Minimum Requirements for NICAS Delivery

NICAS Wild Climbers (ages 3+)

Coach Pre-requisites:

Minimum staff qualifications or training are required to deliver the NICAS Wild Climbers content. This includes:

• Site-specific sign-off, which is competence-based relating to the environment. Requirements will correlate with the minimum requirements for that centre as per NICAS Climbing or NICAS Bouldering registration and approval.
• CWI training is a minimum requirement for Course Directors at roped climbing centres.
• Safeguarding training: as per NICAS Centre Handbook requirements for an approved centre.
• Wild Climbers induction (can be done online - see our induction calendar)
• Wild Climbers Workshop - this is not mandatory for walls that already deliver NICAS Climbing or NICAS Bouldering, but is strongly recommended as it will bring the games resource to life for coaches.

In summary, staff need to be competent, have appropriate safeguarding training, and have received a Wild Climbers induction as a minimum.

Facility/Centre Pre-requisites:

• Traverse wall or vertical climbing of 5 metres or more in height
• Appropriate safety surface
• Competent Person (CP) or Technical Advisor (TA)
• Operating procedure for working with children at a younger age
• Risk assessments
• Insurance

The centre needs to meet the same physical requirements as a NICAS accredited centre.

If your centre is not currently accredited for NICAS Climbing or NICAS Bouldering, coaches will need to have a full NICAS-led induction after having successfully applied and registered with NICAS to deliver NICAS Clip, NICAS Climbing Level 1 or NICAS Bouldering Level 1.

NICAS requires these items to be in place. NICAS is not responsible for seeing or signing off operating procedures or risk assessments; this is the responsibility of a site Technical Advisor (TA) or Facility Manufacturer (FM).

For all other wall and coach enquiries, including in-person workshop bookings, please get in touch at admin@nicas.co.uk

NICAS Clip (ages 6+)

Coach Pre-requisites:

• In-house sign-off for auto belays, including rescue training delivered by the centre's Technical Advisor (TA) or Facility Manufacturer (FM). (A CWI qualification is desirable.)
• Documented safeguarding training (in-house or online) that meets the minimum requirements listed on the NICAS safeguarding webpage: www.nicas.co.uk/safeguarding
• Attendance of the NICAS Clip Workshop (or a NICAS Clip induction for coaches at NICAS Accredited Centres)

Additionally coaches must:

• Be familiar with NICAS' aims, philosophy, syllabuses, assessment criteria and logbooks, and the NICAS Clip candidate registration process
• Be able to deliver a safety briefing
• Follow NICAS guidelines and the NICAS Clip syllabus
• Maintain accreditation standards and a safe working environment

Facility/Centre Pre-requisites:

The NICAS Clip programme can be delivered at an auto belay centre or at a climbing wall with a minimum of 4 auto-belays that have access to appropriately graded lines (F3/3+/4 etc). In addition, a NICAS Clip venue should have the following in place:

• Public Liability and Employers Liability insurance
• Annual inspection reports for the climbing structures, equipment and resources
• Risk Assessments and Standard Operating Procedures (approved by a TA or facility manufacturer)
• Appropriately qualified coaches (as listed in Coach Pre-requisites)
• Records of coach qualifications and in-house training
• Safeguarding Policy

A Course Director, who:

• Registers with NICAS and attends a NICAS Clip Workshop or a NICAS Clip induction
• Ensures scheme delivery standards
• Is responsible for delivering or arranging appropriate training and moderation of in-house and freelance/external coaches (using TA or FM if appropriate)
• Orders materials
• Arranges payment of annual renewal fee to NICAS
• Ensures that coaches, candidates (and/or parents) understand the NICAS Clip registration and certification process.

A Technical Advisor (TA) or Facility Manufacturer (FM), who:

• Is familiar with the NICAS Clip syllabus and has attended a NICAS Clip induction
• Delivers site-specific staff training (including assessment and sign-off)
• Creates and/or approves Operating Procedures and Risk Assessments
• Creates or reviews course design
• Confirms the centre has the appropriate physical and staff resources to deliver the NICAS Clip Scheme.

