The Portsea SLSC Bronze Camp has traditionally been a weeklong, live-in camp, where participants train for their Bronze Medallion. At the end of the Camp, “Bronzies” are tested on their knowledge and physical abilities in areas including first aid, life support, surf knowledge and surf lifesaving techniques. The successful demonstration of all these skills will earn candidates their Bronze Medallion and the right to call yourself a “Qualified Surf Lifesaver”.
The Portsea Bronze Camp is an extremely popular program and is heavily oversubscribed each year. Portsea SLSC endeavours to make Bronze Camp applications a fair process, awarding places based on, but not limited to, the assessment of prior Portsea SLSC involvement, as well as candidate attitude and behaviour. See the eligibility information at the bottom of this page relating to the “Bronze Ticket”, Portsea SLSC’s priority entry pathway into Bronze Camp.
FULL OVERVIEW
OF BRONZE PROGRAM
Click the READ MORE button for detailed information on the 2024-2025 Bronze Program, including a program outline, information regarding fees and everything else you need to know.
PROGRAM DATES
The 2024-25 Bronze Camp Program dates are:
- 15th December 2024
- 16th December 2024
- 17th December 2024
- 18th December 2024
- 19th December 2024
- 20th December 2024
- 21st December 2024
The Bronze Camp will be run as a live-in camp at the Portsea SLSC. Participants MUST be able to attend all days of the program.
BRONZE TICKET FOR 24/25
Please note, the Bronze Ticket was formerly known as the “Golden Ticket” and is now the pathway to receive priority entry onto the Portsea SLSC Bronze Camp.
The Portsea Bronze Ticket is designed to reward members that have shown commitment to Portsea SLSC with priority entry onto the Bronze Camp program. The base requirements for successfully obtaining a Bronze Ticket are outlined here.
Only an applicant’s previous season’s contribution will be considered in the Bronze Ticket application process. Therefore, it is integral that all applicants ensure they fulfil the Bronze Ticket requirements in the season prior to applying for the Bronze Camp Program.
At a baseline, all successful Bronze Ticket applicants will have performed a minimum contribution of:
- Successfully Completing Portsea Cadet Camp the Previous Year.
- Completed at least 16 total hours of Portsea Volunteering, broken down into:
- At least 10 Hours of Patrolling at Portsea Back Beach (i.e. 2 full-day patrols)
- At least 6 Hours of General Club Volunteering:
- Helping at Major Events
- Instructing Nippers
- Volunteering in an activity that accrues hours as determined by the Education Director from time to time (e.g. event bag packing).
- Volunteer at 1 of Portsea’s Major Events, being:
- Portsea Bay to Surf Adventure Run
- Portsea Swim Classic
- Portsea Pier to Perignon
Minimum requirement | Rationale |
Successfully Completing Portsea Cadet Camp the Previous Year | Portsea SLSC is committed to ensuring all education programs are inclusive and fosters participation.
As a guiding principle, the Club is committed to being able to accommodate all participants who undertook and completed their prior year Portsea program, in the hope that all candidates can achieve their Bronze ticket. |
Minimum of 10 hours patrolling | Successful applicants will have performed a minimum of 10 hours of patrolling in the season prior to their application.
It is expected that all dedicated applicants participate in patrols. Please note, it is an SLSA / LSV requirement that all active members complete a minimum 16 hours to meet the national patrolling member standards. If you have not fulfilled this criterion, you are ineligible for a Bronze Ticket regardless of your other club contributions. |
Volunteering at Portsea Swim Classic
OR Volunteering at Pier to Perignon OR Volunteering at Portsea Bay to Surf |
Successful applicants will have volunteered their time at either the Portsea Swim Classic OR Pier to Perignon OR Portsea Bay to Surf.
If you have not fulfilled this criterion, you are ineligible for a Bronze Ticket, regardless of your other club contributions. |
Volunteering Generally at Club Events / Programs & Nippers instructing | General Volunteering and/or Nipper instructing hours can contribute towards attaining 16 hours of PSLSC volunteering.
Please note that 10 of these 16 hours must be completed through patrolling. The additional 6 hours can be met through volunteering at Nippers OR attending additional patrols. If you have not fulfilled the minimum 10 hours of patrol but do fulfil 6 hours of General Volunteering and/or Nipper instructing, you will remain ineligible for a Bronze Ticket. |
BRONZE TICKET FAQs
Yes. We encourage you to volunteer as much as possible at Portsea SLSC and you are always welcome to help at as many club activities and events as you like. These requirements are simply a minimum standard to provide clarity and direction to those interested in applying for a Bronze Ticket.
Yes. You have fulfilled the minimum 10 hours of patrolling and subsequently 16 hours of volunteering. Helping at the Nippers program is an extra way in which you can gain volunteer hours once you have reached the minimum 10 hours of patrol.
However, if you wish to gain all your volunteer hours through patrolling, that is acceptable.
Note: you must still volunteer at the Portsea Swim Classic OR the Pier to Perignon.
No. The minimum requirements state that you must have performed 10 hours of patrolling at Portsea to be eligible for a Bronze Ticket, regardless of your other volunteering contributions.
No. The minimum requirements state that you must have performed 10 hours of patrolling at Portsea back beach to be eligible for a Bronze Ticket. If you volunteered more Nippers hours but failed to gain at least 10 patrol hours, you will remain ineligible for a Bronze Ticket.
No. You will have fulfilled the minimum requirement of helping at a swim event. However, you must still meet the minimum 16 hours of volunteering required, which must be made up of a minimum of 10 hours patrolling and then 6 hours of additional volunteering (either further patrol, general volunteering or Nippers help). Additional volunteering at another event does not contribute to this minimum 16 hour volunteer requirement.