Safe Swim Defense/Safety Afloat

[aquaticeagle]

Hello everyone. I am a certified BSA Aquatics Instructor. Recently I have been asked to teach a group SSD/SA class at a regularly scheduled meeting. I am being asked what my fee is. I don't really know the answer to this. I have only ever taught before while working as an aquatics director at a camp and SSD/SA classes were a part of the program. I don't see the reason to make any profit off of the class but I guess I could charge something for the flyers pocket cert. cards. Any ideas? Sorry if this is in the wrong forum but I'm new here and it looked like the best place for my question. Thanks!

[John-in-KC]

Welcome to the Forums...

 

SSD/SA is actually an e-course on line at BSA's MyScouting online learning center.

 

The only cost I see are SSD and SA cards. If your DE or Council program director isn't willing to spring for those from inventory; I'd ask the Troop concerned (not the individuals) to pony up the dollars.

 

Otherwise, you can eat the $.

 

If you're going to do swimming and safety afloat stuff with your students, and that requires fees from you, reimbursement pro rata is, to me, inbounds. Of course, that's not a requirement of the SSD/SA training modules.

 

Have fun training them!

[aquaticeagle]

Yeah, I know it's an e-course but I've taken that and it doesn't really train you in my opinion. When I teach a class, it has a lot of specifics that aren't offered with the e-course. I teach about scout/leader ratios, info and PFDs, details about different scout aquatic programs, how to set up a safe swim area, etc. I don't just cover the SSD/SA points listed on the cards. I guess I'll just charge for the pocket cards themselves then. Thanks for the reply.

[John-in-KC]

Please allow me to clarify:

 

If you are providing materials or facilities which cost you to obtain, it's OK (to me)to pro rate costs among your students.

 

Is that a bit more clear?

[aquaticeagle]

Yes, I understood your first reply. I was just explaining why I think it's better to take an actual SSD/SA class than to just take the e-course. Thanks for your input. :-)

[Beavah]

I think it's nice of 'em to offer.

 

I think it's just fine for you to ask 'em to pay for all of your expenses - gas, lunch, cards, copying cost for handouts, etc. In fact, I think that's to be encouraged. Sometimes I reckon we take advantage of volunteers by expecting 'em to cover things themselves. That's fine for an occasional class or for those of us who can afford it, eh? But that isn't true for everyone. The expectation should be that we don't make a trainer pay any of da costs of training unless he/she volunteers to do so.

 

Off da cuff, I'm not aware of any prohibition on chargin' an hourly rate and such as an independent contractor; certainly most councils charge more for some training than cost of cards. But I think that's contrary to the spirit of the movement myself.

 

Beavah

 

[aquaticeagle]

I agree with you Beavah. I don't see any reason to make profit from these classes just like you said, contrary to the spirit of the movement. I'm just gonna charge what it costs me for the cards and fliers.

[FScouter]

I would really discourage the idea of a training presenter collecting a fee from participants. The training committee should be setting and collecting the fee, providing the materials, and reimbursing expenses. When I served as the district training chair, I bought all the materials available for both SSD and SA. There is a video tape ($15), SSD handout (25 cents) SA handout (15 cents) and a completion card for each (5 cents). The costs were paid through the district training budget. No training presenter was expected to pay for materials; they were asked to submit receipts and were then reimbursed. Some didn't bother to turn in receipts. The costs for SSD and SA are so minimal it never made sense to bother collecting a fee. Never was a trainer permitted to collect money direct from participants.

[aquaticeagle]

Good points, FScouter. Thanks for the input.

[frank10]

I'd ask them what they could offer me/my unit. Do they have an expert that could spend an hour at one of my meetings. Cash just seems "dirty".

If we started calculating the real cost of being leaders our spouses would kill us for signing up.