How to Become an Accredited Centre

Anyone wishing to become an Accredited Centre needs to be able to demonstrate that they meet the centre criteria and complete the Accredited Centre Application Pack. This criteria includes having access to the appropriate wet and dry side facilities, having the appropriate policies and procedures in place to deal with a range of issues like complaints, and health and safety concerns, having the appropriate insurance to cover the running of a course at the facilities you may be using and to be able to handle and protect documents that need to be secured under the data protection act.

The benefits to becoming an Accredited Centre are:

• Accredited Centres will be accredited to deliver and assess qualifications leading to SI qualifications as of 1st September 2009.
• SI Accredited Centres will be provided with a certificate recognising their approved statu
• All Accredited Centres will be advertised on the SI website and prospective candidates will be directed as appropriate.
• Candidates wishing to achieve an SI qualification will only be able to do so at an Accredited
• CSI will provide each Accredited Centre with regular communications.Accredited Centres will be part of a nationally recognized qualification network.
• Accredited Centres will be recognized by National organizations: The Irish Sports Council & Northern Ireland Sports Council as working in partnership with SI.
• Candidates achieving SI qualifications through Accredited Centres will benefit from any external funding received by SI.
• Accredited Centres and candidates will benefit from an improved profile as a result of working in partnership with SI.
• Candidates receiving SI qualifications will be recognized throughout the UK as having in receipt of a relevant qualification.

The initial application process has been designed to make the application straightforward and quick.  The process will be paper based in the respect that it will not require a visit for initial approval to be granted although SI retains the right to visit any centre as part of the approval process.  At any time approval can be withdrawn with immediate effect should the detail provided as part of the application process subsequently be found to be incorrect.

What Next?

If you are interested in becoming an Approved Centre for the delivery and assessment of courses leading to a SI Certificate we request that you complete the ‘Accredited Centre Pack’. Once completed please return it to the SI office as indicated.

Ensuring quality is an important aspect of any business or service and is critical to effective training and development. The SI Centre Accredited Centre process will build upon the excellent provision and practice which already exists and will be used to direct potential candidates to places where quality delivery and assessment can be guaranteed.

If you have any queries regarding the above please do not hesitate to contact your SI Regional Development Officer.

 Swim_Ireland_Accredited_Training_Centre_Information_Pack_June_2009.pdf