Lifesaving Society New Leadership Program Implementation
The Lifesaving Society has completed a review and revision of Leadership programs. The new competency based leadership model is focused on thirteen (13) core competencies with performance criteria at five (5) levels of competency. The development of the competency based leadership model was guided by the following principles:
- Demonstrated need
- Research evidence
- Lifesaving Society values
There have been significant contributions from Society members across Canada in the development and testing of the revised Lifesaving Society Leadership Programs which have helped shape these programs.
Implementation
The implementation of the revised Leadership programs does not impact the delivery of candidate level programs. The Society has been offering Trainer Updates starting August 2017 in preparation for the roll-out of revised leadership programs.
Affiliates and Trainers will refer to and use the following Implementation Timeline to plan for and schedule courses during the implementation window.
Implementation Timeline
| Actions | Effective Date |
| All Trainers must have completed the Trainer Mandatory Update | December 2018 |
| Amendment to Policies and Procedures released | March 1, 2019 |
| Revised First Aid Instructor Pac Available to order | March 1, 2019 |
| Revised National Lifeguard Instructor Pac Available to order | March 1, 2019 |
| Revised First Aid Instructor Recertification Pac Available to order | March 1, 2019 |
| Revised National Lifeguard Instructor Recertification Pac Available to order | March 1, 2019 |
| Revised Swim and Lifesaving Instructor Pac Available to order | April 1, 2019 |
| Revised Swim and Lifesaving Instructor Recertification Pac Available to order | April 1, 2019 |
Affiliates may order current Instructor Packs until resource release dates listed above, and should plan to use existing materials by December 31, 2019.
An Amendment to the Policies and Procedures has been posted on the website to reflect program changes.
Key Changes
Program Policies
| Swim Instructor | ||
| Current Policy | Update Policy | Rationale for Change |
| 28 hour course | 32 hour course |
Revised program content requires 32 hours for stand-alone Leadership Competency Level 1 Instructor course delivery. Within co-delivery model content is still delivered within 40 hours. |
| National Lifeguard | ||
| Current Policy | Update Policy | Rationale for Change |
| Application to attend course |
Removed, Updated prerequisites: Two (2) years lifeguarding experience Experience teaching Lifesaving Society certification programs (recommended) |
The requirement for application has been removed to align with policies that affiliate delivery partners are responsible for checking prerequisites for other Society programs they are offering. |
| Apprenticeship completed for each stream of National Lifeguard Instructors want to teach | Apprenticeship completed in either National Lifeguard Pool or National Lifeguard Waterfront | Alignment with national implementation of National Lifeguard Instructor. |
| - | National Lifeguard Instructor Recertification's may be delivered by Affiliate Delivery Partners. |
The Lifesaving Society originally took over delivery of National Lifeguard Instructor Recertifications to address Quality Assurance concerns. The concerns have been addressed and are ready to return this to our affiliate delivery partners to program. |
| Current Certification | Updated Certification | |
|
National Lifeguard Instructor/Examiner Pool National Lifeguard Instructor/Examiner Waterpark National Lifeguard Instructor/Examiner Waterfront National Lifeguard Instructor/Examiner Surf |
National Lifeguard Instructor |
Certified current National Lifeguard Instructors will be eligible to teach and evaluate National Lifeguard (original and recertification) courses for which they hold the candidate level award (need not be current). Current instructors who hold certifications in individual National Lifeguard Instructor streams will receive the updated award for National Lifeguard Instructor upon recertification. |
| First Aid Instructor | ||
| Current Policy | Update Policy | Rationale for Change |
| Application to attend course | Removed | The requirement for application has been removed to align with policies that affiliate delivery partners are responsible for checking prerequisites for other Society programs they are offering. |
| - | First Aid Instructor Recertification's may be delivered by Affiliate Delivery Partners. |
The Lifesaving Society originally took over delivery of First Aid Instructor Recertifications to address Quality Assurance concerns. The concerns have been addressed and are ready to return this to our affiliate delivery partners to program. |
| - | First Aid Instructor Recertification's must be codelivered with a Lifesaving Society Standard First Aid or Aquatic Emergency Care (AEC) recertification course. | Part of our quality management plan requires First Aid Instructors requires skill verification. To achieve this we require all First Aid Instructors to complete a Standard First Aid or AEC. |
| Trainer | ||
| - |
Trainers will no longer be required to attend instructor level recertification courses. Instead, they will select which instructor recertification's they would like to renew at the time of the Trainer recertification registration.
|
Trainers are demonstrating level 4 competency at their trainer recertification and are able to train new instructors. The Society recognizes the important role trainers play in developing new instructors. First Aid Instructors are required to demonstrate First Aid skills at their recertification. As such trainers will continue to attend a First Aid Instructor recertification separate from their Trainer recertification. |
Program Materials
| Program | Course Materials |
| Swim and Lifesaving Instructor |
The Binder has been replaced with a branded box
|
| Swim and Lifesaving Instructor Recertification |
Candidates will receive:
|
| First Aid Instructor |
Candidates will receive:
|
| First Aid Instructor Recertification |
Candidates will receive:
|
| National Lifeguard Instructor |
Candidates will receive:
|
| National Lifeguard Instructor Recertification |
Candidates will receive:
|
*The New Leadership Model Companion Page is a supplemental information resource about the new leadership model that will be provided to instructors recertifying over the next 18 months.