CHANGES TO VARIOUS FGASA QUALIFICATIONS
The following qualifications have had changes made to them to be
implemented in 2011.
•
FGASA Level 1 Nature guide
•
FGASA Level 2 Nature guide
•
FGASA Back-up & Trails Guide
•
FGASA Rifle handling certificates
FGASA LEVEL 1
The FGASA Level 1 qualification is now an NQF2 Skills programme given that the NQF3 unit standard no longer exists on the NQF.
The FGASA Level 1 qualification is made up of the following unit standards: Unit
standard code
Level Credit value
SETA Unit standard Name
8478 2 20 THETA Create a Guided Experience for Customers
8440 2 20 THETA Conduct a guided nature experience in a limited Geographical area
Assessment requirements FGASA level 1 (NQF2) Nature Site Guide Skills programme will be assessed by means of:
• Completed Workbook – Must be submitted to the assessor • The FGASA Level 1 Theory examination
• The FGASA Level 1 Practical assessment
Changes to the endorsement by FGASA of a Level 1 Course offered by a provider
The minimum Course length of a Level 1 course offered by a FGASA endorsed training provider will be set as of the 1st July 2011 at 60 days (full-time).
A FGASA endorsed Level 1 course will in future be made up of the following aspects: • Theoretical and practical training time (face to face) = 41 days
• Other aspects of the programme = 18 days o Introduction and overview of the course o Practical Assessment preparation
o Research Project /Assignment o Learner presentations
o Practical Assessment
• FGASA Special Training Provider examination (last day of course) = 1 day
• First Aid training is optional, but recommended, however this would add 3 days to the total.
The 60 days is allocated to for the FGASA Level 1 course and does not include any time for other specialist courses (like birding, tracking, Trails Guide, etc). This time is purely allocated for the FGASA Level 1 Nature Guiding Qualification (NQF2). A course to obtain the FGASA level 1 qualification at present is not compulsory but is recommended.
FGASA LEVEL 2
Rule pertaining to the eligibility to be assessed for the FGASA Level 2 (NQF4) Guiding qualification
Changes to the eligibility to write the FGASA level 2 theory examinations will be implemented as of January 2011.
Entry requirements for the Level 2 theory examination: The writing of the Level 2 theory examination is dependent on firstly, having attained a full FGASA Level 1 nature guiding qualification (both theory and practical competence), and secondly you must have logged a minimum of 1 year (260 days) of active guiding experience before you can apply to write the theory examination.
You will be eligible to apply to write the theory examination FGASA Level 2 Nature Guide Qualification once you have:
• A full FGASA Level 1 (NQF2) guiding qualification
• Logged a minimum of 1 year (260 days) of active guiding experience • Your logbook has been signed off by the FGASA office
• Been verified as a currently paid-up member of the Association
Once you have passed the theory examination and thus conformed to the above criteria you will be eligible to be practically assessed. You will however only be awarded the new FGASA Level 2 Nature guiding qualification once you have conformed to all the new assessment criteria. (See below)
New requirements and assessments for the FGASA Level 2 (NQF4) Nature Guiding qualification
The ‘new’ FGASA Level 2 (NQF4) qualification will be implemented in January 2011 with some significant changes to take into account in terms of the syllabus and the assessment process. In order to be awarded the FGASA Level 2 Nature Guiding qualification you must have been declared competent for all the components of this new qualification. (
See below
)The new FGASA Level 2 qualification is made up of the following NQF4 unit standards: Unit standard code Level Credit value
SETA Unit standard Name
246740 4 3 THETA Care for customers
335801 4 8 THETA Conduct a tourist guiding activity
255914 4 6 THETA Minimise and manage safety and emergency incidents 335799 4 7 THETA Conduct a guided nature experience
Electives:
335815 4 10 THETA Conduct a guided biome experience 335814 4 10 THETA Conduct a guided birding experience
335803 4 5 THETA Research and design a guided experience at a prominent tourism site
The unit standards that make up the FGASA Level 2 (NQF4) qualification are assessed by means of various methods in terms of theory, practical, Portfolio of Evidence workbooks and logged workplace experience.
Unit standard title
Methods of Assessment
Care for customers Workbook – submitted to the assessor
The FGASA Level 2 Theory examination
The FGASA Level 2 Practical assessment
Evidence of 260 days active guiding experience (Logged)
Conduct a tourist guiding activity Conduct a guided nature
experience
Minimise and manage safety and emergency incidents
A workbook constituting a Portfolio of Evidence (POE)
Electives – Must choose one Research and design a guided experience at a prominent tourism site
A workbook constituting a Portfolio of Evidence (POE)
Conduct a guided biome experience
Conduct a guided birding experience
A workbook – submitted to the assessor
A slide and sound assessment for relevant birding area(s)
TRAILS GUIDE QUALIFICATION
Changes have been implemented with regards to the FGASA Dangerous Animal
guiding qualifications.
The dangerous Animal guiding qualifications now consist of:
•
Back-up Trails Guide
•
Trails Guide
•
Advanced Trails Guide
•
SKS(Dangerous Game)
Summary of the Dangerous Game Qualifications [Excluding the SKS(DG) qualification] Dangerous Game
Qualification
Experience requirements Assessment requirements
Back-up Trails Guide Any two of the Big 5 dangerous animals
Assessment carried out in any reserve that has any two of the
big 5 dangerous animals
Trails Guide (Lead) Any two of the Big 5 dangerous animals
Assessment carried out in any reserve that has any two of the
big 5 dangerous animals [Species of Big 5 recorded on
FGASA database]
Advanced Trails Guide (Lead)
Must have experience with all the different categories of
dangerous animals. (This can be attained and logged
on different reserves)
No additional practical assessment after the guide had been assessed as a Trails Guide.
If not previously assessed the assessment carried out will be on
encounters with all categories of dangerous animals. (can take place in more than one reserve)
Summary of process to attain various FGASA dangerous Game qualifications:
1. Valid Advanced Rifle Handling qualification 2. Trails guide theory examination
3. Log 10 encounters (50 hours) on foot with qualified lead guide 4. Back-up Trails Guide practical assessment
5. Log 50 encounters (100 hours) on foot as back-up with qualified lead guide 6. Trails Guide (Lead) practical assessment
7. Awarded
a. Trails Guide (Experience with less than all Big 5 categories) b. Advanced Trails Guide (Experience with all Big 5 categories)
The minimum Course length of a Back-up/Trails Guide course offered by a FGASA endorsed training provider as of January 2011 will be set as a minimum of 22 days (full-time).
FGASA RIFLE HANDLING QUALIFICATIONS
Changes to the FGASA Rifle handling qualifications
The FGASA Rifle handling qualifications now consist of: • Basic rifle handling
• Advanced rifle handling • SKS Advanced rifle handling
The basic rifle handling certificate is for guides operating in dangerous game areas from a vehicle only. The Advanced rifle handling certificate is required of guides who operate as either a Back-up, Trails Guide and Advanced Trails Guide. The ‘intermediate’ rifle handling certificate has been done away with as it was felt that the Back-up and the Lead guide need to be competent at the same level due to the nature of their role as a guide in dangerous game areas.
The FGASA Rifle Handling qualification is now only valid for two years from date of issue and will require that a full assessment gets undertaken every two years.
Details pertaining to changes to the relevant FGASA qualifications can be found in:
• The new Field Guides information book• The relevant Learner Support packs
