FIELD                        COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES

 

Review of Rock Climbing unit standards

 

Subfield

Domain

Id

Outdoor Recreation

Rock Climbing

444, 447, 5475, 14216, 20149-20157, 20210

 

The Sport, Fitness and Recreation Industry Training Organisation has completed the review of the unit standards listed above.

 

Date new versions published                        October 2006

 

Planned review date                        December 2011

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

This review was prompted by a strategic approach to the reviewing of all the Outdoor Recreation unit standards.  In preference to many units coming up for review in 2009, Sfrito will conduct a rolling review process domain by domain.  This is the first domain in the Outdoor Recreation subfield to be reviewed.

 

In the Rock Climbing domain, some unit standards were reported as being unwieldy to assess against, and there was confusion around the lead climbing unit standards, 20149 and 20155.  Some of the lower level unit standards focusing on experience or basic skills were seen as too prescriptive.  Some higher level unit standards contained performance criteria that did not fit with the elements, and some of the practices specified were not current.  Many of the higher level unit standards have been assessed against infrequently due to the short length of time the unit standards have been on the NQF, so feedback in these cases was limited.

 

Feedback has been sought from members of the Outdoor Recreation Advisory Group who have a stake in the Rock Climbing domain, including assessors, providers and workplaces.  The New Zealand Outdoor Instructors' Association, New Zealand Mountain Safety Council, and New Zealand Mountain Guides Association have also contributed.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

Only three unit standards have undergone significant changes as a result of this review:

·      Unit standard 14216, Instruct groups of clients in abseiling at a specific site has decreased from Level 5 to Level 4 and renamed, Set up and operate client abseils at a specific site.  One prerequisite has been changed - 451, Manage risk for an outdoor activity has been replaced by 20143, Demonstrate basic risk management as 14216 is no longer considered to be at Level 5.  Another prerequisite has been added - 20151, Demonstrate skills with ropes, knots, anchors and belays for rock climbing and abseiling.  This has enabled the removal of one element.

·      Unit standard 20155, Demonstrate lead climbing on bolted rock climbing routes on natural rock has been renamed Demonstrate knowledge of anchor systems and belaying for lead climbing on bolted natural rock climbs which more closely reflects the content.  A prerequisite has been added - 20149, Demonstrate lead climbing on bolted rock climbs (see below).

·        Unit standard 20149, Demonstrate lead climbing on bolted indoor rock climbs has had a title change to remove the reference to indoors.  This unit standard can now be assessed against indoors or on natural rock.  Alone, it is an assessment tool for the skills required to lead climb indoors; in conjunction with unit standard 20155 it sets the standard for the skills required to lead climb on natural rock.

 

The remaining unit standards have undergone review changes to elements, performance criteria and range statements to clarify outcomes and of expression of evidence.

 

Impact on existing provider accreditations

 

None.

 

Impact on Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP)

 

None.

 

Impact on existing qualifications

 

The following Sport, Fitness and Recreation ITO qualification is affected by the outcome of this review and will be revised in 2006.

 

Qualification title

Standard in the qualification

National Certificate in Outdoor Recreation (Instruction) with strands in Adventure Based Learning, Kayaking, Mountaineering, Single Pitch Rock Climbing, and Tramping [Ref: 0733]

14216, 20149, 20155

 

Summary of main changes

 

All changes are in bold.

 

Key to review category

 

A

Dates changed, but no other changes are made - the new version of the standard carries the same Id and a new version number

B

Changes made, but the overall outcome remains the same - the new version of the standard carries the same Id and a new version number

C

Major changes that necessitate the registration of a replacement standard with a new Id

D

Standard will expire and not be replaced

 

Subfield            Outdoor Recreation

Domain            Rock Climbing

Id

Title

Level

Credit

Review Category

444

Demonstrate basic rock climbing movement

2

1

B

447

Demonstrate lead climbing skills on multi-pitch rock climbs

4

12

B

5475

Demonstrate climbing on an A2 level aid rock climb

4

3

B

14216

Instruct groups of clients in abseiling at a specific site

Set up and operate client abseils at a specific site

5

 

4

10

B

20149

Demonstrate lead climbing on bolted indoor rock climbs

Demonstrate lead climbing on bolted rock climbs

3

3

B

20150

Demonstrate rock climbing skills on natural rock

3

5

B

20151

Demonstrate skills with ropes, knots, anchors, and belays for rock climbing and abseiling

3

10

B

20152

Experience and complete abseiling sessions

1

1

B

20153

Instruct in skills for lead climbing on indoor bolted rock climbs

5

15

B

20154

Instruct in single-pitch rock climbing

5

25

B

20155

Demonstrate lead climbing on bolted rock climbing routes on natural rock

Demonstrate knowledge of anchor systems and belaying for lead climbing on bolted natural rock climbs

3

2

B

20156

Demonstrate lead climbing on single-pitch rock climbing routes using natural and placed protection

4

5

B

20157

Demonstrate the use of basic rope systems for top rope rock climbing and abseiling

2

3

B

20210

Experience rock climbing

1

1

B