham]

Hi Edward

Thanks for that

Mark

[TerryH]

2. Unless you are a BSAC Direct member you will need to get the OK from your Branch Diving Officer; their request might be a letter from your Branch Diving Officer that they can undertake your training. All the lessons can be done somewhere else, but your 'Main' Branch Diving Officer is the only one who can award your Sports Diver Grade, its one of the quality controls of the Branch system.


Not strictly true. While it is a good idea to get the approval
of the Branch DO as matter of courtesy, any BSAC registered
school can do any module be it theory or practical without DO approval.

Once all the modules + exam have been completed, yes it is up
to the Branch DO to sign the grade, but (and it is a very big
but) the NDO can also sign even if the member is not BSAC direct.

This bit is worth knowing because there have been instances
in the past where dictatorial DO's have refused outside
schools, citing quality control etc.

TerryH

[Alison Boler]

Not strictly true. While it is a good idea to get the approval
of the Branch DO as matter of courtesy, any BSAC registered
school can do any module be it theory or practical without DO approval.

Once all the modules + exam have been completed, yes it is up
to the Branch DO to sign the grade, but (and it is a very big
but) the NDO can also sign even if the member is not BSAC direct.

This bit is worth knowing because there have been instances
in the past where dictatorial DO's have refused outside
schools, citing quality control etc.

TerryH

This is true. However, it is better to check with your DO first, mainly because if he is going to raise a problem, you might as well know as early as possible so you can start looking for another branch!!! Frankly, if you have to go down the route of getting the NDO to sign off your qualification, which is something that happens at the end of a long chain of intervention and mediation from the Coaching Team, it doesn't usually have a happy ending. Fine, you get your book signed but you almost certainly will end up moving on. The DO can be over-ruled on signature, but at the end of the day, he is still responsible for the diving within the club. So, whatever your log book says, he will be at perfect liberty to impose whatever extra conditions on your diving he might require and so still treat you like a CD. So if he - or she - is bloodyminded enough to not accept the module, they are likely to be even worse after being over-ridden publicly.

If you dive regularly with the branch, it's unlikely to be a problem.

Divetech are great by the way and the reef in front of their facility is a great dive by day and by night.

All the best

Allie

[TerryH]

This is true. However, it is better to check with your DO first, mainly because if he is going to raise a problem, you might as well know as early as possible so you can start looking for another branch!!! Frankly, if you have to go down the route of getting the NDO to sign off your qualification, which is something that happens at the end of a long chain of intervention and mediation from the Coaching Team, it doesn't usually have a happy ending. Fine, you get your book signed but you almost certainly will end up moving on. The DO can be over-ruled on signature, but at the end of the day, he is still responsible for the diving within the club. So, whatever your log book says, he will be at perfect liberty to impose whatever extra conditions on your diving he might require and so still treat you like a CD. So if he - or she - is bloodyminded enough to not accept the module, they are likely to be even worse after being over-ridden publicly.


Yep agree with all that. I mentioned it because I was reminded
of a recent post where the diver was still a novice after 200
club dives. All down to the DO, I beleive.

Always best to ask first, but as you say if you get an
unsatisfactory answer it's probably time to change clubs anyway.

TerryH