Note: Registration and accreditation are two separate and distinct processes.
Registration is for individuals and Accreditation applies to organisations or businesses.

You are encouraged to read the NOLRS Registration Workbook which provides an overview of NOLRS and registration process.

Applicants for registration will need to be able to demonstrate their skills and knowledge are current, hold a current senior first aid certificate and agree to abide by the NOLRS Codes of Ethics and Practice. Once gained, registration will be valid for a period of three years, during which a record of activity should be kept to assist with the re-registration process.

Training and assessment will by undertaken by Registered Training Organisations, universities and other training organisations. The Scheme is not designed to train leaders, nor assess them, but to recognise leaders that have the existing skills and knowledge to meet a specific standard.

Click here for Activities and Levels currently recognised by NOLRS.

Having appraised the processes involved in NOLRS, it is necessary to determine what activity/ies and level of registration is most appropriately matched to your skill level. Then by reviewing the Registration Activity Clusters for all activities, determine what is required to achieve that level of registration. The Activity Clusters which may be downloaded below, provide details of the tasks and responsibiliites of leaders for each activity and each level, as well as outline the skill and competence requirements for each.

• Activity Clusters for Registration (full document)
• Bushwalking
• Abseiling Natural Surfaces
• Abseiling Artificial Surfaces
• Climbing Artificial Surfaces
• Challenge Ropes Courses

Registration may be achieved via one, or a combination of three different pathways:-

• PATHWAY 1
  Present a Statement of Attainment that indicates competency in the required units of competency for a specific activity and level. Individuals who have completed a Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in Outdoor Recreation/Education/Tourism after November 1998 may be eligible for automatic registration. This will depend on whether the competencies comprising the minimum clusters necessary for registration were successfully completed in the course.
  
  
• PATHWAY 2
  Present a qualification or some other formal "in-house" certification that has been mapped as achieving outcomes equivalent to the required units of competency. Individuals who have completed training and assessment through a formal non-VET training process (eg. universities, "in-house") and have achieved skills and knowledge equivalent to the benchmark competencies. These individuals may be eligible for automatic registration if their training organisation meets minimum criteria and has formally documented a mapping of their courses, demonstrating equivalence to the NOLRS competency requirements, and submitted the mapping to the Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA). ORIC will be able to provide information on mapped courses, which have been approved for equivalence or partial equivalance.
  
  Use the Competency Matrix to determine which units of competency, taken from the National Outdoor Recreation Training Package SR003, are required for each level of leader, within each activity, in NOLRS.
  
  The Mapping Document is a useful tool to convert qualifications from previous versions of the Outdoor Recreation Training Package to the current version, SR003.
  
  
• PATHWAY 3
  Undergo a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process such as an ORIC Peer Recognition Workshop, to confirm that current skills and knowledge are equivalent to the required units of competency. Individuals who have completed VET training prior to 1998, or who have completed training, which has not been mapped, or who have not had any formal assessment of their skills and knowledge will need to go through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

NOLRS uses the recognition process to match existing skills and knowledge to the units of competency required for registration. This assessment can occur independent of additional study or training. The skills and knowledge being assessed may come from a range of sources including previous studies, work experience and life experience. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will generally be required by those seeking to become registered leaders via Pathway 3. You may seek recognition individually through a Registered Training Organisation or participate in a Peer Recognition Workshop.

Click on Peer Recognition to find out more about the Recognition Process and ORIC Peer Recognition Workshops, or to view a powerpoint presentation by clicking NOLRS and Peer Recognition Process.

Workshops are run periodically, and are an excellent way for members to maintain the professional and ethical nature of their business by ensuring their employees conform to industry standards.

Recognition tools and a RPL process have been developed to assist applicants. Recognition tools format a unit of competency in such a way as to provide the applicant with guidance regarding evidence requirements for that specific unit of competency.

Evidence submitted for this process should be valid, current (majority less than 3 years old), be sufficient enough to make a judgement on competence and be authentic.

Various types of evidence may be provided.

• Direct Evidence : obtained when an assessor observes actual performance in a workplace, or via videos or by examining products made.
  
• Indirect Evidence : gained through projects, simulations and role-plays.
  
• Supplementary Evidence : allows the assessor to infer competency through written or oral questioning, tests done off-the-job or testimonials from third party sources.
  

The NOLRS Scheme is constantly being reviewed and expanded. Already registered NOLRS Leaders are encouraged to visit the re-registration requirements for their activities and provide feedback and comments to ORIC.