AIDA Youth Training Courses

We are on an island and our lives are inextricably linked to the sea so inevitably our children will go into the sea to explore. With the training and supervision of the AIDA Youth Program, they can learn to do so safely.

The objectives of the AIDA Youth training program are:

• Acquire water safety competence and skills

• Develop aquaticity and familiarity interacting with water

• Develop specific qualities and skills that will help AIDA Youth alumni become competent freedivers in the future as young adults.

In each of the courses listed below there are performance and knowledge objectives to be achieved and the courses become incrementally more challenging at each level.

Youth courses are available for children from 6-16 years and are conducted with the participation of their parent or guardian. Students can enter at any level, depending on confidence and ability. (Note: AIDA Junior is for children of 12 years and older.)

The Bronze Dolphin course skills and knowledge cover the following:

• Basic use and care of equipment for swimming underwater
• The urge to breathe and recovery breathing
• Relaxation
• Marine environment
• Water safety rules

The Silver Dolphin course skills and knowledge cover the following:

• Water pressure
• Basic structure of ears and sinuses
• Equalisation
• Body Position for finning
• The role of relaxation in equalisation
• Partnering
• Marine environment
• Water safety rules

The Gold Dolphin course skills and knowledge cover the following:

• Two methods of diving: pulling the rope and finning
• The role of relaxation in diving
• Floating/Sinking objects. Using relaxation on the ascent close to the surface
• Marine environment
• Water safety rules

The AIDA Junior course skills and knowledge cover the following:

• Care and use of underwater swimming equipment
• Recovery breathing
• The two methods of diving: pulling the rope and finning
• Water pressure and equalisation
• Buoyancy
• Marine environment
• Water safety rules