Minimum Age for Diving Membership now 12 years old

[bsachq]

Following on from the Council Meeting over the weekend of 23rd/24th July 2005, the NDC published its guidelines for Branches who wish to train divers between the ages of 12-14. As of today, 25th July 2005, these guidelines are live for Branches and Schools which choose to welcome Junior Diving Members who wish to train and dive.

Full guidelines can be found at www.bsac.org/services/youngdiver.htm

If you have any queries on these guidelines, please contact Alistair Reynolds, BSAC Technical Manager at <a href="mailto:alistairr@bsac.com">alistairr@bsac.com</a> or on 0151 350 6261.

[koldive]

Following on from the Council Meeting over the weekend of 23rd/24th July 2005, the NDC published its guidelines for Branches who wish to train divers between the ages of 12-14. As of today, 25th July 2005, these guidelines are live for Branches and Schools which choose to welcome Junior Diving Members who wish to train and dive.

Full guidelines can be found at www.bsac.org/services/youngdiver.htm

If you have any queries on these guidelines, please contact Alistair Reynolds, BSAC Technical Manager at <a href="mailto:alistairr@bsac.com">alistairr@bsac.com</a> or on 0151 350 6261.
Hi there,
I have been finding it difficult to join a club that will accept myself and daughter.We are both padi divers.Im awo with 100+ dives and my daughter has just done her junior open water.The clubs that i have approached seem to be very weiry of taking her on.I feel this is a shame after the effort she has put in.So even though bsac have lower the age limit im finding it difficult to join a club that will accept us!!
regards,
colin

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

Hi there,
I have been finding it difficult to join a club that will accept myself and daughter.We are both padi divers.Im awo with 100+ dives and my daughter has just done her junior open water.The clubs that i have approached seem to be very weiry of taking her on.I feel this is a shame after the effort she has put in.So even though bsac have lower the age limit im finding it difficult to join a club that will accept us!!

That's a pity Colin, but this is brand new (like a few weeks!) and it will take a while to settle down. Also all of our clubs are independant, many do have their own higher age limits we we respect the rights of the members of a club to choose.

You don't say where you are, but try getting in touch with the regional coach ( <a href="http://www.bsac.org/coaching/coachlist.htm" >http://www.bsac.org/coaching/coachlist.htm</a>) for your area, they may well know of a club near you who would be delighted to have you and your daughter as members.

Regards

Keith L

[David Walker]

I have been finding it difficult to join a club that will accept myself and daughter.

I assume your daughter is between 12 and 14? These rules are very new, so it may take some time for branches to get fully up-to-speed with accepting young divers (many don't use BSAC forums / websites and so probably haven't even heard about it yet). Others won't like training young children and so won't accept them anyway. Any club you join will I imagine treat your daughter as essentially a non-diver, I don't think junior OW means anything when crossed-over to BSAC so she'd need to start with Ocean Diver anyway.

Give it a while for the new rules to reach branches then ask around again. Or tell people here where you are and someone may know of a branch willing to take on young divers. Remember though that although a majority of those who voted were in support of lowering the age, the number who voted was very low and so the number of branches who are actively looking to get young divers will be particularly low. Many just aren't bothered either way, and might just think its too much hard work.

Also remember we're in the middle of the main diving season, when a lot of branches don't do training. Not many will be keen to give up the few decent weekends of good weather to teach Ocean Diver.

Keep looking though, sure there'll be somewhere, although probably not to start training til September / October.

David

[koldive]

:=Hi there,
:= I have been finding it difficult to join a club that will accept myself and daughter.We are both padi divers.Im awo with 100+ dives and my daughter has just done her junior open water.The clubs that i have approached seem to be very weiry of taking her on.I feel this is a shame after the effort she has put in.So even though bsac have lower the age limit im finding it difficult to join a club that will accept us!!

That's a pity Colin, but this is brand new (like a few weeks!) and it will take a while to settle down. Also all of our clubs are independant, many do have their own higher age limits we we respect the rights of the members of a club to choose.

You don't say where you are, but try getting in touch with the regional coach ( <a href="http://www.bsac.org/coaching/coachlist.htm" >http://www.bsac.org/coaching/coachlist.htm</a>) for your area, they may well know of a club near you who would be delighted to have you and your daughter as members.

Regards

Hi Keith,
Thank you for your response,Im in Scotland Fife to be exact.Really was hoping to be welcome and not rejected like we have been!! My daughter is at an age where i feel this would be good for her and also selfishly looking at having a buddy for life!She was so disapointed when we received reply from local clubs.Will try regional coach.Alternative is to just dive ourselfs which is not ideal.Thanks again Keith
Regards ,
colin

Keith L

[koldive]

:= I have been finding it difficult to join a club that will accept myself and daughter.

I assume your daughter is between 12 and 14? These rules are very new, so it may take some time for branches to get fully up-to-speed with accepting young divers (many don't use BSAC forums / websites and so probably haven't even heard about it yet). Others won't like training young children and so won't accept them anyway. Any club you join will I imagine treat your daughter as essentially a non-diver, I don't think junior OW means anything when crossed-over to BSAC so she'd need to start with Ocean Diver anyway.

Give it a while for the new rules to reach branches then ask around again. Or tell people here where you are and someone may know of a branch willing to take on young divers. Remember though that although a majority of those who voted were in support of lowering the age, the number who voted was very low and so the number of branches who are actively looking to get young divers will be particularly low. Many just aren't bothered either way, and might just think its too much hard work.

Also remember we're in the middle of the main diving season, when a lot of branches don't do training. Not many will be keen to give up the few decent weekends of good weather to teach Ocean Diver.

Keep looking though, sure there'll be somewhere, although probably not to start training til September / October.

David
Hi David,
My daughter though only 12 gave up five days of her holiday to train as openwater diver,and a fair bit of money from my wallet.I dived with her and sat through her exams,she probably is more compedent than a lot of holiday divers.She can plan her dives and work out her surface intervals better than a lot of OD that i know.Im not asking for any training just a forward thinking club that will welcome us both.
Regards,
colin

[terryh]

I assume your daughter is between 12 and 14? These rules are very new, so it may take some time for branches to get fully up-to-speed with accepting young divers (many don't use BSAC forums / websites and so probably haven't even heard about it yet). Others won't like training young children and so won't accept them anyway. Any club you join will I imagine treat your daughter as essentially a non-diver, I don't think junior OW means anything when crossed-over to BSAC so she'd need to start with Ocean Diver anyway.


PADI Junior OW is exactly the same as POW with the exception
of a 12m max limit. In theory such a diver should cross over
to BSAC as an Ocean Diver and there should be no requirement
to go any deeper unless doing the next grade, sport diver.

Junior OW is a full acredited course and there should be no reason not to accept it on its merits.

I say in theory as although BSAC have accepted 12yo in
principle, actual detail is extremely thin.

Its a pity that this guy is so far away from us as we are a very
PADI friendly BSAC club and would welcome such a pair of divers
with open arms.

There must be others in Scotland that are similar?

TerryH

[Edward Haynes]

Colin

Contact me off-line.

I live on the West Coast

Edward

[David Walker]

My daughter though only 12 gave up five days of her holiday to train as openwater diver,and a fair bit of money from my wallet.I dived with her and sat through her exams,she probably is more compedent than a lot of holiday divers.She can plan her dives and work out her surface intervals better than a lot of OD that i know.Im not asking for any training just a forward thinking club that will welcome us both.

Ah, if as Terry said JOW does have a crossover to BSAC then shouldn't be a problem for many branches. But as I said before, there will still be a lot of branches who have no idea that any rules have changed, and because the DO is responsible for divers within their club, they will want to do a bit of a check-dive with you both (especially someone with just a few dives) - and may not have much time to do that in the middle of the summer.

On a more practical point, wherever you dive you may find that there aren't many boat dives within your daughter's (or any young diver's) limits, although what you do about that I don't really know.

David

[Bill Bird]

:= My daughter though only 12 gave up five days of her holiday to train as openwater diver,and a fair bit of money from my wallet.I dived with her and sat through her exams,she probably is more compedent than a lot of holiday divers.She can plan her dives and work out her surface intervals better than a lot of OD that i know.Im not asking for any training just a forward thinking club that will welcome us both.

Ah, if as Terry said JOW does have a crossover to BSAC then shouldn't be a problem for many branches. But as I said before, there will still be a lot of branches who have no idea that any rules have changed, and because the DO is responsible for divers within their club, they will want to do a bit of a check-dive with you both (especially someone with just a few dives) - and may not have much time to do that in the middle of the summer.

On a more practical point, wherever you dive you may find that there aren't many boat dives within your daughter's (or any young diver's) limits, although what you do about that I don't really know.

David

Can I point out that although BSAC has accepted lowering the age limit for diving from 14 to 12, it is very much up to each branch to decide whether it wishes to do so (I do believe thats been clearly stated). Many branches will hold back while awaiting guidelines, and many will see themselves as an adults branch. Therefore just because BSAC has accpeted, that does not mean that a BSAC branch has an obligation to accept the reduction.

I'd suggest that BSAC should consider having a statement somewhere on the website that points out that while there are general policies regarding ages that somebody may learn to dive, branches have their own constitutions and policies on membership that may mean that they may not accept anyone under 18.

Regards.


Bill