1) What is FGASA?
FGASA is the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, in the industry known as FGASA. It was established in 1990 to raise and safeguard professional guiding standards in Southern Africa, as well as to represent guides in the tourism industry.
FGASA is a THETA accredited Training Provider – they provide you with an opportunity to get a recognised qualification that will give you a competitive advantage in the job-market. They further support you as a guide by ensuring that your qualifications retain their value by constantly monitoring the relevance and quality of training and assessment offered by FGASA. FGASA guides can therefore proudly advertise their association with FGASA, knowing that they are amongst a community of sought after guides.
2) Why should I become a member of FGASA?
Being a member of FGASA has several benefits:
1. You can write FGASA exams and so further your career by attaining new qualifications
2. In the Game Lodge and Safari Industry, FGASA is recognised as a training provider that provides a high standard of training. The benefit of this to the guide is that your training is better recognised, making you more employable and potentially increasing your chances of negotiating a better salary. FGASA qualifications also provide you with the opportunity to advance your level of training, and to get recognition for your additional or specialist training such as Specialist Birding, Trails Guiding, Advanced Rifle Handling or Marine Guiding.
3. You can order books at a discounted price at the FGASA bookshop
4. You will have free or discounted access to many lectures, activities, excursions or workshops organised by FGASA regional committees, where non-FGASA members will be required to pay the premium
5. FGASA is always working towards promoting FGASA guides in the industry, and to create new opportunities for their members, thus your membership is also a marketing tool for yourself
6. You will receive the quarterly Field News Magazine, with interesting articles, news and relevant advertisements or career opportunities
3) Does FGASA want as many members as possible?
It is important to remember that FGASA’s aim is not to sell itself to members and to get as many members as possible. The aim is to get all professional and good guides to join the organisation, those that do not meet the standard should not be members to start with – this is the only way that you as a professional guide can differentiate yourself. So come and lets outcompete the non-professional guys until they wake up!
4) How much does becoming a member cost?
There is a once off registration fee of R240 for new members, and an annual fee of R380.
5) Do I need FGASA to become a legal guide?
No, the minimum requirement to register as a legal guide in South Africa, is proof of competence against the THETA Nature Site Guide Skills Programme. This can be attained from any THETA accredited training provider. FGASA is not the only THETA accredited training provider for this skills programme, but pride themselves in a long association with Game Lodge and Safari operators, leading to a standard of training that is relevant to the current guiding industry and well recognized by the majority of Game Lodge and Safari operators. Many vacancies for guides are advertised with a FGASA qualification as a requirement for the applicant. This simply means that the lodge or operator in question prefers guides that have been trained by FGASA to guides that have been trained by other THETA accredited training providers.
The THETA Nature Site Guide Skills Programme, is contained in the FGASA Level 1 qualification, and therefore attaining the FGASA Level 1 certificate would make you eligible to register as a legal guide. In other words: If you qualify with FGASA, you get two certificates, one FGASA Level 1 certificate, and one THETA Nature Site Guide (NQF 2) certificate. Also see question 11, 12 and 13
6) What else do I need to become a legal guide?
In addition to your THETA Site Guide Certificate (ie FGASA Level 1) you also need a valid First Aid Certificate that is recognised by the Department of Labour. Make sure that you use an accredited training provider when you do your first aid training and remember to ask if the training will be recognised by the Department of Labour.
If you are a driving guide, you will also need to submit proof of your driver’s licence and your PDP (Professional Driver’s Permit).
With all of this in hand you can complete your registration with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). This you can do at Tourism KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN) at http://www.kzn.org.za/index.php?view_page+58071
Only after you have done this you are a legal guide. It is interesting and good to note that TKZN also accepts FGASA certificates as proof that you also have the equivalent THETA certificate, as it can take a while before THETA actually sends you the certificate after you have done the training and passed the assessment. Also see question 11, 12 and 13
7) I have qualified with FGASA Level 1 but have not yet received my THETA certificate, can I use my FGASA certificate instead to become a legal guide?
