Presentation Outline  “NOLRS”  an introduction  rationale  operations

Registration Scheme  “Registration”  recognition that an individual has met certain predetermined standards of operation  NOT a qualification  Complexity  range of outdoor activity specialisations  range of registration levels per activity  range of environmental contexts  range of outdoor leader roles

National Registration  The set of skills, knowledge and experience that is the basis to NOLRS is determined by the Outdoor Council of Australia (based upon the Outdoor Recreation Training Package)  NOLRS operates nationally  Application, implementation and recognition of NOLRS varies across the nation

Gateways for Recognising Competent Outdoor Leaders  Choices Available 1.Do nothing  Natural forces will ‘make things safe’ – market forces, civil and criminal justice, bad publicity will all work to remove unsafe operators  Other jurisdictions will determine standards 2.Implement a qualification based “gateway” for recognising outdoor leader competence  Qualifications testify to competence at one time which may not have been maintained  How do we determine if a particular qualification is acceptable? There are hundreds of qualifications! 3.Implement a registration based “gateway” for recognisng outdoor leader competence  Allows for multiple qualification pathways to be recognised  Allows for “currency” to be a requirement

Quality – via NOLRS Registration  NOLRS Registration has a ‘shelf life’ prior to re-registration being required - ensures currency of a person’s competence  NOLRS Registration recognises multiple training and assessment pathways  NOLRS has a built in code of practice that ensures not just what outdoor leaders are able to do, but also the manner in which it is done

NOLRS - Portability  NOLRS registration enables a person’s ability to perform a role in the outdoors to be recognised across Australia  NOLRS registration enables a person from international origin to have their skills recognised  NOLRS registration national administration removes the need to have ‘experts’ and administration in each state and territory  The NOLRS registration scheme allows for the industry to maintain jurisdiction over its own standards

 For Outdoor Leaders  Skills recognition / RPL vs retraining  Strengthens professionalism in terms of skills, currency, ethics, professional development  Portable recognition  For Employers and Organisations  Benchmarks competencies to assist in determining suitability for employment  Provides competency audit data for workplace health and safety obligations  Provides a Partnered Assessment Provider mechanism to allow an organisation’s training course to be audited for equivalence to the NOLRS standard NOLRS – value adding

Balancing the equation the downside of NOLRS  Land managers and insurance agencies will need help to use Registration as a benchmark  Those not registered may be disadvantaged with respect to employment / access  There will be a cost involved  Registration will require renewing  Registration and re-registration will create and increase record keeping and paperwork  Implementation requires “retro fitting” to existing outdoor leaders

Example: Registration Levels for Mountain Biking  Mountain Bike Guide (Easy to Intermediate Terrain)  Mountain Bike Guide (Intermediate to Difficult Terrain)  Mountain Bike Instructor (Intermediate to Difficult Terrain)

Example: Registration Levels for Bushwalking  Restricted Bushwalking Guide  Bushwalking Guide (Tracked or Easy Untracked Areas)  Bushwalking Instructor (Tracked or Easy Untracked Areas)  Bushwalking Guide (Difficult and Trackless Areas)  Bushwalking Instructor (Difficult and Trackless Areas)  Bushwalking Guide (Unmodified Areas)  Bushwalking Instructor (Unmodified Areas)

Partnered Assessment Providers Many organisations conduct education / training that achieves outcomes equivalent to the NOLRS standard For the purposes of NOLRS, it is the assessment of an individual’s knowledge and skills and achievement of that standard that is important, not the training process Organisations meeting the OCA’s criteria can apply to become a Partnered Assessment Provider (PAP) Once PAP status is achieved, graduates of the PAP course are deemed to be competent to the NOLRS standards

Recognition of ‘Experienced Leaders’  More than six years at a particular Registration Level*  “E” on the NOLRS wallet card  Less arduous re-registration requirements * Or equivalent prior experience

Activity Specialisations  Abseiling (Artificial)  Abseiling (Natural)  Bushwalking  Canoeing  Canyoning Caving  Challenge Ropes Course  Climbing (Artificial)  Climbing (Natural)  Cycle Touring  Four Wheel Driving  Horse Trail Riding  Kayaking  Mountain Biking  Rafting  Sea Kayaking  Snorkelling / Wildlife Swims  Surfing  Trail Bike Touring

Contacting NOLRS  NOLRS National Administration Office C/- Outdoors WA