For all other wall and coach enquiries, including in person workshop bookings, please get in touch at admin@nicas.co.uk

NICAS Climbing (ages 7+)

NICAS Climbing coach requirements

In addition to a NICAS induction, coaches must also have completed the following qualifications or training:

LEVEL	COURSE DIRECTOR – ESSENTIAL MINIMUMS	IN-HOUSE COACH – ESSENTIAL MINIMUMS	EXTERNAL/FREELANCE COACH – ESSENTIAL MINIMUMS
1	CWI Trained + Site Specific Assessed	Site Specific Assessed	CWI Assessed
2	CWI Trained + Site Specific Assessed + FUNdas 1	Site Specific Assessed	CWI Assessed
3	CWI Assessed + FUNdas 1 & 2 or CWI Trained + Site Specific Assessed + Foundation Coach Assessed	Site Specific Assessed + FUNdas 1 or Foundation Coach Trained	CWI Assessed + FUNdas 1 & 2 or CWI Assessed + Foundation Coach Assessed
4	CWDI + Foundation Coach Assessed or CWI + Site Specific Assessed + Foundation Coach Assessed	CWI + FUNdas 1 & 2 + Site Specific Training or CWDI Trained + FUNdas 1 or CWDI Trained + Foundation Coach Trained	CWDI + Foundation Coach Assessed
5	CWDI + Development Coach Trained or RCI + CWDI Trained + Site Specific Assessed + Development Coach Trained	CWDI + Foundation Coach Assessed	Not available to external coaches*

*In some circumstances, which needs to be agreed with individual centres this may be possible. Contact NICAS team for details. Read more about freelancing here.

Coaches holding MIA, SPA or military qualifications should contact us with full details of all other qualifications and experience, to be reviewed on a case by case basis. Site Specific training can only be approved by a qualified Technical Advisor and evidence may be requested. Site Specific training must be relevant to the level, e.g. leading at Level 4. FUNdamentals (FUNdas) 1, 2 and 3, Physical Training 1 and 2 and Coaching Children courses are delivered by the BMC in England and Wales, Mountaineering Scotland and Mountaineering Ireland. Foundation, Development and Performance Coach are provided by Mountain Training. Holders of the Irish Coaching Awards should contact the ABCTT for mapping equivalents.

NICAS Climbing: Physical Facility Requirements

LEVEL	ROPED CLIMBING	BOULDERING / TRAVERSES / TRAINING AREAS
1	3 non-auto belay rope lines: minimum 5m high from top of matting/flooring to bottom of lower-off point. A minimum of 10 routes, some of which may be rainbow. Route-setting at least annually.	None required.
2	6 non-auto belay rope lines: minimum 5m high from top of matting/flooring to bottom of lower-off point. A minimum of 25 routes, some of which may be rainbow. Route-setting at least 6-monthly.	Some - could be traverses on wall. If on wall, a foot gap or visual line must be indicated for the higher and lower limits of bouldering.
3	9 non-auto belay rope lines: minimum 5m high from top of matting/flooring to bottom of lower-off point. A minimum of 30 set and graded routes allowing demonstration of progression. Route-setting at least 3 times per year.	Boulder traverse problems of at least 6 moves at the bottom of the climbing wall, independently marked and graded and not forming part of a graded roped climbing route. A foot gap should be included where appropriate, and a maximum bouldering height line marked on the wall. One change of angle. Crash landing surface to meet either BS:EN 1176-1. (outdoors structures) such as wood chippings, or BS:EN12572-2 if indoors, such as rubber crumb or connected gym matting. All matting should form a uniform and secure crash surface. Route-setting at least 3 times per year.
4	A dedicated climbing facility with the requirements for Level 3 plus a dedicated lead wall with over 30 set and graded routes in excess of 8m vertical height available at all times. Frequent route-setting, at least quarterly (Level 4 Primary Centres must also be full members of the ABC).	Dedicated bouldering area with permanent full-depth crash matting to meet BS:EN12572-2 Must offer a minimum of 20 boulder problems over a variety of angles and gradients. Frequent route-setting, at least quarterly. (A strength and conditioning area, fingerboard or campus boards are highly desirable.)
5	Major climbing facility that is a full member of the ABC. It must have a dedicated lead climbing wall with over 50 lead routes in excess of 8m vertical height. Frequent route-setting.	In addition to the above, dedicated bouldering training area with in excess of 30 problems and circuits, with variety of angles and frequent route-setting. Strength and conditioning area, fingerboard or campus boards.

NB: Centres must have adequate physical resources to deliver NICAS Climbing in order to be registered as an Accredited Centre. The climbing structures should generally have enough varied climbing to satisfy the logbook requirements. Variations to these guidelines may be considered by NICAS in special circumstances. As a guide the following criteria would generally be regarded as bare minimums for each level. Final approval for registration will be given by the NICAS Screening Committee. All structures constructed after 2007 must meet the requirements of BS:EN12572 and produce to NICAS, on request, either a statement of conformity to that standard or a statement from a qualified engineer that the structure meets or exceeds those requirements. Structures constructed prior to 2007 should state this explicitly in their application and may be asked to demonstrate equivalent standards.

