The leadership and overall development of members increases the ability of SLSCs to deliver high-quality services and provides opportunities for members to develop both personally and professionally. In addition, it also increases each member’s value to the SLSC and their community.
Leadership development programs provide our members with the skills, networks and confidence to succeed both within Surf Life Saving, as well as externally in their work and personal lives.
Refer to the SLSNSW Website for more information on the latest development program opportunities for SLS members.
Youth Development
There may be youth development opportunities for members led by your branch or SLSNSW, such as:
- Branch leadership and rookie programs
- SLSNSW Junior Lifesaver of the Year Development program (JLOTY)
Duke of Edinburgh, Coastal Ambassadors and other external programs provide additional development opportunities in some SLSNSW branches for young members.
Adult Development Opportunities
There are also additional development opportunities for adults lead by SLSNSW and SLSA, such as:
- Volunteer Cultural Leadership program
- SLSA National Leadership College
- SLSA National Leadership Masterclass.
Other Development Opportunities
Many SLSCs take the initiative to create and implement their own development opportunities. These are a great way of meeting the requirements of your SLSC members. When planning a development opportunity, it is important to create a plan before its implementation to ensure the program meets its objectives and is deemed a success.
It may be useful for your SLSC to form an organising committee to plan your SLSC development program effectively. In some instances, a committee may already be in place to manage this process, for example, an SLSC youth committee.
Consider the following questions before conducting a development program.
- Why does the SLSC want to run a program—creating awareness, promoting networking, address a need?
- Who is the target audience – what ages, gender?
- When will the program be run – what time of the year, how long will the program run?
- Who will be involved – who will run the program, do you need chaperones, qualifications?
- How will the program be funded – do you have a budget, where does your money come from?
- Are guest speakers required?
- Where will the program be held – at the SLSC, campsite, what type of venue do you need?
- Could the program be run with neighbouring SLSCs to develop and benefit more members and build better communities?
- How will you capture and analyse feedback for assessment of the success of the program?
- What are the success criteria for the program to evaluate its success?