PRESS RELEASE from 8th April, 2022.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL CLUBS AND INSTRUCTORS.
The New PONY CLUB NSW INSTRUCTOR’S ACCREDITATION (NSWIA)
The new NSW Instructors Accreditation (NSWIA) is a new version of the NSW Introductory certificate. It will also enable the Old System NSW Level One and Two Instructors accreditations to be merged into the new NSW scheme.
The NSWIA is a very much reduced workload from the NCAS. Candidates will receive a high level of information and a more targeted focus on coaching skills and teaching groups of riders at rally days. However, the NCAS will still be available.
The NSWIA will offer a more condensed and targeted accreditation with more specific and relevant subjects for teaching at rally days. We are very lucky to have three very highly trained and experienced Coach Educators working for Pony Club NSW and with extra input from the Zone Chief Instructors we feel this accreditation will produce a more inviting but also more effective pathway to producing better Instruction.
It will also offer alternative ways to be able to complete the certificates either via hard copy or electronic/online, to be able to accommodate everyone’s preferred way of learning.
The aim is to have the new NSWIA workbooks available for purchase before 1st June.
Under a new NSW Instructor’s accreditation, the certificates will be known as Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Bronze will be an equivalent level to the current PCA NCAS Preliminary certificate. Instructors who currently hold an Old System Level One and NSW Introductory certificate holders will be moved straight over into the new scheme to hold a Bronze level Certificate. Silver will be an equivalent level to the current PCA NCAS Level One certificate. Current Old System Level Two instructors will move across and automatically become a Silver Level Instructor. Gold. There will be more information about the Gold certificate in the near future.
There is no Pony Club Australia NCAS (Level 2) certificate currently available.
ADMINISTRATION: Having 2 accreditations available instead of the three very different ones we have been working under, will make it much easier for the administration of the certificates and will help standardise the level of coaching. The Workbook (hard copy and online copy, you will receive both) will be available to be purchased through Pony Club NSW.
ASSESSMENTS: The new NSWIA and the PCA NCAS candidates will attend the same assessments. They will run as they are currently conducted by the State but the PCA NCAS will need to undergo one or two extra subjects to fulfil the National requirement.
All instructor accreditations in NSW Pony Club will now be assessed at a State level to achieve industry standards, consistency, inclusivity and wider availability.
PRECEDING PONY CLUB NSW INSTRUCTOR’S ACCREDITATION SCHEMES
Pony Club NSW has been running under three separate Instructors Accreditations since the inclusion of the NCAS in 2009. Before 2009 NSW had its own Instructors scheme that is known as the “Old system Level One and Level Two”. It is long overdue to incorporate the Old System certificate holders into a more streamline system. The Introductory certificate is a NSW accreditation and was created as an alternative to the NCAS.
The existing schemes are:
Pony Club Australia NCAS Preliminary and Level One (Nationally recognised)
Pony Club NSW Old System Level 1 & 2 (State recognition only and no progression available)
Pony Club NSW Introductory Certificate (State recognition only and no progression available)
At the November 2021 State Council meeting it was approved to have just one State Instructors Accreditation and one National Accreditation (NCAS), this was also voted on and recommended by the State Zone Chief Instructors committee.
NCAS: Previously, the last update of the NCAS Preliminary books was 2013. However, Pony Club Australia have just updated the NCAS Preliminary manual and work/log book so now the current version is 2021. It came into use at the beginning of this year (2022).
NSW felt that the updated 2021 PCA NCAS Workbook created a considerable increase in hours spent by volunteers in preparing and gaining this accreditation, where the increased time spent compared to the other available qualifications is not proportional to an increase in skill or knowledge. This increase in work creates additional burdens to already time-poor volunteers and for an organisation that relies heavily on volunteers this is not a sustainable way forward.
With the development of the updated NCAS and the current cumbersome system of 3 accreditations it was proposed to come up with just one NSW accreditation that could fulfill the necessary requirements.
The new NSW certificate (NSWIA) will potentially see an increase in accredited instructors, this would then have positive flow on affects to the organisation by greatly improving our skill and knowledge base that would flow right down to the grassroots members. As our sport can be a high risk, it is our duty of care to have well trained instructors and to support them, so we need to provide as good Instructor training system as possible without overburdening them and to encourage more members to become accredited so all clubs have accredited instructors in attendance at rally days.
NCAS (National Coaching Accreditation Scheme)
NCAS (National Coaching Accreditation Scheme) will still be available for anyone who wishes to do the National Accreditation. These manuals have to be purchased through Pony Club Australia but the NCAS workbooks can be purchased from Pony Club NSW.
Current NCAS certificate holders will still hold their NCAS certificates (Preliminary and Level One).
PONY CLUB AUSTRALIA NCAS COACH ACCREDITATION SCHEME
The Pony Club Australia NCAS Scheme currently offers two levels of accreditation.
- NCAS Preliminary.
- NCAS Level One and Mounted Games Specialist (optional)
The NCAS scheme was been revised in 2021 and will begin to be used and assessed from 2021. It requires candidates to purchase a workbook and a manual from Pony Club Australia.
Course pre-requisites.
The pre requisites to begin and work through the course are as follows:-
- Be a current financial member of Pony Club NSW.
- Be 16 years or over to commence
- Be 18 years or over to receive your accreditation
- Hold a current Working with Children certificate/number.
- All candidates must attend two days of a NSW State Instructors School in your zone or another zone. You must attend Day One and Day Two but they can be at different dates in different zones.
- You must have completed the Work Book. Purchase manual from Pony Club Australia and workbook from Pony Club NSW.
Beginning the Course:
- Make contact with your ZCI and let them know you are undertaking the course.
- The work book must be completed before being assessed.
- When you have completed or are near to completing your workbook contact your Zone Chief Instructor or the assessment co Ordinator to book your place at the assessment
Assessment
- Candidates must let their ZCI or the assessment co Ordinator know they wish to be assessed.
- You should receive your tasks and information at least 2 weeks before the assessment from the Assessment co Ordinator.
- You need to be in attendance all day at the assessment
- Your work book needs to be completed by the assessment
- You need to complete the practical sections of your accreditation
- You are assessed by 2 State Assessors
After the Assessment
- You will find out your result on the day
- If you pass your assessment you will receive a letter and certificate
- You are added to the NCAS instructors list
For more information in regard to coaching and accreditations send an email to coach@pcansw.org.au
In order to maintain your accrediation coaches must fulfil a number of criteria and complete and submit a renewal form every four (4) years, please see the NCAS updating sheet below for details.
PCA NSW have a number of NSW Specific certificates that can also be completed or renewed:
- Old System Instructors or Examiner Certificates - coaches must renew these certificates every four (4) years with certificates all falling due on the same recuring date i.e. next renewal 30-6-2023. No new certificates will be issued under this scheme. (From 1st June, 2022 this accreditation will be moved over into the new NSW Instructors Accreditation).
- Introductory Instructors Certificate - this certificate is for new coaches run under PCA NSW guidelines by Zone Chief Instructors (ZCI's), certificates are valid for four (4) years with coaches encouraged to undertake NCAS training during this period. (From 1st June, 2022 this accreditation will be moved over into the new NSW Instructors Accreditation).
- Gear Check Certificate - this certificate is not an instructional certificate but is an important certificate for every Pony club in NSW to have members who hold this certificate. This certificate is run under PCA NSW guidelines by ZCI's, and are valid for four (4) years with renewal falling due on the recurring date as Old System Instructors Certificates. PCA NSW Gear Check online course can be found here
Assessment details, forms and a Mentors list can be found in the download section below.