SUI Training

The SUI has been actively involved in promoting safe caving practice since its inception. Since the mid 1990’s it has had a formal training scheme for cave leaders. In more recent years the SUI has broadened its training to include individual skills such as SRT, Ladders and Lifelines, Geology, First Aid, Cave Surveying etc.

SUI Training Framework

The SUI operates an extensive training programme which covers leadership as well as individual caving skills. These are run throughout the year at several locations around the country. The individual courses are outlined below.

For more details on dates and bookings please contact training@caving.ie

Leadership Pathway

The SUI Leadership Pathway operates with a logbook system, the training team will look at your logbook to establish your experience level and practice between courses and in preparation for assessment. A template digital logbook is available here (SUI Digital Logbook) for use by any caver.

Cave Skills

Cave Leader 1

Cave Leader 2

  • Leadership
  • Anchors
  • Surface Navigation
  • Ladders & Lifelines
  • Deep Water
  • Surveying Caves
  • Geology
  • Risk Assessment
  • Assisted Rescue

Cave Instructor Cert

  • Leadership
  • Risk Assessment
  • Cave Formation
  • Cave Conservation
  • Cave Access
  • Guide Books and Surveys
  • Surface Navigation
  • Equipment (personal)
  • SRT Equipment
  • SRT Rigging and Rescue
  • Organising cave parties
  • Accidents underground
  • First Aid underground
  • Hypothermia / Exhaustion
  • Weather / Flooding

Cave Skills

The aim of the course is to make participants aware of safe practices in caving.

It is intended as a pre-requisite for all SUI training courses and so will cover essential aspects of safe caving from the point of view of personal safety and cave conservation.

Prerequisites

This training course is open to any person with some experience of the cave environment who wants to learn more about safe caving practice. Participants should bring their own personal caving equipment: helmet, light and suitable clothing.

Course content

The course duration is one weekend and includes:

  • Understanding and conservation of the cave environment.
  • Knowledge and suitability of personal equipment (lighting, helmets etc) .
  • Underground hazards and risk assessment.
  • Group safety equipment and rescue procedures.
  • Weather and caving. Cave surveys.

Staffing

Core staff will be CL 1 holders.

Teaching methods: lectures, demonstrations, presentations, discussions, role play.

Course assessment and certification

Successful completion of the course is based on continuous assessment of caving skills underground and a written assessment completed at the end of the course.

Cave Leader 1 (CL1)

The CL 1 is designed as a qualification for School Teachers, Voluntary Youth Leaders and Centre Instructors who would be introducing novices to caving at a basic level.

As such it addresses the issues of leadership specific to the cave environment

The course is not designed as a personal caving skills course.

Prerequisites

Participants must have completed the Cave Skills course. They should be able to show evidence of personal caving over at least a one year period. They should bring their own personal caving equipment: helmet, light and suitable clothing, and have access to suitable group safety equipment. Participants must ensure that they hold SUI membership including insurance prior to attending the course.

Course content

The course duration is one weekend and includes:

  • Leadership skills and group dynamics
  • Observation of a group being taken caving
  • Incidents and responses
  • Child protection issues
  • Cave selection and risk assessment for a group

Staffing

Core staff will be CL 1 holders.

Teaching methods: lectures, demonstrations, presentations, discussions, role play.

Course assessment and certification

Assessment takes place when sufficient experience has been accumulated in personal caving skills and underground leadership skills. The duration is one evening and the following day and contains three sections: a written paper, observation of the candidate working with a group of their choice, and assessment of the candidate’s personal skills.

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