NIPPER PARENTS: HOW YOU CAN HELP OUT

Our nippers program is run by parent volunteers. It takes a village… and as our club continues to grow, there are many ways parents can help out, even if you aren’t always able to be there on a Sunday. The key roles you could help with are listed below.

1. Water Safety

If you’re confident in the water, this might be for you! We need to have a ratio of 1>5 water safety parents to nippers in order for your kids to go into the water during nipper sessions. This role supervises nippers during swim and/or board activities on Nipper Sundays and weekday training sessions.

Water Safety volunteers are also required at carnivals.

To become a Water Safety person (Orange rashie) you need the SLS Bronze Medallion qualification. The Bronze qualification is done over 6-7 weeks on a Sunday. Register your interest to get notified about the next start date.

2. Age Manager

Age Managers are in charge of an age group on Nipper Sundays. Each age group has minimum of 2 Age Managers on a ratio of 1>10.

This is a fun, hands-on role that’s about supervising and mentoring the nippers in your age group as you rotate between water and beach activities each Sunday. This is a land-based role. You do NOT need to have prior experience of nippers as training and guidance is provided.

To become an Age Manager, you must have a Blue Card linked to the club, and complete a simple online course.

You’ll be given a Green rashie and Kawana club cap to wear.

  • If you haven’t already done so, send Amanda your Volunteer Blue Card number so she can link you with our Club

    surfadmin@kawanasurfclub.com.au

    *If you don’t yet have a volunteer blue card you can apply for one (free of charge) using the following link and email Amanda your online account number: https://my.bluecard.qld.gov.au/login

  • First you need to complete two Child Safety Modules.

    -SLSQ Child Safe Awareness

    -Child Youth Risk Management

    1. Log into the SLS Hub https://hub.sls.com.au/ (Use the login you use to register your Nippers)

    2. Go to eLearning > Member Training Portal > Safety and Wellbeing > CSA/CYRMS - Child Safe Awareness and Child and Youth Risk Management Strategies 2026

    3. Click Enrol

    Then, once complete, come back to the Member Training Portal for the Age Manager course.

  • Go to SLS Hub > eLearning > Age Manager Induction 2026

    Click Enrol.

    Complete and you’re all done!

    Each season you will need to do a short refresher to be Age Manager again.

3. Official (for carnivals)

If your nipper loves racing, then this might be for you. Officials play an important role at surf-lifesaving carnivals. Every club must provide officials in order to enter nippers in the event.

At Kawana, we require every family with a competing nipper to have at least one parent qualified as an Official so that we can share the role around over the season and not rely on the same people at every event.

This is a land-based role. You do NOT need to have prior experience of nippers as full training and guidance is given.

Officials are provided with breakfast and lunch at carnivals. It’s a great way to be close to the action, as parent spectators are not allowed in the competition arenas.

To become an Official, you need to have a Blue Card linked to the club, and complete a short course. Follow the Steps below, and reach out to Sam Browne on Spond for assistance if you get stuck!

  • Complete this form to let us know you’re doing the Officials course. https://forms.gle/mWC7v6fsDSTjfGY6A

  • If you haven’t already done so, send Amanda your Volunteer Blue Card number so she can link you with our Club

    surfadmin@kawanasurfclub.com.au

    *If you don’t yet have a volunteer blue card you can apply for one (free of charge) using the following link and email Amanda your online account number: https://my.bluecard.qld.gov.au/login

  • First you need to complete two Child Safety Modules.

    -SLSQ Child Safe Awareness

    -Child Youth Risk Management

    1. Log into the SLS Hub https://hub.sls.com.au/ (Use the login you use to register your Nippers)

    2. Go to eLearning > Member Training Portal > Safety and Wellbeing > CSA/CYRMS - Child Safe Awareness and Child and Youth Risk Management Strategies 2026

    3. Click Enrol

    Then, once complete, come back to the Member Training Portal for the Officiating course.

    1. Click on Other Courses, scroll down to Officiating Courses, select “SLS - Technical Official”

    2. Enrol, then complete all 5 modules:

      First is the Australian Sports Commissions Community Officiating Essential Skills. Complete the Certificate on their external website. When you return to SLS Hub, link your certificate as shown, then continue with the remaining 4 modules.

      2. Being a Technical Official

      3. Technical Official in Action (Marshall/Check Marshall)

      4. Technical Official in Action (Starter/Check Starter)

      5. Technical Official in Action (Timekeeper, Finish Judge, Recorder)

    3. Upon completion of each , keep a copy of your certificates and upload your certificates here:

      https://form.jotform.co/ssbranch/technical-official-slsa-techonline

  • After completing the online modules, you’ll attend an in-person session run by the Branch senior officials.

    They will provide the final part of your training before you do your first carnival as a trainee!

  • Your first 2 carnivals will be as a trainee. Once completed, you’ll be approved by the Branch and given your Officials badge.

4. Event Support Roles

We host a few events during the season, the main one being our Kawana Carols in the Park, which is a popular community event and our major fundraiser for the year, with all proceeds going to fund our Nipper program.

The Carols Committee are always looking for more people to help out with planning and supplies in the lead up to the event - if you can spare a bit of time, please raise your hand and join the Committee! Contact Nicola Evans via Spond to get involved.

On the day of the event, we also need a lot of helpers to assist with set up, running stalls, cooking the BBQ, and packing down at the end. We will put a call out for names closer to the time. Your help is always appreciated!

For other smaller events, like Open Day, Movie Night, Awards Day, Volunteer Appreciation Day, we always seek extra hands to help with organising and managing the event on the day. Please consider joining the Nipper Committee to lend a hand for these minor roles.

5. Other Roles

  • Club Photographer: For carnivals, Club photo day, special events and fun moments. Please contact Holly if you would like to assist.

  • Transport & Logistics: When we have a change of location, help to transport boards to and from the sheds.

  • BBQ Cooking: We’re often in need of some helpers to run the BBQ on social events such as Open Day, Volunteer Appreciation Day.

JOIN THE COMMITTEE!

The Nippers General Committee meet a couple of times during the season to plan fun activities and extra opportunities for the kids. We always welcome more parents to the General Committee, you do not need to take up a specific position, just be a general helper!

Come along to the next Committee meeting and see what it’s all about.

NIPPERS EXEC COMMITTEE

  • Chairperson: Holly O’Donoghue

  • Vice Chairperson: Tye Jay

  • Treasurer: Claire Kelly

  • Secretary: Jon Evans

  • Communications Officer: Jess Osborn

  • Registrar: Melissa Darling

  • Surf Sports Director: Stacey Benjamin

  • Team Manager (Carnivals): Jess Osborn

  • Officials Liaison Officer: Sam Browne