Yes, as a THETA accredited training provider, DEAT will accept your FGASA Level 1 certificate as proof of your training. The certificate must however be accompanied by a letter from FGASA which will state your areas of competence. This letter is always issued together with a Level 1 certificate, so make sure that you keep this in a safe place as you will need it for DEAT registration.
8) What does FGASA do for me?
FGASA works on your behalf to promote professional field guiding in the industry, in doing so promoting you as an individual. In addition: FGASA is an accredited THETA Training Provider – they provide you with an opportunity to get a recognised qualification that will give you a competitive advantage in the job-market. They further support you as a guide by ensuring that your qualifications retain their value by constantly monitoring the relevance and quality of training and assessment offered by FGASA. FGASA guides can therefore proudly advertise their association with FGASA, knowing that they are amongst a community of sought after guides. See also question 2. But most importantly, maybe you must start asking what you are doing for yourself? Note that FGASA does not run your career for you, it is YOUR responsibility to stand out as a guide. FGASA is there to help you, to give you the tools so to say, but the onus is on you to be a sought after individual guide.
9) For 380 rand a year, all I get is this Field News publication. I can also get a subscription to FHM for that amount of money and then at least I get to see some hotties! How does that work?
True, you get to see some hotties, but how does that help you in your guiding career? It is not true that all you get this Field News publication, you get much more from FGASA for you membership fees. See question 2.
10) I was a member, did my FGASA Level 1, never bothered to renew my membership, but now 2 years down the line I want to write Level 2 and FGASA requires me to pay membership fees for the past two years before I can register again. Why is that?
Ah, good question! This is basically because it is not fair of you to just 'use' FGASA to get qualifications. Like any relationship, a membership with FGASA is a two-way street. FGASA uses your membership fees to ensure that the FGASA learning programmes you want to achieve through them, are up to date and accredited with THETA. FGASA also spends a lot of time liaising with the guiding industry and all of its stakeholders to ensure that they assist in making it a better industry for guides to work in. They were still busy doing all of this in the two years that you did not pay your membership fees. So, if you want to reap the benefits of all their efforts, it is nothing but fair to request that you pay your overdue membership fees. Especially so for all other members that have paid their memberships every year. In short: FGASA works for you every year, and in doing so creates opportunities for you. You are required to pay your annual membership fee in return, not just only when it 'suits' you or when you suddenly 'need' FGASA.
11) What qualifications can I get through FGASA
For a full and up to date list, see: http://www.fgasa.co.za/qualifications.asp
12) I am a THETA qualified guide with years of experience, I want to become a FGASA guide, must I really do this FGASA Level 1 first?
No you don’t. However it is important to note the following: Although FGASA is a THETA accredited training provider, it is not accredited to ‘RPL’ (Recognition of Prior Learning) someone so they cannot just give you a given FGASA qualification. You will have to do at least one FGASA theory and its equivalent practical assessment to show that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to be worthy of a given FGASA qualification. After an initial interview FGASA might allow you to write the FGASA Level 2 or even Level 3 theory exam directly (without having to do Level 1 and Level 2 respectively), but it will give you only 1 (one) chance! Should you fail that theory exam and still want to become a FGASA member and guide, you will have to start at the bottom with writing the Level 1 theory exam, and carry on with the whole subsequent qualification process. So make sure you don’t overestimate your knowledge and aim too high.
13) What is THETA?
THETA is one of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA’s) and is short for the Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority. Please note that the name of this SETA will change with effect from the 1st of May 2011 and will from then be known as the CATHSSETA, which is the acronym for Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority.
THETA (and all other SETA’s) has been established under the Skills Development Act (Nr 97 of 1998) and report to the Minister or Education and the South African Qualifications Authority. All THETA’s qualifications are registered on the National Qualifications Framework, which ensures that they will be recognised by all employers in South Africa.
THETA’s main responsibility is to ensure the availability and standardisation of training within their sector. To do this, they oversee the development of new qualifications and provide for the accreditation of training providers to deliver training for these qualifications. THETA must constantly monitor the standard and quality of education and training offered by training providers in their sector to ensure that these goals are met. Students who have completed a training programme with an accredited THETA training provider (such as FGASA), will then receive a THETA certificate with the names of the national qualifications or skills programmes that the student has attained. FGASA is one of the THETA accredited training providers. Thus if you do a FGASA learning programme you also get 'the equivalent' THETA qualification as FGASA lets THETA know that you were found competent.
