In the world of surf lifesaving, there is nothing more important than education; it is the driving force behind everything we do.
Member Education Pathways
No matter what area you choose to immerse yourself in, whether it is Patrolling, Competing, Managing or Instructing there are courses available to ensure that you have the best training available, so you can enter the surf in a comfortable and assured way.
As a volunteer workplace, all members of a SLSC must be professionally trained, qualified, and prepared to perform the duties that their volunteer role requires of them. Our volunteer trainers provide the foundational surf club courses, from SRC to Bronze Medallion (which is the basic level for all lifesavers), to the Gold Medallion, recognised the world over and is the highest training for a lifesaver.
🡻 Surf Rescue Certificate
The SLSA Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) and its aligned units of competencies provides members with skills and knowledge related to workplace safety, radio operations, surf awareness, aquatic rescue operations and resuscitation.
Members who hold this award and its aligned units of competencies may patrol in the role of a lifesaving cadet and as water safety personnel for SLS events. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the following nationally recognised units of competency:
- PUAOPE013 Operate communications systems and equipment
- PUASAR012 Apply surf awareness and self-rescue skills
- PUASAR013 Participate in an aquatic rescue operation
- HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (12-month validity)
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 13 years
- Complete an unaided swim of 200m in 5 minutes or less (goggles and masks permitted) in a swimming pool of not less than 25m, or over a measured open water course which will be observed before participating in any aquatic training.
🡻 Bronze Medallion
The SLSA Bronze Medallion and Certificate II Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) provides members with skills and knowledge related to workplace safety, radio operations, surf awareness, aquatic rescue operations, resuscitation, emergency care, communication, teamwork, spinal management and patrol operations.
Members who hold this award may patrol in the role of an entry-level lifesaver on patrol and as water safety personnel for SLS events. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
This award includes and builds upon the SLSA Surf Rescue Certificate.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the nationally recognised PUA20119 Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) which includes the following units of competency:
- PUAOPE013 Operate communications systems and equipment
- PUASAR012 Apply surf awareness and self-rescue skills
- PUASAR013 Participate in an aquatic rescue operation
- HLTAID010 Provide basic emergency life support (3-year validity)
- PUACOM001 Communicate in the workplace
- PUATEA001 Work in a team
- PUATEA004 Work effectively in a public safety organisation
- PUAWHS001 Follow defined work health & safety policies & procedures
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 15 years
- Complete an unaided swim of 400m in 9 minutes or less (goggles and masks permitted) in a swimming pool of not less than 25m, or over a measured open water course which will be observed before participating in any aquatic training.
🡻 Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue
The SLSA Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue provides members with skills and knowledge to participate in search and rescue (SAR) operations during a search and rescue incident.
This includes knowledge and skills related to the different stages of a Search and Rescue incident, the Australasian Inter-agency Incident Management System (AIIMS), SMEAC plans, creating search areas, police-handover and advanced water-entry techniques.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members receive the SLSA Silver Medallion Aquatic Rescue. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 16 years
- Complete an unaided swim of 400m in 8 minutes or less (goggles and masks permitted) in a swimming pool of not less than 25m, or over a measured open water course which will be observed before participating in any aquatic training.
🡻 Resuscitation
he SLSA Resuscitation award and its aligned unit of competency provide members with the skills and knowledge to effectively perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in line with the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) Guidelines and as part of an SLS patrol team.
Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the nationally recognised HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation unit of competency with a 12-month validity.
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 10 years
🡻 First Aid
The SLS First Aid course and its aligned units of competencies provides members with the skills and knowledge required to effectively manage emergency first aid situations and deliver emergency care until the arrival of advanced medical care personnel.
Members who hold this award may patrol as SLS First Aid Officers. Proficiency in this award is renewed every 3 years by participating in a SLS First Aid course.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the nationally recognised:
- HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (12-month validity)
- HLTAID010 Provide basic emergency life support (3-year validity)
- HLTAID011 Provide first aid (3-year validity)
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 14 years
🡻 Advanced Resuscitation Techniques
The SLSA Advanced Resuscitation Techniques course and its aligned unit of competency provides members with the skills and knowledge required to effectively use specialised equipment during an emergency and deliver advanced resuscitation until the arrival of advanced medical care personnel.
Members who hold this award may patrol as SLS Advanced Resuscitation Operators. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the nationally recognised HLTAID015 Provide Advanced Resuscitation unit of competency with a 3-year validity.
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 15 years
- A current First Aid / HLTAID011 unit of competency
🡻 Inflatable Rescue Boat Crew
The SLSA Inflatable Rescue Boat Crew (IRBC) award and its aligned unit of competency provide members with skills and knowledge to effectively crew an inflatable rescue boat (IRB) in rescue operations and as part of a water safety team.
