Covid -19, Snowsport England Changes Licensing Requirements
In a letter to coaches and instructors Snowsport England's CEO Tim Fawke has announced a relaxation of licensing requirements for the upcoming season to help clubs and ski centres to continue to operate smoothly once the covid lockdown has been relaxed. He says:
We are all experiencing difficult times as a result of the current Covid-19 pandemic. Firstly, to all of our members, stay well, stay safe and remember that things will get better. We are a snowsports family and we all look forwards to putting our boots back on and sharing our love of the sport again.
With so much going on around us I want to personally reassure members who may have concerns about licensing and returning to coaching and instructing when the current lock down is lifted and we are able to return to our clubs and slopes.
I recognise that these are extraordinary circumstances and it’s important that you know that Snowsport England and I will work with each of you to make sure that you can continue to deliver the great sessions and programmes that you have done for so long. We value your continuing support and we will support you.
Due to the current Covid-19 lock-down in the UK we have made some temporary changes to what is required in order to become or remain licensed. The position is obviously fluid and we will further amend these guidelines as and when required. However they represent the minimum position, licensing requirements will not become more onerous, even if as we all hope, the lock down ends in the very near future.
With so much going on around us I want to personally reassure members who may have concerns about licensing and returning to coaching and instructing when the current lock down is lifted and we are able to return to our clubs and slopes.
I recognise that these are extraordinary circumstances and it’s important that you know that Snowsport England and I will work with each of you to make sure that you can continue to deliver the great sessions and programmes that you have done for so long. We value your continuing support and we will support you.
Due to the current Covid-19 lock-down in the UK we have made some temporary changes to what is required in order to become or remain licensed. The position is obviously fluid and we will further amend these guidelines as and when required. However they represent the minimum position, licensing requirements will not become more onerous, even if as we all hope, the lock down ends in the very near future.
Summary
If you need to attend a refresher or renew your first aid training in order to be issued with a new licence for season 20-21, don’t worry. So long as you remain registered and renew in the usual way we will extend your award until at least 1st Jan 2021.
Licensed Members
Due to current restrictions it is not possible to attend:
- Refresher courses
- First aid courses
Taking this into account, if you need to complete a refresher or a first aid course before 31st October 2020 you will be issued with a licence to allow you operate until the end of the year, so long as you renew for 2020-21.
Refresher Courses
Refresher Courses
- Most L1 and L2 instructors attend 1 day refreshers. Once the lock down is over we will to be able to offer these Refresher courses in the usual way. You will need to book on these as they become live.
- Many coaches refresh by attending the Coaching Conference. It is highly unlikely that this will take place in the usual way this year. When we have more clarity on the relaxation of the lock down we will work with each of you to find an effective and convenient way for you to refresh.
First Aid Courses
- As providers cannot offer any face to face courses currently, weare, as with refreshers extending the deadline to 1st January 2021.
Safeguarding and Protecting Children
Refreshing
We already accept online refreshers for safeguarding from approved providers. If you need to refresh your safeguarding training you can simply use the UK Coaching Online Refresher courses. There are 3 courses you can choose from that will refresh your Safeguarding and Child Protection Training
Refreshing
We already accept online refreshers for safeguarding from approved providers. If you need to refresh your safeguarding training you can simply use the UK Coaching Online Refresher courses. There are 3 courses you can choose from that will refresh your Safeguarding and Child Protection Training
- Digital Kids
- Deaf and Disabled Children
- Positive Parents
- If you were in good standing with your Snowsport England DBS check on 1st April 2020 then the deadline will be extended again until 1st January 2021.
- Any memberswho needed to renew on or before 1 April will already have received a reminder and must renew now. Please apply here: https://secure.jotform.co/form/31662428327859 . We are now able to complete document checking via Skype/video link for a temporary period, subject to certain conditions.
Members Working Towards Awards
Some of you are working towards completing various snowsport awards.
We are not able to run any face to face training or assessments at this stage. Obviously as soon as the lock down is relaxed these will resume. Please keep in touch with your local centre, tutor and the SE office for updates on this. We all want to be back on the slopes and courses will be available as soon as we are allowed to offer them
Initial Safeguarding Training
If you have never completed a face to face safeguarding course, UK Coaching are now running them via virtual classrooms. Please note, currently Snowsport England will only accept the virtual classroom course for first timers until 31 December 2020. Currently anyone completing a course after 1st January 2021 will have to do the face to face training as this is accepted as best practice by the Child Protection In Sport Unit.
DBS Checks
DBS has made a temporary change to their requirements and we are now able to complete document checking via Skype/video link – for a temporary period, subject to certain conditions.
We are not able to run any face to face training or assessments at this stage. Obviously as soon as the lock down is relaxed these will resume. Please keep in touch with your local centre, tutor and the SE office for updates on this. We all want to be back on the slopes and courses will be available as soon as we are allowed to offer them
Initial Safeguarding Training
If you have never completed a face to face safeguarding course, UK Coaching are now running them via virtual classrooms. Please note, currently Snowsport England will only accept the virtual classroom course for first timers until 31 December 2020. Currently anyone completing a course after 1st January 2021 will have to do the face to face training as this is accepted as best practice by the Child Protection In Sport Unit.
DBS Checks
DBS has made a temporary change to their requirements and we are now able to complete document checking via Skype/video link – for a temporary period, subject to certain conditions.
Snowsport England is required to view the original documents in the future, once we are able to resume face to face contact. Currently we will therefore only give an initial validity period until 1st January 2021 to any DBS disclosures issued after 1st April. When we are able to resume face to face contact, we will ask you to contact your document checker to show your 3 original documents (passport, driving licence etc). Your DBS will then be valid as usual.
Coaching Portfolios
In most cases we expect candidate level 3 and 4 coaches to have completed their coachng portfolio within three years of their training course. If you have any difficulties with this deadline please contact the office and we will discuss the best way forwards. We will work with you and be as flexible as we can.
Finally, if you have any particular difficulties please contact the office and we will work with you and support you. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the office and we will do what we can to help.
Stay safe, stay close to home and let’s hope we all see each other on the slopes very soon.
Sincerely,
Tim Fawke
CEO Snowsport England
