Skills Maintenance Will Look Different This Year…

Important Changes to Skills Maintenance

Dear members,

All patrolling members, including instructors and water safety personnel, are required to complete Skills Maintenance annually by 31 December to ensure their awards remain current and valid for the season. Point Lonsdale SLSC is hosting Skills Maintenance sessions on

• Saturday 6 December 2025

• Sunday 7 December 2025

These sessions are now LIVE on the LSV Member Training Portal.

However… please read on, as there are some important changes this year.

‘Lifesaving CPR’ (LCPR) is being rolled out nationwide this year for Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC), Bronze Medallion and Advanced Resuscitation Techniques (ART) award holders––this is mandatory for all members.

More information can be found in the LSV circular.

This means that all Skills Maintenance sessions will also include a 2-hour practical rotation for LCPR.

Skills Maintenance sessions this year will run for a minimum of 3.5–4.5 hours (depending on the session). Sessions will be spaced out across the weekend and will not run concurrently like previous years.

Given that PLSLSC may have hundreds of members in attendance, we require your full cooperation and adherence to the following instructions and timetable.

BRONZE AND SURF RESCUE CERTIFICATE HOLDERS

Will need to enrol in one of four dedicated, expedited sessions on:

• Saturday 6 December at either 11:15 am or 12:45 pm, or

• Sunday 7 December at either 11:15 am or 12:45 pm

Arrive in dry gear, where you will be informed whether you will be completing wet or dry rotations first.

DO NOT enrol in a session with ART and IRB skills available if you do not hold those awards, as your enrolment will be cancelled, and it may not be possible to re-book you.

ADVANCED RESUSCITATION TECHNIQUES (ART), FIRST AID (FA) & IRB CREW and DRIVER Holders (in addition to Bronze)

Will need to enrol in one of two dedicated, longer sessions on either:

• Saturday 6 December at 8:30 am

• Sunday 7 December at 8:30 am

If you hold an ART or FA award completed within the last 3 years, a Resuscitation (HLTAID009) training course will follow the LCPR rotation.

Arrive in dry gear as you will complete dry rotations before wet rotations.

Maintaining ART/FA Awards

To keep an ART or FA from within the last 3 years current, you must also enrol in the ‘Resuscitation’ course under the ‘Search Courses’ tab.

If you are only re-qualifying your Bronze Medallion or SRC, do not enrol in this Resuscitation course.

Online Theory (eLearning):

The online theory is assumed knowledge for practical activities and MUST be completed PRIOR to attending your Skills Maintenance practical session. On the day, members will be turned away at check-in if the eLearning is incomplete.

• Log in to the LSV Member Training Portal using your SLS Hub account login details.

• Click the ‘Skills Maintenance’ tab, then the ‘Complete e-Learning’ button, enrol in the relevant modules (e.g., Bronze Medallion), and complete all required eLearning.

How to Book Your Practical Skills Maintenance Session

Ensure you have renewed your membership as you must be an active (financial) member for the 2025/26 season.

You can book via the LSV Member Training Portal by clicking the ‘Skills Maintenance’ tab and the ‘Book Practical’ button.

Step-by-step instructions can be found on the Club website.

Due to the IT systems, capped group sizes, and assumed knowledge from the eLearning, WALK-INS or SWAPS will not be accepted.

I can’t make the dates offered by PLSLSC…

Members can complete Skills Maintenance at any club in Victoria––these sessions can be booked on the LSV Member Training Portal. For example, Ocean Grove is offering sessions on

• Sunday 14 December 2025

• Sunday 28 December 2025

BBQ

There will be a BBQ sausage sizzle to thank members completing Skills Maintenance and our volunteer assessors from approximately 11:15 am until 1:45 pm.

Further Information

For more information on our course offerings for this season, click here.

If you have any questions or experience issues, check out our FAQs here or email the Training & Assessment Team at training@plslsc.com.au well before your scheduled practical session.

We look forward to seeing you at Skills Maintenance this season.

Kind regards,

Justine Cain, Charlie Gough & Sam Murray

Point Lonsdale Training & Assessment Team