14) What is the difference between FGASA and THETA?
THETA conducts no training themselves; they have accredited training providers for this purpose, of which FGASA is one.
FGASA is one of THETA’s accredited training providers, and can provide training and assessment against the Nature Site Guide Skills Programmes that has been registered by THETA. In addition to being a THETA accredited provider, FGASA is also a non-profit organization that has been established to support and develop nature guides in Southern Africa. In line with this, FGASA not only trains the national skills programmes of THETA, but have also developed their own additional programmes to further enhance the knowledge and skills of nature guides that are associated with FGASA. The benefit of this to the FGASA guide, is a value added qualification that is relevant, recognised and in demand by the safari industry. Also see question 2 above.
15) Must I register myself with THETA in order to get my certificate?
No, your accredited training provider does this on your behalf in accordance with their administrative requirements as a training provider.
16) What is this FGASA KZN North thing?
In 2010 it was established that FGASA members in the region felt that their relationship/membership with FGASA was 'distant' and that FGASA should reach out more to its members in this region, and making the relationship/membership more relevant. As a result: a regional committee was formed by FGASA members in the region which report to and are supported by the FGASA head office, in order to 'bridge' the felt gap.
17) What is the aim of the FGASA KZN North Committee?
The aim of the committee is two-fold: The committee aims to improve the standard of guiding in the region, as FGASA has been doing nation wide. In addition, it wants to reach out, on behalf of FGASA, to its members and help them improve their knowledge, speed up their career, and to make their guiding an even more enjoyable profession.
18) What does the FGASA KZN North Committee do?
In line with its aims, it does various things:
- It informs you about any news (game counts, poaching, change in legislation, job opportunities etc.) that is of relevance for guides (and tour operators).
- It organises activities, excursions and lectures that are available for free or for discounted rates for FGASA members (although Non-FGASA members are also welcome to attend/participate).
- It reminds you of dates and deadlines of FGASA exams.
- It informs you of available First Aid and Firearm training dates
- It is open for any questions and will make an effort to answer all your questions about FGASA as comprehensively and as soon as possible.
- It submits interesting articles about guiding or guiding areas in the region, to improve your knowledge.
19) Who serves on the committee?
The FGASA KZN North committee is run by guides and other interested people who are committed to supporting FGASA in the KZN North Region. They do this voluntarily and are elected by FGASA and the guides of the region during quarterly regional meetings. Make sure you attend the next meeting if you are interested in becoming involved or would like to recommend anyone to serve on the committee. Currently the committee is headed by Christa Panos, who is supported by Warwick Nielsen who represents the Zululand Rhino Reserve, Greg Davies who represents the Bushlands and Hluhluwe area, and Nick van de Wiel who represents the St. Lucia area. The latter is also the administrator of the FGASA KZN North website/blogspot.
20) I want to be involved! What can I do?
As stated above, it would be a good idea to attend a regional meeting to get into touch with other active FGASA members of the region. If you are for some reason unable to attend regional meetings, either due to working conditions, distance or other factors, you can always take the initiative to organise a local meeting. Please contact nick.vandewiel@gmail.com to get some more information about this.
21) Are the activities, excursions and lectures that the FGASA KZN North Region organises also available for non-FGASA members?
Yes, as the FGASA KZN North committee strives to improve the standard of guiding in the region, they want to reach out to all guides in the region, FGASA members or not. However, non-FGASA members are often required to pay a little more for the activities, excursions and lectures. In acting so, the committee hopes to persuade the non-FGASA member to become a FGASA member. Remember: One of FGASA's aims is to get all professional and good guides to join the organisation, while the guides that do not meet those criteria should not be members at all (See question 3). By showing an interest in the organised activities, excursions and lectures you are showing a professional attitude and hence FGASA would like to welcome you.
22) My question is not listed above. What must I do?
Please email the administrator of the FGASA KZN North committee on nick.vandewiel@gmail.com with your question, and he will get back to you as soon as possible.
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