Update : registration, activity standards, organisation and campsite accreditation

By SIMON ROBERTS
Thursday March 13, 2003

This article has been compiled to give some background and an up-to-date report on the status of registration, activity standards, organisation and campsite accreditation schemes as they relate to Outdoor Recreation/Education in Australia.

REGISTRATION

For over 10 years now there has been talk of a registration scheme for individuals conducting activities in the outdoors. The latest form this scheme has taken is the National Outdoor Leader Registration Scheme (NOLRS). This scheme has been developed through years of consultation with members and representatives of the Outdoor Recreation/Education community.

NOLRS is on the verge of being implemented with the trialling of five activity areas; abseiling (on artificial surfaces), abseiling (on natural surfaces), bushwalking, challenge ropes courses (low and high) and climbing (on artificial surfaces). These activities were selected as they represented activities that were commonly conducted in the outdoors, yet had no regulation by a governing body. For each activity, registration may be achieved at a number of levels (eg, single pitch, multi pitch, low ropes, high ropes). Completion of a cluster of units of competency from the Outdoor Recreation Industry Training Package (SRO03) will create a pathway to registration in an activity at a particular level.

The aim of NOLRS is to provide a quick and easy method of identifying people that are committed to providing quality outdoor experiences and are conducting outdoor activities in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. The NOLRS will focus on a person’s ability to lead reliant clients participating in outdoor adventure activities and will not include a process for the registration of those with “participation” skills only.

There are many benefits in creating and supporting a national registration scheme. These include;

• The development of a scheme that has nationally recognised outcomes and is accessible to all
• A process to monitor “currency of skills”
• A process that recognises existing training and experience and aids in the identification of “gaps” in experience and training outcomes
• A database that may be accessed to identify people who have met a minimum standard of skill and knowledge
• The collation of data that can be used by planners and policy makers to gain a more accurate picture of the number of persons involved in leading outdoor activities and the level and nature of the activity which they are leading
• The development of a more professional image throughout the nation and across a variety of outdoor activities.

On a more personal level benefits may include;

• Recognition of existing experience that may be put towards future training or qualifications (anywhere in Australia)
• Possible international recognition of experience by other countries (eg, New Zealand, United Kingdom) that have adopted a competency based training system
• Possible discount schemes (retail, legal, insurance, training)
• Possible improvements in areas including networking, work conditions, job opportunities and pay rates.

One of the biggest hurdles to implementing the registration scheme has been the development of an effective recognition process (ie, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and/or Recognition of Current Competencies (RCC)). That is, a process that allowed the existing skills and knowledge of applicants to be recognised, rather than forcing everyone down the path of further training. This process is currently being trialled through a number of workshops in Queensland. In addition to demonstrated skills and knowledge registered leaders will need to abide by a Code of Ethics and a Code of Practice.

NOLRS is currently being finalised, however there are still a few details to be negotiated including costs and products. The scheme is also waiting for the release of the new Outdoor Recreation Industry Training Package (SRO03), as it is based upon the new units of competency. More details about the scheme can be found on the Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation’s website.

ACTIVITY STANDARDS

Another project being undertaken at the moment is the development of Adventure Activity Standards (AAS). This project is Victoria based and is not a national project. When complete AAS will complement NOLRS, but should not be confused with leader registration. The aim of AAS is to identify standards of operation and duty of care in relation to specific “adventurous” activities. The standards cover aspects of planning, provision of equipment and the environment as well as the activity leaders knowledge, skills and the way he/she conducts the activity (for which he/she may be registered through NOLRS). For more details on AAS, you can check out the “standards” at the Outdoor Recreation Centre’s website.

ACCREDITATION

Accreditation is concerned with the entire operation of an organisation, such as business practice, legal compliance, activity standards (eg, AAS) and individual skills (eg, NOLRS). One of the main aims of accreditation is to inform clients, agencies, landholders and insurers that organisation’s are conducting their programs in a manner that is considered acceptable to the industry.

Some of the benefits of accreditation are;

• Improve all aspects of your organisation through rigorous internal and external review
• Gain confidence knowing all aspects of your organisation (eg. equipment management, business management, legislative procedures) meets industry guidelines
• Support guidelines and a "self-policing" process that minimises the chance of outside entities regulating the profession
• Gain access to public lands where government agencies require accreditation as criteria for acquiring special business or use permits
• Facilitates access to and possible discounts on insurance
• Recognised industry-wide standard
• Produces Procedures Manual for entire organisation
• Point of difference / reassurance for clients.

In the last 12 months two different national accreditation schemes have emerged.

ORGANISATION ACCREDITATION

With funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR), the Outdoor Recreation Industry Council of NSW (ORIC) has developed an accreditation scheme, endorsed by the Australian Tourism Accreditation Association (ATAA) and Waterways, NSW. The scheme was implemented in NSW, and has since extended into WA and Qld. It is intended that the ORIC initiative will form the basis of a national scheme later this year (2003). For more information on Organisation Accreditation including the associated Code of Ethics and Practice, go to the Outdoor Recreation Industry Council of NSW website.

CAMPSITE ACCREDITATION

The other national accreditation program that has emerged is based on a program developed and implemented in 1988 by the Camping Association of Victoria (CAV). The program was later expanded to include organisations that may not have a campsite facility but operate holiday activity programs or operate as an outdoor activity provider. After two years of development, the Australian Campsite and Outdoor Activity Provider Accreditation Program (ACOP) was launched and as of 1 February 2003, superseded the 1997 version of the program. The program has been reviewed and approved by the Department of Education and Training (DET) Victoria and also meets the criteria of the Australian Tourism Accreditation Association (ATAA). The administration and control of ACOP was handed over by the CAV to the Australian Camping Association (ACA) and the accreditation program is now a truly national program and is endorsed and used by each state Camping Association. ACOP is available to campsites and outdoor activity providers in a CD ROM format. For information on ACOP go to the Australian Camping Association’s website.

While both the Campsite and Organisation Accreditation schemes cover similar ground in the areas of business management, they cover sufficiently different ground in the areas of facilities / structures and procedures / implementation to warrant co-existence.

With rising insurance costs at the forefront of a lot of peoples’ minds, it is reassuring to know that processes are in place to reduce individuals and organisation’s exposure to risk and liability. If you would like more information or would like to contribute to any of these processes, your comments would be most welcome via the links included in this article.

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