Government Skills Australia

Public Safety

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Aquatic Search and Rescue

New additions this week:

Page last updated: 13 June 2008

Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) revised structure available for comment 

 

 

The Project exists because of a major review of the PUA00 Public Safety Training Package (PUA) that is being undertaken by Government Skills Australia (GSA). Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) is the lead sponsor of the aquatic search and rescue sector project.

Project Overview

This Project is important for the aquatic search and rescue sector to develop accurate competency standards that may assist with workforce planning, recruitment performance management processes for paid personnel and volunteers, as well as providing outcome statements for the development of learning and assessment strategies.

A project reference group, convened by Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), is concerned that aquatic search and rescue issues are effectively addressed in the major review undertaken by GSA.

This project is supported by a submission prepared in July 2006 by SLSA in consultation with State/Territory education and training managers, key employer groups and peak organisations, as well as paid staff and volunteers who are assessing against the standards.  A desktop review of all related qualifications and competencies standards was undertaken at the same time to identify related sectors and industries for further consultation.

The PUA includes national competency standards for aquatic search and rescue vocational qualifications.  The expected improvements to the sector of the PUA as a result of this project include a comprehensive review of the individual units of competency, the structure of existing qualifications, and possible pathways into the qualification, and the inclusion and/or exclusion of aquatic search and rescue related units within other qualifications.

Aim

The aim of this project is to produce a qualifications framework including skill sets, communication strategy, and consultation plan for the aquatic search and rescue sector that will inform the broader review of the PUA.

Objectives (Outputs)

The objectives of the Project are:

  • to develop a qualifications framework in consultation with stakeholders to inform the review of the PUA;
  • to develop a comprehensive communication strategy and consultation plan for Phase II of the review; and
  • to identify and engage new and emerging stakeholders.

Key Dates

The dates of archived events and meetings are shown in brackets.

July 2007

EMSWG and PSIAC Workshop (4-5)
GSA Information Session: Albury/Wodonga (18)
GSA Information Session: Sydney (25)
Key Issues Paper v1.0 released (27)
GSA Information Session: Hunter Valley (27)

 August 2007

 GSA Information Session: Brisbane (7)
 GSA Information Session: Townsville (10)
 GSA Information Session: Canberra (17)
 GSA Information Session: Darwin (22)
 GSA Inforamtion Session: Adelaide (30) 

September 2007

GSA Information Session: Melbourne (5)
Australian Lifesaving Conference, Qld (7-9)
GSA Information Session: Perth (12)
Project Reference Group (20)
GSA Information Session: Hobart (27) 

October 2007

 Project Steering Committee (10)

November 2007

Project Steering Committee Meeting (13)

 December 2007

 Project Reference Group (5)
 Issues Paper v1.0 available (24)

February 2008

National Education Managers Meeting, Victoria (7)
National Lifesaving Managers Meeting, Victoria (8)
National Board of Lifesaving Meeting, Victoria (9-10)

March 2008

General Consultation Workshop - Perth (3)

 3 May 2008

 General Consultation Workshop - Adelaide - click here to register 

 25 May 2008  Technical Workshop: Aquatic Search and Rescue (TBC)
 31 May 2008  Technical Workshop: Powercraft (TBC)
 1 June 2008  Technical Workshop: Marine Rescue (TBC)
15 June 2008 General Consultation Workshop - Brisbane - click here to register
 22 June 2008  Technical Workshop: Aquatic Search and Rescue (TBC)
 28 June 2008  Technical Workshop: Emergency Care (TBC)
 29 June 2008  Technical Workshop: Communications (TBC)
5-6 July 2008 National Board of Lifesaving Meeting, New South Wales
 12 July 2008  Technical Workshop: Powercraft (TBC)
 13 July 2008  Technical Workshop: Marine Rescue (TBC)
 26 July 2008

 Technical Workshop: Emergency Care (TBC)

 27 July 2008  Technical Workshop: Communications (TBC)

August 2008

Development Consultation Workshop(s)

September 2008

Validation Consultation Workshop(s)

Project Management - updated!

