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SCUBA Diving for Schools

Learning to SCUBA dive programmes for school groups have been a great success at Dive HQ Christchurch.  I am currently working with an adventurous group from Christchurch Boys High School who will gain their Open Water Dive ticket along with NZQA credits.  The success of a group of students doing the course earlier in the year has encouraged another fantastic group to become divers, along with the encouragement of a former PADI Master Instructor (their teacher!). The course was offered as an extra curricula activity, so the students are meeting in their own time after school once a week.

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Learning to dive as a teenager has benefits beyond just earning the certification. Obviously there are associated risks when diving, learning to effectively manage these risks provides skills and increases a sense of responsibility.  Our group from Boys High are in their later school years however PADI dive courses can be done by children as young as ten years old.  Eight year old children can also have an experience of breathing underwater using SCUBA equipment with the PADI Bubble Maker Course.

As Dive Instructor at Dive HQ Christchurch, I have really enjoyed working with young people and seeing their confidence grow.  Many students are already really comfortable in the water and have a great enthusiasm to learn to dive.  Understandably there are a few nerves for some, as breathing underwater is a totally new experience, however, our learning environment in the pool is really supported and it’s fantastic to see the students overcome those nerves, and come up with big smiles on their faces.

The course involves theory and pool sessions and then we go to the open water.  The students learn all about safety and how to use their dive equipment, and there is even a bit of physics involved.

Along with doing a Diploma in SCUBA Instruction at Dive HQ Christchurch, I also completed a tertiary Degree in Education and have focused on Outdoor Education.  Through my experience, I have seen what great value there is in giving young people the opportunity to become comfortable in the outdoors, and develop a passion for outdoor sports and their environment at a young age.

Get SCUBA at your School!
If you would like see SCUBA diving as an extra curriculum activity at your/your child’s school, get in touch and have a chat about setting up a programme with us at Dive HQ Christchurch.

Louis Kimber
Dive Instructor
Dive HQ Christchurch
0800 DIVEHQ
www.diveskiworld.co.nz

 

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