Guide Training: Other Information

Definitions of Terminology

Committee
The executive committee of the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association.

Guiding
For the purpose of this document `guiding’ is defined as work with clients on a professional basis in the pursuit of either mountaineering, backcountry skiing and snow boarding, rock climbing, ice climbing, glacier walking and mountain trekking.

Executive Officer
The appointed officer of the NZMGA whose responsibility is the day to day running of the association. All initial enquiries and monies paid are done through the Executive Officer.

IFMGA
International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations. Also known as UIAGM (Union Internationale des Associations des Guides de Montagne). NZMGA is a member and sets its training and certification standards at the level of this international body.

NZMGA
New Zealand Mountain Guides Association.

NZMGA Course
Any of the training courses run by NZMGA for training and assessment in the disciplines of skiing, climbing, or glacier guiding.

NZSIA
New Zealand Ski Instructors Alliance.

Participant
A person attending an NZMGA course for training and assessment.

Professional Guidelines
NZMGA’s guidelines to its members of their working limitations and responsibilities to their association.

Supervising Guide
An IFMGA Mountain Guide or NZMGA Ski or Climbing Guide acting in a supervisory role within the training programme.

Supervision Guidelines
NZMGA’s guidelines to its members on the work supervision requirements built into the system.

Technical Subcommittee
Those members of the NZMGA Executive Committee who are IFMGA Guides.

Technical syllabus
The instruction syllabus determined by NZMGA.

Terrain Guidelines
NZMGA’s guidelines to its members of the terrain limitations of each level of qualification.

Training Officer
The appointed officer of NZMGA whose responsibility is the administration of NZMGA courses.

Course Fees and Bookings

Bookings

A booking on an NZMGA course is only valid when:

• A deposit of $NZ500 has been paid to the NZMGA.
• All course prerequisites have been met to the Training Officer’s satisfaction.

Valid bookings are usually accepted in chronological order. There may be some adjustments made at the discretion of the Training Officer.

Deposits and course fees are non-refundable. NZMGA recommends that participants insure against loss of deposit and course fees. Should a candidate withdraw outside 8 weeks before the course starts the deposit may be held over, but for the next available course only.

Courses may be cancelled at any time by the Committee if there are insufficient numbers to make the course viable. In such cases, a full refund will be given.

Fees

Course fees are set by the course director assisted by the Executive Officer and the Training Officer. They are payable in full eight weeks before the course starts.

The course budget is to be set for the course to run on a non-profit basis after a levy (set by the Committee) is made to cover the cost of the Training Officer and administration expenses. Costs are therefore not finalised until approximately 2 months before the course date. For 2010/11 an indicative cost is $NZ250 per day. Short course costs include both access and food; longer courses (14 days) include access only. Food preparation is an assessable item on these longer courses so candidates are expected to supply the food they will prepare for course members.

Participants on their first NZMGA Guides Course are charged the course fee plus the following:

• A levy to cover NZMGA badges.
• An NZMGA subscription. This will apply to the current year unless the course occurs within six months of the end of the financial year (31 March) in which case only half the annual subscription is charged.

These extra charges are refunded if the participant does not pass the course.

Documents

These files are in  PDF format.

Course Enrolment Form

• Climbing Guide Pathway Application 2010.pdf
• Ski Guide Application Pathway 2010.pdf
• IFMGA Pathway Application.pdf
• Climbing_Guide_2_Application
• Ski Guide2
• Guides and the Avalanche Training Progression NZMGA

Training Officer, Trainers and Assessors

Training Officer

The Committee appoints a Training Officer who is responsible for:

• Answering queries regarding NZMGA courses, along with the Administrative Officer.
• Advising the Committee on the scheduling and running of NZMGA courses.
• Processing course applications to ensure that applicants meet course prerequisites, along with the Administrative Officer. If there is any doubt that an applicant meets course prerequisites, the decision is at the Technical Subcommittee’s discretion on the advice of the Training Officer.
• Providing a list of eligible participants to the appointed Course Director.
• Maintaining a waitlist of course applicants in case of cancellations or postponements.
• Providing logistical support to the Course Director.
• Advising the Technical Subcommittee on the ratification of all course results and changes of a guide’s status.

Trainers/assessors

The Committee appoints trainers/assessors.

• There are two trainers/assessors on a course, with a maximum ratio of one trainer/assessor to three participants. Exceptions are:
  • Snow & Ice Course, Rock Course and Ski Guiding Training Course where one trainer and a maximum ratio of one to four is allowed. The main focus of these courses is guiding skills training.
  • Technical Ski Assessment, only one assessor is necessary for up to six participants.
• Rock Exam, only one assessor is necessary for up four participants.
• For all NZMGA courses they must be qualified and have practised in a professional capacity for three years as an IFMGA Mountain Guide before becoming an assistant trainer/assessor.
• Both the course director and the assistant must have at least 200 days practical work experience in the type of guiding that the course is concerned with, preferably with some overseas experience.
• Course directors must have first worked as assistants on the same type of course.

The Committee advertises by email for applications for specific courses from IFMGA guides to train and assess on courses and then selects the applicants it considers most suitable.

The course director is responsible to the Committee via the Training Officer for the preparation of a budget and course programme. The Administrative Officer has a standard budget.

It is preferred that the Technical Ski Assessor be NZSIA Stage 2 qualified or overseas equivalent. They must also be members of the NZMGA to ensure that they are in touch with the Association’s standards.

Trainers/assessors are responsible to the Committee for:

• Running the course safely and efficiently, covering and assessing as many topics as is practicable.
• Training and assessing as per the guidelines set out in the Analysis of Topics.
• Providing a written assessment of each participant, containing conclusions and recommendations as per the marking schedules.
• Providing a written course report, outlining daily activities, assessments, and recommendations for future courses.
• Noting any topics that were not assessed.
• Setting the course budget and the participant fees.
• Running the course to budget.

Equivalent Courses

Technical Ski Course
A successful pass on the Personal skiing evaluation section of the NZSIA Stage 1 Course or other overseas equivalent will be accepted as an equivalent pass to a Technical Ski Course, subject to ratification by the Technical Subcommittee.

Advanced (Pre-Hospital Emergency Care) First Aid Course
This course must be at least 40 hours long and be offered by a recognised First Aid authority. To be current it must have been revalidated with a 16 hour refresher course within the last three years.

Avalanche Level 1 Course
This course must be at least seven days long, cover an introduction to snow pack and weather observations, snow metamorphism, snow mechanics, terrain analysis, avalanche terrain travel skills, stability and hazard analysis, and avalanche rescue.

Avalanche Level 2 Course
This course must be at least seven days long and examine participants to a standard that they can effectively and safely manage a snow safety programme for either a back country ski operation or a ski area operation. It must have a high standard of observational, interpretive, and personal organisational skills.