Annette Turner Duggan has taken over project management responsibilities from Andy Smith, who has been appointed Local Government Industry Advisory Officer.  Annette can be contacted via the link below, and is the first point of contact for all aspects of this project.

Click here to contact Annette Turner Duggan

Project Reference Group

 Project Executive  Peter Agnew, Surf Life Saving Australia
 Project Officer  Annette Turner Duggan, Government Skills Australia
 Surf Life Saving  Ben Whibley, Surf Life Saving Australia
 Coast Guard  TBA, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard
 State/Territory Emergency Services  Wayne Pettit, NSW State Emergency Service

Project Progress

Issues Paper (formerly Qualifications Framework)

The Issues Paper will focus on the relevant qualifications and units of competency for the aquatic and marine rescue sector, including the packaging of the qualifications and pathways into the qualifications. A Project Reference Group will meet in the coming months to progress the content and publish it as a discussion starter for stakeholder consultation and feedback.  

All versions of the Issues Paper will be available at the Document Library section of this webpage.

Communication Strategy

The targeted communication strategy that has been developed for this project include: identifying key stakeholder groups including immerging groups in the early stages of project scoping; identifying primary and secondary contacts within organisations and capturing their unique interests, values and perspectives, as well as cultural sensitivities; innovative communication with stakeholders include web based contact and facilitated workshops using contemporary open space technologies; and developing goals for communication before embarking upon any workshops or sessions about known issues.

Consultation Plan

The consultation plan is currently being developed by the Project Reference Group.  A timetable of any workshops and forums will be listed at the Consultation Workshops section of this webpage.

Document Library

Surf Life Saving Submission - 2006 Phase I Submission
Project Brief - updated 7 January 2008  Project Brief
Project Information Update 1 - issued November 2007 Information Update 1
Project Information Update 2 - issued December 2007 Information Update 2
 Project Information Update 3 - issued January 2008  Information Update 3
Issues Paper v1.0 - released 24 December 2007 Issues Paper v1.0

PUASAR sector units of competency - Feedback Forms
(refer to Aquatic Search and Rescue Sector Position Paper v1.0 for proposed changes.)

Completed forms should be sent (by email) to Andy Smith

 

PUASAR009B Participate in an aquatic rescue operation

PUASAR010B Undertake a rescue operation on a rescue watercraft 

PUASAR011B Search as a member of an aquatic search team

PUASAR012B Apply surf awareness and self-rescue skills

Please see instructions on how to use these Feedback Forms below.

 Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) - revised qualification structure Proposed Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) - feedback form

Feedback Forms - Guidelines for Use

A suite of Feedback Forms have been developed for the Sector to provide feedback on the current and proposed units of competency.  The Feedback Forms are secure "password protected" MSWord documents that provide designated spaces "fields" for stakeholders to type in their responses to particular areas.

Stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback using these forms, noting that the fields are generally shaded on the screen.  There is no restriction as to the length of the feedback, as the fields are set to capture text that is typed within them.  Some of the fields are 'check boxes' and some have 'drop down' selections. 

When complete, stakeholders are encouraged to save their completed Feedback Forms using the following convention:  UNIT CODE_STATE/TERRITORY_THEIR INITIALS.  Therefore, if Joanne Russell from New South Wales was sending in a form for search as a member of an aquatic search team,  she would call her form:
PUASAR011_NSW_JR.doc

If you are providing feedback for Issues Paper v1.0, please call your form ASARIP1_STATE_INITIALS.doc

All completed forms must be sent to the GSA Public Safety Project Officer in the first instance.  While all information contained in the Feedback Forms will be treated with the utmost confidence, all stakeholders are advised that their feedback will be circulated to the SLSA delegate for their jurisdiction and the Project Executive in the first instance.  

Consultation Workshops

Consultation Workshops will be coordinated by the Project Reference Group to inform the development and validation phase of the Public Safety Training Package Review. Details of the workshops and how to register attendance will be posted here.

Links

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA)

Training Packages@Work