I’d like to become an instructor – what’s the process?
First you have to be at least a BSAC Sports Diver (or equiv). After that, the first step on the instructor journey is to do an Instructor Foundation Course (IFC) with BSAC, which you can book via the BSAC website. It’s a 2-day course with no formal assessment. After that, and after completing our club process (below), you are able you to start teaching on club nights under the guidance of a fully qualified instructor. We’ll help you to develop as an instructor until you’re ready to take your instructor exams.
I’m already an instructor with another agency – what do I need to do to become a BSAC Instructor?
If you’re a fully qualified instructor already e.g. a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, then all you have to do to become a BSAC Open Water Instructor is an Instructor Crossover Course, which you can book via the BSAC website. After that, and after completing our club process (below), you are able you to start teaching both on club nights and in open water.
I’m afraid that BSAC doesn’t cross over people with “assistant instructor” status from other agencies e.g. CMAS 1* instructors. Naturally we welcome all new instructors to the branch, but the process will be to do the IFC.
Please be aware that there are various differences between how BSAC do things vs other agencies. Do familiarise yourself and ask any questions!
Instructor on-boarding
Instructors need to be aware of and sign up to the following club policies and procedures:
- Safeguarding and child protection policies (which is BSAC’s Buddy guard policy)
- Safeguarding and child protection guidelines (a short and practical set of key points from the above)
- Diving rules (which include pool diving)
- Club room and pool procedures
- Incident and emergency procedures
- Health and safety policy
- Equity, equity, diversity and code of conduct
Instructors also need to have the following in place:
- Sign our instructor agreement
- Which says that you’ve read and agree to the above
- Enhanced DBS check for the child workforce
- The club will facilitate and pay for this
- Active Westminster Duty to Care qualification
- This is a free online self-study course
Instructor expenses
Instructors in BSAC teach on a voluntary basis. We do however cover the following expenses for instructors on open water training:
- Entry to open water training sites
- Air
- Travel
- Overnight accommodation for 2+ day trips (somewhere cheap!)
NB – we don’t cover the above for students so e.g. if an instructor gives a student a lift or shares a room with a student then the student should pay their share and the instructor can claim their share back from the club.
Instructor materials
BSAC provide lots of useful instructor resources on their website.
Once you are an instructor you’ll be able to log in and download copies of the instructor materials directly from the BSAC website. To make life a bit easier the club already has copies of these on our share which we can give you a link to on request. We will only provide materials for courses that you are qualified to teach.