Ratification of Technical Competence
AALS Inspector Guidance Note - IGN 5.06 (was C/Int 21)
- Version No & date: 1: 19/01/2010
- Review date:
01/2013
Issue: Every instructor is required to be competent
1. This guidance note refers only to technical competence.
The following are instances and examples of what ratification of competence and/or qualifications are needed under different circumstances
2. Relevant NGB Qualifications held (e.g. SPA for single pitch climbing) - no further ratification required.
3. Related NGB Qualifications held (e.g. ML and White Water Safety Module for some gorge scrambling activities) - this requires ratification from appropriate technical advisor(s) that the award(s) are appropriate and sufficient.
4. In-house Approval - Requires ratification of the individual by an appropriate technical advisor:
- Where an appropriate NGB award exists (e.g. rock climbing) the Technical Advisor will be defined by the NGB structure (e.g. MIA);
- Where no appropriate NGB award exists (e.g. mountain biking in England and Wales), the Technical Advisor may need to be determined from first principles;
- Where the activity is on the margins of licensing (e.g. some gorge scrambling) it may be appropriate for the Licensing Authority to accept either NGB awards or first principles depending on the nature of the activity (e.g. the gorge).
5. Local Validation Schemes -
- Where a local validation scheme is recognised by the NGB even where an NGB award already exists (e.g. Southern Sandstone) then this may require ratification from a technical advisor that the award is appropriate and sufficient for the venue;
- Where a local validation scheme is not recognised by the NGB (e.g. Moor and Fell Award) but where an NGB equivalent exists, then it requires ratification of the individual by an appropriate technical advisor (this may be implicit if the course Director was a MIA);
- Where the local validation scheme is not recognised by the NGB and where no NGB equivalent exists (e.g. mountain biking) then it may be appropriate to determine the Technical Advisor from first principles.
