New Zealand Search and Rescue Training Framework
The NZSAR training framework provides a comprehensive training structure for New Zealand’s SAR Sector. It will help individuals and organisations build greater connections, particularly during search and rescue operations (SAROPs).
Background
Historically New Zealand’s Search and Rescue sector has operated as a community of independent organisations, albeit with some well-formed partnerships and arrangements.
With the establishment of the NZSAR Council, Consultative Committee and Secretariat, the SAR community now has an organisational umbrella which has access to links, information, ideas and strategies that could benefit the collective SAR effort.
The NZSAR Council commissioned report, Improving Search and rescue outcomes through inter-agency collaboration and training found that SAR in New Zealand would benefit significantly if sector organisations and individuals were able to communicate better, share their expertise and resources, plan and train together and commit to working together with goodwill.
NZSAR Training Core Curriculum for Interagency Training
At the heart of the NZSAR integrated training framework is the NZSAR Training Core Curriculum which has been developed under contract to the NZSAR Council. There are already many courses and other training activities offered throughout the SAR community. Every organisation has its own approach to promoting competence and development amongst its staff and members, and there are many ‘public’ courses designed to increase operational skills.
The Training Core Curriculum does not interfere with any of that, rather it brings together the essence of several existing courses, adding a strategic level that overarches what is on offer already.
The core curriculum delivers a platform that supports the development (or redevelopment) of providers’ courses in a cohesive, integrated way. It can be downloaded here http://searchandrescuecouncil.org.nz/publications/203-training-and-education .
Training Advisory Panel
Another part of the framework is a Training Advisory Panel. This is not intended to be a permanent fixture but rather a list of experienced and respected SAR specialists from across the sector - from academic, trainer, management or practitioner sources. These nominated panel members would be available to undertake advisory roles for organisations, for mentoring decision makers, to be SAREX advisers and analysts, to be ambassadors and use their international links, and to bring information and insights to issues or future directions for SAR.
The principle driving the Training Advisory Panel is that the knowledge, expertise and influence held by highly regarded people should be accessible to those who want to benefit from that knowledge. It also recognises that training is not just a matter of courses and exercises matched to trainees’ needs, but that on-job learning from an adviser or mentor can come via a single comment or a planned discussion.
Summary
The purpose of these two initiatives is to enhance training and arrangements that already exist and to address identified training gaps, so that a college of progressive thinking about SAR, backed up by a core curriculum of courses, can provide the sector’s leaders with a platform of expertise and good practice that they can use as they wish in their organisations.
Ultimately, though, it is the goodwill and contribution of the thousands of staff and volunteers who ‘bring them home’. Organisations must do all they can to support that effort, and well-targeted training activities make a significant contribution to that support.
