DIVINGFORALL
Kitting up and getting ready to dive in Llanberis
Making scuba accessible
What do we need to know about Diving for All , and how can clubs get more involved ? North West Regional Coach Samantha Clarke explains
Could your club accommodate a member of the public with special educational needs , or a disability ? What about letting a qualified diver who has a disability join your club ? Do you feel ill-equipped to teach a person with a disability ? Feel you can ’ t because you have
34 no Diving for All ( DfA ) instructors ? Not sure if the pool access is sufficient ? Maybe fear of the unknown ?
With more than 11 million people in the UK living with a long-term illness or disability , there is a high chance that at some point you will receive a request to
The author , unable to stop smiling at her return to the water
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE BARNARD join , either from a disabled diver , or a potential member who has a disability .
What do they get from being a member of a club ? The same as any other member – learning to dive , other training , socialising , forming a group of lifelong buddies to go on trips and day dives , and everything else that comes with being a BSAC member .
How can your club help to make diving accessible to everyone ?
You can welcome them , the same as everyone else . Any instructor can teach a person to dive but , how do you know whether that person needs extra help , or what adaptions they may need ? Well , as everyone is different , it ’ s simple … you ask ! After all , this is what we would do with any diver – disabled or not ! In most instances , if you feel there is no need for