Local Cave Mine Leader Award

British Caving Association Training and Assessment Courses

The Local Cave Mine Leaders Scheme’s level one and level two, are the bench mark qualifications for people leading novice groups in a professional capacity underground. The scheme is also very useful for volunteers wishing to acquire and demonstrate to authorities they have been independently assessed as competent to lead novices underground. The main considerations of the scheme are equally the safety of the group and the conservation and understanding of a fragile environment.

The idiosyncratic nature of British caves means each area within the UK requires both area and site specific assessments. However with appropriate experience over time candidates can be assessed for more than one area. The Local Cave Mine Leader Award is not a basic or introductory caving course, but training and assessment courses designed to teach participants already experienced with the underground the specialist skills in leading others.

The schemes stages are as follows:

• Personal Cave / Mine experience
• Enrolment
• Training
• Consolidation
• Assessment
• Issue of an award

Candidates are required to register with the BCA prior to the course, details can be found online at www.british-caving.org.uk or from

The Training Administrator
Mary Wilde
37 Jackson Road
Matlock
DE4 3JQ

trainingadmin@british-caving.org.uk

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level One Training

Training courses are scheduled and advertised or by independent arrangement.

Duration: New extended Derbyshire course = 3 days
Trainer ratio: 1 to 6 max. No minimums
Pre requisites: Personally competence with at least 12 cave or mine trips. 18 years or older. Registered on the BCA’s Local Cave and Mine Leader Scheme

The training course is an important part of the scheme, giving candidates a clear view of the standard required to lead groups of novice’s underground. It covers the technical skills of party management, emergency scenarios, equipment, conservation ethos, basic geology and hydrology and other vital areas of the syllabus.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one month’s notice is required for all training courses

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level Two Training

Training courses are scheduled and advertised or by independent arrangement.

Duration: New extended course = 3 days
Trainer ratio: 1 to 4 max. No minimums
Pre requisites: Personally competence with at least 12 cave or mine trips including some vertical systems, proficient in S.R.T. 18 years or older. Registered on the BCA’s Local Cave and Mine Leader Scheme. Ideally completed level 1 assessments

The training course covers the leadership skills for simple vertical systems explored with ladders and abseils on pitches up to 18 metres or 60 feet high. Equipment suitability and use along with hazard awareness and incident management are covered. SRT can be used by the leader only, if they have been assessed. Those wishing to undertake more ambitious objectives should register for the Cave Instructor Certificate Scheme.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one month’s notice is required for all training courses

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level One Assessments

Module 1 Cave Core skills
Assessor ratio: 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 max
Pre requisites: 30 underground trips a proportion should be as the leader under supervision.

With a home theory paper and practical assessment, the areas of group personal clothing and equipment, weather and flooding, action in underground accidents, underground first aid and hypothermia, technical leadership skills for non vertical systems, knowledge of underground hazards, access and conservation, cave geology and hydrology are covered.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one weeks notice is required for all assessments.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

 

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level One Assessments

Module 6 Mine Core skills (transfer)
Assessor ratio: 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 max
Pre requisites: 30 underground trips a proportion should be as the leader under supervision.

Over a home theory paper and practical assessment the areas of group personal clothing and equipment, weather and flooding, action in underground accidents, underground first aid and hypothermia, technical leadership skills for non vertical systems, knowledge of mine hazards, access conservation and mines inspections the law, mine history, techniques and geology are covered.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one weeks notice is required for all assessments.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level One Assessments

Module 2 Group Leadership
Assessor ratio: 1 to 1 max
Pre requisites: 30 underground trips a proportion should be as the leader under supervision.

A practical assessment with a group looking at group leadership skills, assistant selection, public relations, organisation and preparation, party conduct, conservation, call out procedure, suitability of venue and equipment.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one weeks notice is required for all assessments.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level Two Assessments

Module 3 Vertical Skills
Assessor ratio: 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 max
Pre requisites: 30 underground trips including vertical pitches a proportion should be as the leader under supervision.

Candidates are assessed on ladder and lifeline rope techniques and their knowledge of equipment and its limitations. Personal equipment uses, rigging equipment uses, strategies for assisting party members in need of help, organisation of group abseils underground with a knowledge of hazards associated with vertical techniques in caves and mines.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one weeks notice is required for all assessments.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level Two Assessments

Module 4 Group Leadership
Assessor ratio: 1 to 1
Pre requisites: 30 underground trips including vertical pitches a proportion should be as the leader under supervision

With a novice group, the candidates are assessed on good judgments of the group’s abilities and suitability of the venue. Pre trip preparation and organization. The competency of any assistance, venue access, conservation and general party management underground.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one weeks notice is required for all assessments.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

Go To Enquiry Form

Local Cave Mine Leader : Level Two Assessments

Module 5 Single Rope Technique progression for the leader (optional)
Assessor ratio: 1 to 2
Pre requisites: 30 underground trips including vertical pitches a proportion should be as the leader under supervision.

The LCML scheme does not cover the leading and teaching of Single Rope Technique but assesses the personal skills of the leader in using this advanced technique as a personal protection system.
Topics such as personal equipment and pitch rigging fluency will be assessed along with improvised equipment in the event of necessity.

BCA Mandate: A minimum of one weeks notice is required for all assessments.
All assessment courses are by arrangement, please contact me for details.

Go To Enquiry Form

Pre-Assessment Experience

The minimum experience expected before a candidate may progress to assessment is as follows: –

For Level 1: candidates who are ready for assessment at LCMLA Level 1 will have experience amounting to an absolute minimum of: –

• One years caving with at least 30 trips in at least 10 different systems across at least 2 different regions.
• 5 of these trips should be quality days.
• A proportion of these trips should be as a leader under supervision.
• Some trips may be above and beyond the remit of level 1.

 

For those wanting a mines award the minimum experience is: –

• One year mining with at least 30 trips including 5 quality trips in mines of different types, i.e. metal, stone and /or slate.
• A proportion of these should be as a leader under supervision.
• Some trips may be above and beyond the remit of level 1.

 

For Level 2 an additional 30 underground trips all of which should be in vertical cave systems.

5 of these should be quality days.

 

Definition Of Quality Days

A quality day should satisfy at least 4 of the following criteria: –

1. Exploration of a new route or cave (new to the candidate that is),
2. Incorporates at least 4 to 5 hours of underground exploration.
3. An experience that develops an individuals caving knowledge, skills and awareness.
4. Incorporates caving skills above the level of the candidate’s qualification.
5. Of the candidates own making i.e. the candidate is to lead the trip, or it is one done with peers and not led by an external source.
6. For level 1, involves the application of vertical skills, digging or exploration. For level 2 an extension of vertical skills, digging or exploration.

Exploration of caves with a streamway that responds to rainfall.

Useful Videos For Aspirant Instructors

Outdoor Assessments  – Top Tips

Outdoor Leadership Theories – C.L.A.P.S. and S.A.F.E.