Application
This unit applies to those working as climbing instructors or assistant instructors in a range of single pitch artificial conditions. This unit may also apply to outdoor recreation leaders working for outdoor education or adventure providers; volunteer groups; not-for-profit organisations or government agencies. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan a climbing session. | 1.1. Establish participant's needs and characteristics. 1.2. Assess participant's current climbing knowledge to determine the session'saims and objectives. 1.3. Determine an appropriate instructional plan according to participant's needs and characteristics. 1.4. Develop a climbing plan according to participant's needs and characteristics, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.5. Identify potential hazards associated with climbing on artificial surfaces and minimise risks, according to organisational policies and procedures. 1.6. Access relevantsources to interpret detailed weather and environmental information and determine contingency plans. |
2. Select and organise equipment and resources. | 2.1. Select and access equipment and resources according to contextual issues and organisational policies and procedures, and check serviceability. 2.2. Check equipment for safety and suitability, according to relevant legislation and manufacturer's recommendations and adjust and fit to ensure personal comfort. 2.3. Check contents of first aid and repair kits to ensure suitability to the location and activity. |
3. Brief participants. | 3.1. Communicate instructions and relevant information about the climbing session in a manner appropriate to the participants. 3.2. Encourage participants to seek clarification, information and feedback as required during the session. 3.3. Establish a suitable communication system for participants to use while climbing and belaying. 3.4. Inform participants of known and anticipated hazards, safety procedures and appropriate behaviour. 3.5. Check and confirm participants are properly equipped for the session. |
4. Instruct a climbing session. | 4.1. Conduct warm-up and or introductory activities for participants, to reduce the risk of injury. 4.2. Monitor individual participant's performance during climbing session. 4.3. Apply clear and accurate instructional techniques to impart required knowledge, climbing skills and safety and rescue procedures. 4.4. Demonstrate how emergency and non routine situations are to be dealt with in accordance with organisational policies and procedures. 4.5. Allow time for cooling down at the end of the session and inform participants of opportunities to further develop their climbing skills and knowledge. |
5. Complete post-session responsibilities. | 5.1. Retrieve, inspect, repair and store equipment according to organisational policies and procedures. 5.2. Provide opportunities for participants to identify their personal progress and satisfaction with the session, and give feedback as required. 5.3. Evaluate relevant aspects of climbing session, and determine the level of learning achieved. 5.4. Identify potential areas of improvement for future climbing instructional sessions. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: consult with participants to plan a climbing session that meets their needs convey information about the safety aspects of the session interact with participants to create a safe and positive climbing environment problem-solving skills to: plan a suitable climbing session address participant difficulties in developing climbing techniques anticipate and respond appropriately to non routine situations planning and organising skills to: source, allocate and coordinate resources, equipment and a suitable artificial pitch monitor and evaluate progress organise participants into manageable groups for climbing and belaying language and literacy skills to: produce climbing and instructional plans complete post session participant and self evaluations instructional techniques to suit a range of participant's needs and characteristics personal climbing skills to a high level to demonstrate and explain climbing and belaying techniques to participants first aid and emergency response skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response and or rescue in emergencies whilst instructing climbing on artificial surfaces. |
Required knowledge |
relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of climbing sessions site specific information to assist in the planning process and enable management of potential climbing hazards, and any special restrictions applying to the site equipment types, characteristics and technology used for climbing on artificial surfaces, the advantages and disadvantages of the range of equipment, and factors affecting appropriate selection of equipment clothing and footwear requirements for climbing activities to ensure comfort and safety care and maintenance of climbing equipment to ensure prolonged life span and safety requirements instruction techniques and theories applicable to a range of ages and learning abilities climbing techniques and common communication methods and calls used between climbers and belayers to reduce risk during climbing on artificial surfaces belay systems, devices and anchors appropriate for single pitch artificial surfaces technical climbing knowledge, such as techniques and procedures to suit the features of the surface weather and environmental information to ascertain possible conditions and their affect on the session, if outdoors hazards that may be experienced in an artificial climbing environment emergency procedures, potential hazards and obstacles relevant to the location to ensure safety of self and others. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: plans and delivers information, explanations and demonstrations for climbing session to ensure activities are conducted safely according to participant's needs and characteristics observes and monitors the progress of participants, provides constructive feedback and intervention and modifies instructional techniques and or activities to improve climbing performance instructs climbing activities, using a variety of instructional techniques that reflect the needs and characteristics of a range of participants evaluates and reflects on own instruction performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure instruction of climbing activities, using a variety of instructional techniques appropriate to the needs and characteristics of a range of participants and to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance Assessment must also ensure access to : resources and information regarding participants and location to accurately plan, instruct and document climbing sessions for a variety of participants an artificial climbing site suitable for the conduct of instructional sessions a group of participants to take part in the climbing session equipment such as harnesses, helmets, belay devices, ropes, karabiners, chalk, quick draws, climbing shoes, food and water, and safety and first aid equipment. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of all climbing activities during the session observation of safe climbing instruction, monitoring and adjustment according to participant's needs and characteristics review of climbing session plans third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISOVTR301A Perform vertical rescues SISOCLA303A Establish belays for climbing on artificial surfaces SISOCLA407A Apply lead climbing skills on artificial surfaces. |
Guidance information for assessment |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Participant's needs and characteristics may include: | age cultural factors situational factors previous experience fitness level climbing skills and knowledge physical capabilities injuries and illnesses. |
Session's aims and objectives may include: | developing climbing skills education development therapy fitness targets recreation. |
Instructional plan may include: | climbing activities and drills duration of activities and drills. |
Climbing plan may include: | session's aims and objectives date, time and duration location or site instructor and participant ratios resources equipment weather details participant information safety requirements. |
Relevant legislation may include: | occupational health and safety permits or permission for access environmental regulations. |
Organisational policies and procedures may include: | occupational health and safety time and budget constraints use and maintenance of equipment communication protocols confidentiality of participant information instructor and participant ratios emergency and safety procedures code of ethics. |
Hazards may include: | temperature extremes slippery or unstable terrain group management hazards. |
Artificial surfaces may include: | portable or fixed walls fixed towers or bridges indoor or outdoor single pitch mobile walls or towers. |
Risks may include: | hypothermia heat exhaustion injuries exhaustion equipment misuse. |
Relevant sources may include: | Bureau of Meteorology media land managers or agencies local knowledge. |
Weather and environmental information may include: | satellite images daily and weekly forecasts maximum and minimum temperatures weather warnings event warnings synoptic charts. |
Contingency plans may include: | change in weather equipment failure unavailability of artificial pitch. |
Equipment may include: | climbing equipment safety equipment rescue equipment. |
Resources may include: | personal clothing and footwear teaching aids suitable artificial structure for instructing climbing. |
Contextual issues may include: | weather conditions, including times season transport location trip distance and duration group objectives group size. |
Relevant information may include: | equipment requirements, selection and use safety procedures risk prevention possible hazards climbing and belaying techniques communication objectives rules and codes responsible and safe behaviour. |
Communication system may include: | calls radio hand signals whistles. |
Safety procedures may include: | A - anchors - secure and suitable to application B - buckles - locked as per manufacturers recommendations C - connector - locked, secured and orientated D - devices - threaded correctly and secured E - organisation specific procedures including; end or rope knots, friction hitches, belayer ready, helmet chin strap, clothing, jewellery and hair secured. F - friend - cross check. |
Participant's performance may include: | use of appropriate communication system climbing technique belaying technique attitude and behaviour negotiation of hazards use of equipment. |
Instructional techniques may include: | simple to complex part to whole chronological known to unknown D.E.D.I.C.T: demonstrate explain demonstrate instruct critique test E.D.I.C.T: explain demonstrate instruct critique test I.D.E.A: introduce demonstrate explain apply |
Required knowledge may include: | climbing skills and techniques establishment of ropes features of the artificial surface minimal impact practices risk and hazard management equipment selection, use and maintenance communication systems used in climbing. |
Climbing skills may include: | climbing and belaying techniques establishment of ropes for a single pitch communication of progress negotiation of hazards and or risks use and maintenance of equipment. |
Safety and rescue procedures may include: | emergency response procedures group management in emergency situations. |
Opportunities may include: | locations suitable to skill level range of equipment and clothing available climbing clubs or groups in the local area. |
Relevant aspects may include: | objectives planning process activity site weather equipment section clothing selection instructional content instructional technique assessment technique group feedback directing techniques rescue techniques employed. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Outdoor Recreation |
Competency Field
Climbing artificial surface |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor