Safety courses compulsary from 2012 for some helpers

[frog]

Did the decision to go with an insurance that requires these safety courses actually get passed at a BOF meeting? Does anyone know how much more insurance without safety courses would have been?
I presume this was all discussed at a meeting at sometime and wasn't just 1 person's decision. It is a major change, I'm surprised it wasn't an AGM thing, although I don't go to BOF AGMs so maybe it was.

[LostAgain]

I have no formal qualifications as an organiser and don't really want to go down that path as it seems to me once your name is on "the list" you get routinely buttonholed for every event going - most of which simply wouldn't interest me.

This was the point of my earlier post. As I said then, it is already hard enough to get organisers. If this training course is made compulsory for an Organiser, the pool will be very sparsely populated.

I do not disagree that the courses could be useful, but is it ESSENTIAL.

[Clive Coles]

Has anyone else checked their qualifications on the members bit of the BOF web site ? I cannot imagine I am the only person who has acquired a Grade C organiser qualification without attending a course.

I received an assurance from BOF Chair a few weeks ago that granfather rights would apply to those of us who have been involved in Organising, Planning or Controlling for a number of years. There need be no dramatic cut-off. There will I suspect be a transitional period whilst training is rolled out.

So Mrs H ~ don't pull out froom organising your event. if you check your Membership record you may find that you too are already OK to organise for the next 3 years.

My guess is that the new training will be initially introduced for novice officials. The courses should provide a good grounding as to how we cover heath and safety issues. I have no praticular objection to attending a refresher course on such matters ~ we need to do this after all to maintain our First Aid certifation.

Sadly the concept of the need for training has been mis-sold. Information on the requirement to attend courses has been drip fed and as a result we are getting up in arms and blaming it on on the Insurers and BOF. Surely it is common sense for training to be given on Event Safety issues. As organisers we have a duty of care to ensure that event safety is addressed.

[suffolk wilk]

Mine has been updated with Grade C organiser as well. I remember reading this would happen either on the BOF website or in recent Focus. Still means new organisers will have to go through the process. An online process would be a good idea as we need to make it easy to do. I already lose enough of my weekends going on orienteering courses

[frog]

I'm only grade D, perhaps I can persuade them to upgrade me after Saturday.

[NFKleanne]

I don't get the grades of organiser, but since I cannot have done to bad last time as I'm doing another later this year. I think the course would be good - as long as it was online, forums and chat rooms would offer the ability to interact without the need to travel.

[Derek A]

If anyone wants to attend a workshop, there are two that I am running coming up.
Thursday 10th March, Middleton, near Manchester
Monday 21st March, Wetherby.
A buffet is provided from 17.30 with the workshop running from 1800 to 2100.
Quotes from two of last nights attendants; “The course was much more useful than I expected. I wonder why such courses have not been run before” and “it needed better publicity; saying how relevant and helpful it is”; hence this posting.
dereka57ATgmail.com
Derek Allison

[AndyC]

I've just checked my official qualifications (after remembering my password) and find I have none so I'd better get someone to cover me for Sunday;s event!
seriously (apart from "email BOF") how do they get registered?

[Sunlit Forres]

I attended a course today run by Hilary Quick after the Caley Thistle Vs Celtic game was called off. I found it more enjoyable than 90 minutes of SPL football would probably have been, thanks in part to the discussion and wise words from some very experienced campaigners in the audience, particularly John Colls & Greywolf. We even had a 14-year-old lad from the club attending, he's only been a member for a few months and really enjoyed himself. Hilary's enthusiasm and common sense approach helped too.

I hope that BOF don't go down the on-line route. The interaction and getting to know each other is so much more valuable than a box-ticking on-line exercise ever could be.

[NFKleanne]

I'm on it next month. Not sure if I'm looking forward to it, but should be interesting