The following is taken directly from pages 10/11 of The BMC Club Guidance Notes Downloaded 24/2/2008

The following is taken directly = from pages 10/11 of The BMC Club Guidance Notes Downloaded 24/2/2008<= /span>

Leadership and = Duty of Care

The British Mountaineering Council does not require volunteer leaders in a club environment to hold leadership or instructional qualifications. The BMC recognises the value of training courses in enhanci= ng and consolidating knowledge, whilst supporting the ethos of mountaineering where there are few shortcuts to genuine experience and where mountain skil= ls and leadership abilities are gained over time through interaction with othe= rs of similar or greater experience.

As the National Representative Body for the sport, the BMC has a duty to ensure that its members are aware of their legal and moral obligations. This includes publishing standards of accepted good practice. = By following a few simple procedures Clubs can reduce the likelihood of a negligent act arising in the first place.

Everyone has a Duty of Care to not cause harm to othe= rs by their acts or omissions. In situations where individuals of comparable experience climb or walk together (in a Club environment or otherwise), the= re is often no discernable ‘leader’, and therefore each will owe t= he other an equal Duty of Care, but nothing more.

At times, individuals will find themselves providing informal advice, or more formal instruction, to those less experienced than= themselves. This could include introducing a newcomer = to the sport, or taking a group to the mountains, and applies proportionally depen= ding on the difference in experience. In this situation, it is vital that the person(s) perceived to be ‘in charge’ and/or who has the highest level of experience, is aware of the greater level of Duty of Care that may= be placed upon them. Within this context, individuals have a duty to ensure th= at those in their care are aware of the hazards and risks that may arise. Put simply, the main question over suitability to lead is that the objective is within the capability of the leader, and the physical and mental capacity of the group. Therefore, if an incident occurred, the person perceived of as ‘in charge’ could expect to have to show that they had suitable= and sufficient experience for the activity that was undertaken.

Therefore the BMC strongly recommends that where advi= ce or instruction is provided within a Club type environment, the Club should ensure that:

• = any person involved is aware of the= BMC Participation Statement, and is made aware of and understands the risks pertaining to the chosen activity.

• any person involved is aware that those perceived of = as ‘in charge’ are not necessarily qualified, do not need to be qualified, are not regarded by the Club nor regard themselves as ‘technical experts’, but are amateur climbers, walkers or mountaineers with some experience who are happy to impart their knowledge, = and that any advice given be viewed with this in mind by the recipient.

• = the Club follows the guidance withi= n the BMC Club Guidance Notes – it is also highly desirable that student cl= ubs are represented at the BMC Safety and Good Practice Seminar.

• = individuals leading groups select objective= s that would normally be within their capabilities, and those of the group.

• = individuals leading groups should:

i) have an awareness of foreseeable hazards

ii) make those hazards cle= ar to those involved

iii) minimise those risks = where possible

iv) be aware of appropriate actions to take if emergency situations do occur.

• in groups containing minors, suitable individual(s) a= re appointed to act in loco parentis, exercising the care of a reasonab= ly prudent parent, and following the appropriate BMC guidance on dealing with minors, particularly with regard to child protection issues. The informed consent of parents must be sought.

By adopting these basic principals the Club and/or individual concerned could demonstrate that they had promoted ‘good practice’ to the best of their abilities in the circumstances. Where = applicable, guidelines or operating procedures provided by parental bodies (e.g. a Local Authority, Students Union, etc.) should also be followed in conjunction with this statement.

The B= MC Club guidance pages can be found h= ere.