Member Development Programs

Member
Development

Developing our people

Surf Life Saving Queensland, we strive to help our members become the best they can be, both on and off the beach. Our goal is to develop skills that support their personal growth and community involvement. To achieve this, we offer a wide range of programs tailored to all levels and backgrounds.

We continuously develop and monitor these programs to ensure they meet the needs of our amazing Members.

Below, you’ll find a list of our current programs designed to nurture and inspire everyone in our community.

Youth Excellence Program
Leadership Excellence Program
Lifesaving Development Program
Advanced Lifesaving Development Program
Mentoring Program
Volunteer Leadership Program
Running your own Development Programs

Current membership
development programs

youth excellence program (YEP)

Dates:26th - 29th September, 2025

Location: PGL Kindilian (Redland Bay)

Target Audience: 15–17 year olds

Objectives:

For young, like-minded surf lifesavers to come together, have fun and create lifelong connections
To introduce participants to the various pathways within the organisation and enhance their contributions to the wider community
To develop teamwork and communication skills, while inspiring the future leaders of the organisation

Overview:

YEP provides an opportunity for youth Members to be exposed to the many different elements lifesaving offers. It is designed to provide youth with knowledge, and experience and allows them to develop skills in a wide range of activities in an enjoyable and stimulating environment. The program is structured to develop maximum participation, confidence and leadership in all participants. It also aims to introduce the participants to the more formal and responsible roles of Surf Life Saving such as patrol captaincy, responsibilities of positions, and future pathways.

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Leadership Excellence Program (LEP)

Dates: 4th - 7th December, 2025

Location: University of Queensland, Saint Leo’s College, St Lucia

Target Audience: 18 years and above

Objectives:

To develop inspired and resilient leaders
To create agents of change
To enhance leadership capability to manage uncertain, emerging, and future challenges

Overview:

LEP provides an opportunity for Members to gain the knowledge and skills to advance as a leader within Surf Life Saving. This program is a key part of SLSQ’s retention and succession strategy to ensure a strong and vibrant future for the organisation. Participants will network with fellow surf lifesavers and participate in fun activities, develop leadership qualities and learn transferable skills.

lifesaving development program (LDP)

Dates: 6th - 13th April, 2025

Location: Apex, Twin Waters (Sunshine Coast)

Target Audience: 16 – 20 years old

Objectives:

Ensure high quality and enjoyable delivery of core learning experiences to youth members through the delivery of consistent high-quality training
Provide Surf Life Saving Clubs with highly skilled and qualified Members
Ensure excellence in service delivery between the red and yellow flags
Allow networking opportunities for youth Members from across the state
Identifying next generation leaders/operations support personnel
Retain youth Members through age specific training

Overview:

LDP is an education program that allows Members to gain a number of lifesaving Awards in a short space of time. A significant component of the training is delivered through scenarios providing a high impact on participant’s skill development and teamwork abilities. Program participants will gain a number of Awards including First Aid, Advanced Resuscitation Techniques and IRB Crewperson OR Silver Medallion IRB Driver. Participants will also be exposed to additional skills and development opportunities including pathways, teamwork, leadership and lifesaving operations.

Advanced Lifesaving Development Program (ALDP)

Dates: 2 – 5 May 2025 (TBC)

Location: TBC

Target Audience: 18 years and above

Objectives:

Increase SLSQ’s frontline services and volunteer capabilities to respond to critical incidents by educating Members around incident management
Provide an accessible pathway to operations support and develop better Patrol Captains through the development of both technical proficiency, tactical leadership and non-technical skills such as communication, leadership, operational debriefing and documentation
Expert-led sessions that enable organisational knowledge sharing to improve outcomes of SLSQ incidents and SARs
Enhanced surge capability in times of disaster or emergency through skilled volunteers
Growing a deep and intuitive base of white-water experience and skills

Overview:

ALDP is designed for more than just gaining an Award. With the goal of creating future leaders in the operations space, participants will learn incident management and be expected to act as incident controllers and Members within the response team. Participants will also be exposed to additional skills and development opportunities including pathways, teamwork, leadership, and lifesaving operations.

Mentoring Program

Dates: September to October annually

Location: Online

Target Audience: Club, Branch and State position holders especially those with less than two years’ experience in their role

Objectives:

Provide support to new leaders and reduce turnover
Develop capable, confident and strong leaders
Provide leadership development opportunities for both mentors and mentees
Build more sustainable Clubs through positive leadership

Overview:

This 12-month program is aimed at Members who are in their first couple of years of a Club or Branch role - the program will link new position holders with experienced volunteers from across the state. A mentoring relationship can offer you fresh perspectives, actionable advice specific to your role, and constructive feedback that can accelerate your development making you feel more confident in your role. It’s also a chance to refine your skills, build confidence, and expand your network, which can open doors to new opportunities.

Volunteer Leadership Program

Dates: Year-Round

Location: Online

Target Audience: Current and emerging leaders at all levels

enrol

Overview:

This online learning program is designed for all Surf Life Saving leaders, no matter their experience or role. If you want to learn to inspire, retain and engage volunteers while honing your interpersonal skills, then this is the course for you! This training is the corner stone for all Club leaders including age managers, trainers, assessors, Patrol Captains and position holders. A simple online course that sets the foundation for leaders across the organisation.

To enrol, head to your SLSA Members Portal account and click eLearning. Once directed to our SLSQ Hub, click on the ‘Courses’ button and scroll until you reach the ‘Volunteer Leadership Online Module’ and click ENROL – it’s that easy.

Running your own Development Programs

Running programs and camps is a great way to boost member engagement and promote networking. To facilitate the continued growth and development of members, SLSQ delivers multiple development programs throughout the year, and provides support and assistance to branches to deliver regional programs. Most programs aim to develop teamwork, communication and strengthen connections, as well as be fun and enjoyable and keep their members engaged.

The Development Program Handbook has been developed to guide clubs and branches in the development and delivery of programs. In addition, several template resources have been made via the resource centre below.

If you require additional assistance, or have questions with regards to program development, feel free to contact your regional office for support or the SLSQ membership team.