Enrolment and Assessment Information
Enrolling with the Scouts Australia Institute of Training (SAIT)
After undertaking learning through either the youth program or adult training, in order to be assessed and have your learning recognised with a qualification or partial qualification you must be enrolled in that qualification with the Scouts Australia Institute of Training (SAIT) (RTO No. 5443).
SAIT has a collection of pages on the Scouts Australia website that provide you with information about the available qualifications which you should review prior to enrolling in a qualification. The webpages and downloadable documents provide generalised information about the qualifications and the typical Scouting pathway towards achieving the qualification.
SAIT is registered to “assess only”, as such it does not offer qualification courses like TAFEs and other RTOs. Learn about our assessment process overview below or in more detail in the SAIT Candidate Guide.
Please read the SAIT Candidates Guide for more information about our enrolment and assessment processes.
Our Assessment process
After you are enrolled with SAIT an appropriate Assessor will be allocated to assess the evidence that you provide. Assessments will be conducted in a flexible manner and according to the principles of assessment specified in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations as follows:
- Reflecting the Candidate’s needs;
- Assessing competencies held by the Candidate no matter how or where they have been acquired; and
- Drawing from a range of assessment methods and using those appropriate to the context, the unit of competency and associated assessment requirements, and the individual being assessed.
What is Recognition of Prior Learning?
RPL recognises any prior knowledge and experience and measures it against the qualification in which Candidates are enrolled.
Types of learning
- formal learning refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction and is linked to the attainment of an AQF qualification or statement of attainment (for example, a certificate, diploma or university degree). A common example of formal learning is Primary and Secondary schooling.
- non-formal learning refers to learning that takes place through a structured program of instruction, but does not lead to the attainment of an AQF qualification or statement of attainment (for example, in-house professional development programs conducted by a business). Scouting is a non-formal learning program.
- informal learning refers to learning that results through experience of work-related, social, family, hobby or leisure activities (for example the acquisition of interpersonal skills developed through several years as a sales representative).
Source: https://www.asqa.gov.au/guidance-resources/resources-providers/faqs/recognition-prior-learning-rpl
Preparing for your RPL assessment
Being prepared for the assessment process and knowing what needs to be provided can save valuable time and ensure that the RPL assessment is as simple and stress-free as possible. Here are some tips to make the application process and interview easier.
Step 1: Review the Unit of Competency requirements
- Reading the elements and performance criteria of a unit of competency will inform you of what you need to know and what you need to be able to do.
- The performance evidence can be used to self-assess, noting when you have performed those tasks and identifying any evidence that you can provide to an assessor to demonstrate that you have performed those tasks.
- The knowledge evidence can also be used to self-assess and confirm that you can answer questions that may be asked to provide evidence of your knowledge.
Step 2: Develop a Portfolio of Evidence. In the Scouting context, some examples include:
- Scout Branch (State or Territory) membership report (eg. MyScout, SMS, ExtraNet, ScoutsMap, etc.)
- Scouts | Terrain completion reports for Milestones and Outdoor Adventure Skills stages
- Completion of Scouting courses (Personal Development, Adult Leader Training, Adventurous Activities, etc.)
- Resume or CV
- Certificates / Qualifications
- Recognised first aid course (St. Johns, Red Cross, other RTOs, etc.)
- Relevant licences / tickets held, e.g. SCUBA, Working With Children Clearance
- Logbooks / Diaries / Journals
- Photographs or videos of completed work or activities undertaken
- Workplace training records
- Membership of relevant professional associations
- References / letters from previous employers/supervisors
- Current and previous position/job descriptions
- Task / job sheets and completed checklists
- Industry awards
- Hobbies / interests / special skills
- any other documentation that may demonstrate relevant experience
- Depending on where you have worked and what the work may have included you may or may not have documentary evidence. Do not be put off as the Assessor will work with you during the assessment process to identify other ways that can show current skills for the qualification in which recognition is being sought.
You won’t need all of these types of evidence, but the more you can collect through your Scouting, the quicker your RPL assessment should be.
Step 3: Who can be a referee?
Think about who you would consider to be a Scouting or workplace contact or referee. Is the employer happy to support the claim for RPL? Would you feel comfortable if the Assessor contacted them to validate your skills and knowledge?
Your assessor will provide you with a third-party reference template if you are required to seek a referee.
Common forms of evidence…
Logbook
Photos/Video
On-Demand Training
Resume
Qualifications
Member Report
Have you got your Unique Student Identifier (USI)?
Your USI (Unique Student Identifier) is your individual education number for life. It also creates a Government authenticated record of your vocational education and training (VET) achievements.
You need a USI if you are a student studying nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET), including attaining Qualifications and Units of Competency through SAIT.
You will be asked for your USI upon enrolment with SAIT.
Accessing Scouts Australia On-Demand Training
The learning you can gain from the Scouts Australia On-Demand Training modules will contribute towards the knowledge that you use in your Scouting role, and is recognised in an RPL assessment.
You can find below information on how to access this platform.
I’ve never logged in before, what’s my password?
The first time you log in your password will be set to your date of birth in the format of dd/mm/yyyy.
As an example, if you were born on 16th of June in 2002, your initial password is 16/06/2002 (which includes the slashes).
My reset password instructions were sent to the wrong email address, what do I do now?
Firstly, you will need to get your email address updated in your Branch membership system. To do this, contact your Branch for assistance.
While contacting your Branch, you can also request for them to reset your password.
My login details are correct but I still can’t login?
There could be several reasons for this. However, once you have confirmed the login details are correct, please contact your Branch for assistance.
Handy hints and Q&A
What if I don't have enough evidence?
- Attend Scout training courses. Not only will you learn new skills to help with your Scouting journey, it may contribute towards one or more Units of Competency.
- Keep an up-to-date logbook of your adventures. Scouts | Terrain offers a logbook function for youth members. Adult members are encouraged to keep records using a spreadsheet or similar.
What does sufficent evidence for RPL assessment look like?
The Standards for Registered Training Organisations define the rules of evidence that your assessor must adhere to which means they must have evidence that is:
- Valid: Relevant to the unit of competency. e.g. A canoe is not a kayak.
- Sufficient: There is enough evidence. When 3 times is required once is not enough.
- Current: Application of skills and knowledge includes the last three years.
- Authentic: The evidence provided is for the candidate, not someone else.
Tips for organising your evidence
- Evidence can be best shared with your assessor through a Google Drive folder.
- Clearly label your portfolio items.
- If you can, make it obvious who you are in photographic evidence.
I have additional needs to be considered, how can I express that?
I haven't heard from my assessor, what can I do?
Do you still have questions?
If you have not yet enrolled in a qualification, or you are unsure of your assigned assessor, please use the enquiry form to seek more information from your local SAIT team.
If you are an enrolled candidate, please reach out to your assigned assessor for more information about what evidence you may need to provide.