Affiliated Membership

Affiliated Membership is for outdoor operators who:

• rely on a skilled pool of instructors or guides
• have instructors or guides operating unsupervised under a safety management plan
• have a staff or volunteer team of more than 3  

• Outdoor operator registers online under one of the three pricing tiers depending on how many guides or instructors they have
• Training and Assessment needs get discussed and scheduled
• Guides and Instructors become qualified
• Every four years, guides and instructors revalidate their qualifications
• Guides and Instructors with a NZOIA 1 qualification can apply to be a Leader Assessor

Getting Qualified

Leader Assessments can be delivered through the Free Range Assessment model or with assistance from NZOIA under the Custom Assessment model.

A Free Range Assessment is when the operators liaise directly with a NZOIA Assessor. They negotiate the fee, time and location with the assessor. To find out more about how to set up a Free Range assessment click here.

A Custom Course on the other hand is where the operator approaches NZOIA with the number of staff they would like to qualify and NZOIA will liaise with the assessor/s and organise logistics for the course. This is the preferred option for those wanting to qualify more than eight staff/volunteers at once. To find out more about how to set up a Custom Assessment click here.

The tiered pricing structure is dependent on the number of staff who already hold current Leader qualification(s) and those who will be assessed within the membership year.

What happens when staff change from season to season? 

Employers can manage the staff on their Affiliated Membership by adding new employees when they arrive or taking them off when they leave. If the number of staff exceeds the limit on their Affiliated Membership, outdoor operators can upgrade to the next tier. 

What benefits do I get as an Affiliated Member?

• The NZOIA magazine ‘The Quarterly’
• The weekly newsletter ‘NZOIA 4YA’
• Access to discounts on publications and products stocked by NZOIA
• Access to discounted Training Courses
• The right to apply to be an NZOIA Assessor/Trainer
• Use of the NZOIA logo

As an employer with Affiliated Membership, what do I need to ensure?

• NZOIA communications (i.e. 4YA and Quarterly) are accessible to all staff. This is our way of keeping members informed of the latest industry updates.
• When staff depart, they receive information about revalidating their qualification and renewing membership if they wish to retain their qualification.

When staff leave, what options do they have to retain their qualification?

They can either become registered under another outdoor operators Affiliated Membership or register as an individual member with NZOIA.

Is there any funding available that you know of for getting staff or volunteers NZOIA qualified?

Depending on what type of business/organisation you are, there are community groups who offer support for things like assessment fees. It is a matter of approaching your local groups ie Lions Foundation and Rotary Clubs to see how to apply for these types of grants.

I work for an outdoor provider that I think would benefit from Affiliated Membership. Are there ways that staff and employers can share the cost?

Yes, it is possible to share the cost of membership and assessment fees. This is something that would need to be negotiated with your employer.