A certified YMCA Divemaster provides on-site leadership for groups of certified divers during recreational sport diving or for students during training under the direct supervision of the YMCA SCUBA Instructor. Divemasters conduct tours and supervise diving activities. Divemasters can work at dive resorts, on dive boats, and in dive shops all over the world.

Assistant Instructor

YMCA Assistant Instructor certification is a required step in the development toward YMCA SCUBA Instructor. Assistant Instructors may teach the YMCA Snorkeling and Skin Diving courses. During the Open Water course, Assistant Instructors assist in classroom training, pool training, and the open water dives under the direct supervision of the Instructor.

Instructor

In 1959, the YMCA developed SCUBA training standards for instructors. These standards remain the most thorough and comprehensive in the diving industry today.

When it comes to SCUBA certification, trust is an important aspect of training. YMCA SCUBA Instructors follow the philosophy of the YMCA, while building self-esteem and nurturing personal growth in divers. YMCA leadership prides itself with maintaining values. In a sport such as SCUBA diving, it is important for those participating to have values, good moral character, and ethics. YMCA SCUBA Instructors instill character development in their students by promoting caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility during dive training.

Instructor certification permits an individual to teach SCUBA students how to become competent divers. The Instructor promotes safe diving and upholds the standards of YMCA SCUBA. The Instructor also teaches many specialty and leadership courses.

Phase Training Overview

YMCA SCUBA has a three phase training sequence that leads to SCUBA Instructor. Each of these leadership institutes follows the same outline regardless of where it is offered. Candidates may then attend institute phases at different locations.

Instructor crossovers from another agency are usually combined with Phase III institutes as the prerequisites and requirements are very similar.

Instructors interested in crossover requirements should review the description of Phase III in this discussion, and then email omnidive@omnidivers.com for more information.

Phase I Advanced Training for Leadership

This phase provides you with information on advanced diving, YMCA SCUBA and the additional requirements and preparation required for further leadership training. A pool session reviews basic skills and previews the pool teaching requirements for the other phases.

Prerequisites:
• 17 years of age or older
• 15 logged dives
• medical questionnaire
• statement of understanding/waiver release

Institute staff present lectures on teaching techniques and various subjects of the entry-level course. Your diving knowledge is tested with a written exam, and your presentation technique is evaluated when you give a short talk typical of an entry-level course. An open water session evaluates your ability to rescue a diver and conduct a tour dive as you may be called upon to do during a checkout dive. This phase prepares you to take a more active role in the training of SCUBA students while working with a SCUBA Instructor. You may also gain experience by teaching the YMCA Safe Snorkeling and Skin Diving courses.

Prerequisites:
• Phase I completion
• 18 years of age or older
• attend/observe at least an Open Water diver course
• medical exam
• current CPR and First Aid
• Oxygen Administration
• Dive Activities Management specialty course
• S.L.A.M. course (or S.L.A.M. crossover if Rescue Diver from another agency)
• current YMCA SCUBA Standards & Procedures Manual

What you have learned during Phase I and II, the teaching experience you have gained as an Assistant Instructor and your additional study and preparation are evaluated during this phase. You must take several written exams, be evaluated on your classroom and pool teaching techniques, demonstrate proficiency in pool and open water skills and conduct a mock open water checkout dive with the staff playing the role of your students. Additional staff lectures cover the administrative aspects of being a YMCA SCUBA Instructor.

Prerequisites:
• completion of Phase I and II or current instructor with a nationally-recognized SCUBA certification agency
• 18 years of age or older
• current medical exam
• current CPR and First Aid
• current Oxygen Administration
• at least one year of diving experience since entry-level certification
• documented 100 logged SCUBA dives
• documented 15 hours of lecture experience
• documented proof of assisting with at least three separate open water class checkouts
• a complete classroom and pool teaching outline for entry-level SCUBA class you plan to teach
• S.L.A.M. Rescue Diver (or S.L.A.M. crossover if Rescue Diver from another agency)
• current YMCA SCUBA Standards and Procedures Manual

For more information about leadership training, contact omnidive@omnidivers.com.

Please check:

• Omni Divers Blog, the discussion on YMCA Scuba Instructor Institute
• YMCA SCUBA website on SCUBA Instructor training
• for a list of all of the prerequisities