Members who hold this award may patrol in the role of an IRB Crew. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the nationally recognised PUASAR015 Crew a small power craft in a rescue operation unit of competency. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 15 years
- Proficient SLSA Bronze Medallion
🡻 Silver Medallion Inflatable Rescue Boat Driver
The SLSA Silver Medallion Inflatable Rescue Boat Driver (SMIRBD) award and its aligned units of competencies provides members with skills and knowledge to effectively drive and manage an inflatable rescue boat (IRB) in rescue operations and as part of a water safety team.
Members who hold this award may patrol in the role of an IRB Driver. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the nationally recognised PUASAR014 Operate and maintain small power craft and motor for rescue operations and PUAEQ001 Prepare, maintain and test response equipment units of competency.
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum age of 17 years for assessment
- Minimum age of 16 years to commence training
- Proficient SLSA Bronze Medallion
- Proficient in IRB Crew
🡻 Silver Medallion Beach Management Patrol Captain
he SLS Silver Medallion Patrol Captain (v2022) award provides participants with the skills and knowledge required to confidently manage a beach and patrol as a Surf Life Saving Patrol Captain.
Members who hold this award may patrol in the role of a Patrol Captain. Proficiency in this award is renewed each year through SLS Skills Maintenance.
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Minimum Age of 17 years
- hold an SLSA Bronze Medallion or have held an SLSA Bronze Medallion and currently hold a patrolling award
- Hold a current patrolling award
- Have a minimum of 2 years patrolling experience
🡻 Age Manager
The SLS Age Managers award provides members with the skill and knowledge required to effectively deliver the U6 to U12 Junior Awards to Nippers as per the session plans available within the Junior Development Resource Kit.
Proficiency in this award is renewed every year.
Entry Requirements:
- Be a minimum of 15 years old
- Have completed the relevant state/territory legislation check(s) for working with children
- Have completed the online Child Safe Awareness Course
- Be a financial member of a club
🡻 SLSNSW Training Officer Certificate
The SLSNSW Training Officer Certificate (TOC) provides members with the skills and knowledge required to professionally train nationally recognised units of competency and SLS awards using SLSA and SLSNSW resources.
The TOC allows members to train other SLS members in the role of Training Officer for the award they are endorsed by SLSNSW to deliver.
Proficiency in this award is renewed each year by completing all items on the TAF Re-Endorsement Checklist, which helps trainers follow the SLSNSW Education SOPs.
Certification:
Upon successful completion, members also qualify for the following nationally recognised units of competency:
- TAEDEL311 Provide work skill instruction
- BSBCMM411 Make presentations
Entry Requirements:
- Financial Member
- Proficient in the SLS Award you wish to train
- Meet suitability requirements
- be proficient in the award(s) in which you wish to train
- have held the award(s) for a minimum of 12 months
- commit to attending the virtual classroom sessions
- have access to reliable internet, a laptop/computer and a video recording device (e.g. smartphone)
- have an SLS Members Area account for accessing the SLS Document Library
- hold the required digital literacy skills, specifically including viewing PDFs, using Microsoft Word to complete templates, conducting online research and navigating the internet
- possess a minimum of Year 10 level of literacy and numeracy skills
- share our commitment to strong ethics and professional principles around fairness, equality, inclusion and diversity
- Commitment to:
- maintaining your proficiency in the SLS award you wish to train
- maintaining currency in the latest units of competency and/or qualification you wish to train
- training at least one SLS award annually
- participating in professional development activities for SLSNSW trainers
Course duration:
A minimum of 6 weeks*. This comprises a new self-paced online learning module released each week for 4 weeks, 2 virtual training sessions and 3 practical assessment tasks.
*Additional training sessions may be required to reach the required competency levels before assessment.
More information:
For more information, visit the SLSNSW Become a Trainer, Assessor or Facilitator webpage for more information.
And let your SLSNSW Branch Director of Education know you want to receive an application form when the next course intake opens.
Our training schedule is set up as three squads per year.
Squad 1 starts in July and ends in September.
Squad 2 starts in September and ends in December.
Squad 3 starts in January the following year and ends in March of that year.
Want to enroll in a course? Fill out our Expression of Interest Form and we’ll get in touch.
Education Calendar
2025 – 26 Course Fees
Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC)
Cooks Hill Nipper member with 3 or more years membership with Cooks Hill SLSC – $90
Cooks Hill Nipper member with 1-2 years membership with Cooks Hill SLSC – $110
New Nipper (or a member from another Club joining an SRC squad) – $130
Bronze Medallion (BM)
Existing Cooks Hill SRC patrolling member (transitioning from SRC to BM) – $0
Existing Cooks Hill patrolling member with Radio, FA or ART (or a combination of these awards) – $90
Existing Cooks Hill member – non-patrolling (Nipper parent/ Age manager etc) – $110
Returning Cooks Hill member – BM qualifications (proficiency) expired by more than 3 years – $140
New Cooks Hill Member (or from another Club joining a BM squad) – $160
First Aid Certificate – $100 (non-active/non-patrolling members )