Structures which are outdoors or otherwise exposed to the weather or significant variations in temperature (such as a roofed-over outside space) are restricted on delivery at the higher levels of NICAS. Centres wishing to deliver these higher levels where part or all of the structure is outdoors or otherwise exposed to the elements should contact NICAS for guidance.

NICAS Bouldering (ages 7+)

NICAS Bouldering coach requirements

In addition to a NICAS induction, coaches must also have completed the following qualifications or training:

LEVEL	COURSE DIRECTOR & COACH – ESSENTIAL MINIMUMS	EXTERNAL/FREELANCE COACH – ESSENTIAL MINIMUMS
1	Site Specific Assessed	Foundation Coach Assessed or CWI + FUNdas 1 or CWI + Foundation Coach Trained
2	Site Specific Assessed	Foundation Coach Assessed or CWI + FUNdas 1 or CWI + Foundation Coach Trained
3	Site Specific Assessed + FUNdas 1 & 2 or Foundation Coach Trained	Foundation Coach Assessed + FUNdas 1 & 2 or CWI + FUNdas 1 & 2 or CWI + Foundation Coach Assessed
4	Development Coach Trained or CWI + FUNdas 1, 2 & 3	Development Coach Assessed or CWI + FUNdas 1, 2 & 3
5	Development Coach Assessed	Not available to external coaches*

*In some circumstances agreed with individual centres this may be possible. Contact NICAS team for details. Read more about freelancing here.

NB: Site Specific training can only be approved by a qualified Technical Advisor or Competent Person and evidence may be requested. FUNdamentals is delivered by the BMC in England and Wales, Mountaineering Scotland and Mountaineering Ireland. Foundation, Development and Performance Coach are provided by Mountain Training. Coaches completing the Irish Coach Awards should contact the ABCTT to discuss equivalence.

NICAS Bouldering: Physical Facility Requirements

LEVEL	BOULDERING / TRAVERSES / TRAINING AREAS	DESIRABLE
1	Climbing surface 2m high x 6m wide. A minimum of 10 boulder problems and traverses. Crash landing surface of traverse walls that exist in playgrounds to meet BS:EN 1176/1177. All other bouldering walls to meet BS:EN 12572-2.	Individually marked problems that are of rising difficulty. Change of angle.
2	Permanent structure of length 12m. A minimum of 20 identifiable boulder problems and traverses that offer a distinct range of difficulty to participants (some may be rainbow). The wall must have three changes of angles across its surface. Crash landing surface of traverse walls that exist in playgrounds to meet BS:EN 1176/1177. All other bouldering walls to meet BS:EN 12572-2.	An overhang as a change of angle.
3	Dedicated climbing facility with a dedicated bouldering area that has a crash matting surface size of >40m² meeting regulations (as above). 30 individual boulder problems that offer a rising scale of difficulty that are reset at least quarterly.	A wide variety of angles and ability to route-set.
4	Dedicated climbing facility with a dedicated bouldering area of >80m², and meeting crash matting regulations (as above). 60 individual boulder problems that offer a rising scale of difficulty reset at least every two months. Dedicated training area comprising fingerboards/campus boards.	Strength and conditioning area (min 16m², can be part of the matting surface but must be external to the fall zone of any climbing surface).
5	Dedicated climbing facility that is a full member of the ABC. It must have a dedicated bouldering area of >160m² and meet crash matting regulations (as above). 120 individual boulder problems that offer a rising scale of difficulty that are reset at least monthly. Dedicated training area comprising fingerboards/campus boards. Strength and conditioning area.	Not applicable.

Centres must have adequate physical resources to deliver NICAS Bouldering in order to be registered as an Accredited Centre. The climbing structures should generally have enough varied climbing to satisfy the logbook requirements. Variations to these guidelines may be considered by NICAS in special circumstances. As a guide the following criteria would generally be regarded as bare minimums for each level. Final approval for registration will be given by the NICAS Screening Committee. All structures constructed after 2007 must meet the requirements of BS:EN12572 and produce to NICAS, on request, either a statement of conformity to that standard or a statement from a qualified engineer that the structure meets or exceeds those requirements. Structures constructed prior to 2007 should state this explicitly in their application and may be asked to demonstrate equivalent standards.

Structures which are outdoors or otherwise exposed to the weather or significant variations in temperature (such as a roofed-over outside space) are restricted on delivery at the higher levels of NICAS Bouldering. Centres wishing to deliver these higher levels where part or all of the structure is outdoors or otherwise exposed to the elements should contact NICAS for guidance.