ASA Level 3 Certificate for the Development and Management of Swimming Programmes

In today's rapidly changing world of sports and leisure, providers of swimming programmes must focus on the delivery of a best value service. The Level 3 Certificate has been designed to assist providers of swimming programmes to develop staff to meet these challenges and is relevant to all organisations involved in providing swimming programmes including:

• Local Authority Sport and Leisure Development
• Private Leisure Contracts
• Swimming Clubs
• Local Education Authorities

Candidates who achieve the Level 3 Certificate for the Development and Management of Swimming Programmes will be well placed to assist all of the above organisations to provide a high quality swimming programme, in addition the Level 3 Certificate provides the opportunity for career progeression for those swimming teachers who do not aspire to work with performance swimmers. The effective organisation and delivery of a swimming programme, such as that offered by a local authority, requires the development, co-ordination and management of a range of resources including personnel. The industry has identified, through a survey conducted by the ASA, that there is a demand for people who can fulfil this role and the Level 3 Certificate aims to provide the opportunity for swimming teachers to acquire and develop the competencies requried to meet the challenge of improving swimming programmes.

The Level 3 Certificate comprises four units:

Unit 1	Plan the swimming programme
Unit 2	Develop and improve the swimming programme
Unit 3	Manage and develop self and other staff involved in the swimming programme
Unit 4	Develop enhanced teaching skills for swimming

The Level 3 Certificate comprises 3 main sections:

1. Units and Elements - Criteria related to how organisations providing swimming programmes should operate and the type of evidence each candidate will be required to generate.

2. Self Assessment - A candidate checklist to ensure that all the appropriate evidence has been collected in a way which the assessor can use.

3. Assessment - Assessment against the units and elements carried out by an assessor appointed by the ASA. This provides an external assessment of your strengths and areas for improvement.

The Level 3 Process

General Information

Context

In order to achive this certificate it is essential that you are working within a swimming programme containing a range of abilities. This may be within a local authority scheme, private swim scheme, affiliated club or similar. Evidence required to meet the criteria detailed in the guidance pack can only be generated through actual performance. Simulations are not acceptable. If you are already carrying out a role similar to that detailed within the units and elements then there should be many opportunities to generate the appropriate evidence. If, however, this is a position to which you aspire then undoubtedly it will be necessary to liaise closely with your line manager in order to establish situations where relevant information can be generated.

Evidence

In order to assist your assessor it is essential that the evidence submitted is provided within a ring bound folder divided by unit. Each piece of evidence should be cross referenced to the unit and element. For example, the overall plan for the swimming programme should be referenced as unit 1, element 1 i.e. 1.1.

Pre-requisites

ASA Level 2 Certificate for the Teaching of Swimming

plus

*ASA Level 2 Certificate (or above) in a second discipline

or

*2 ASA Level 1 Certificates in discipliunes other than swimming

* Any certificates taken from:

Level 1 - Diving, Waterpolo, Synchronised Swimming, Disabilities; Lane Coach

Level 2 - Diving, Waterpolo, Synchronised Swimming, Disabilities, Aquafit, Adult and Child

These certificates must be achieved before completion of the Level 3 Certificate.

Time Requirements

The time required to complete this certificate will vary according to your work and personal commitments and the experience gained since achieving your Level 2 Certificate for the Teaching of Swimming. It is important to note, also, that additional ASA qualifications are required before Level 3 certification can be achieved.

The notional learning hours for each of the Units are as follows:

Unit 1                                                         - 40 hours

Unit 2                                                         - 40 hours

Unit 3                                                         - 60 hours

Unit 4                                                         - 70 hours

Portfolio preparation                                      - 20 hours

Assessment visits plus e-mail/telephone             - 10 hours

Additional ASA qualifications                            - 60 hours

TOTAL Notional hours                                     - 300 hours

Cost

The cost to the candidate is £495.00 and will be charged on a staged payment basis as follows:

Stage 1 - Registration onto the programme   £ 0.00

Stage 2 - Candidate Guidance Pack and ASA Administration   £55.00

Stage 3 - Assessment and initial 2 assessments + telephone / email support   £275.00

Stage 4 - Final assessment   £165.00

Total Cost   £495.00

To download the application form click here.

For further information please contact:

Linda Jones
Telephone: 01509 615449
E-mail: linda.jones@swimming.org