This qualification reflects the role of personal trainers who have specialist skills to train individual clients, or groups of clients, on a one-on-one or group basis, to improve health-related components of fitness in relatively low risk situations. This may include training of older clients and children.
They have a substantial depth of knowledge to plan, conduct and evaluate exercise training; provide leadership and guidance to clients and other staff; and deal with unpredictable situations applying defined guidelines and procedures from the fitness industry and the organisation.
They work independently or with limited guidance from others and use discretion to solve non-routine problems, including monitoring and managing business activities to operate efficiently and profitably.
The qualification does not provide the skills and knowledge for an individual to provide advice or exercise instruction to high risk clients, other than to refer the client to an appropriate medical or allied health professional.
This qualification provides a pathway to work in a diversity of fitness industry businesses including fitness centres, gyms, aquatic facilities, community facilities and in open spaces, where risk management (through risk assessment and hazard control processes) does not already exist.
As adolescents grow their physical, psychological and social characteristics will grow and change:
- Physical - Puberty is the major physical change of the teenage years. Rapid growth and changes to body shape are also associated with maturity. Cognitive, spatial, reasoning, awareness and concentration also develop.
- Social - Teenagers will be developing their social awareness, this includes, appropriate behaviour and safety awareness. They are increasingly becoming autonomous from their parents, spending more time with peers and starting to develop romantic relationships.
- Emotional - Changes in mood are common amongst young people with shifts often occurring rapidly and randomly, they may have little understanding or even control over these shifts. Some teenagers develop depression or self-esteem issues which may require therapy and in severe cases medication.
Having an understanding and appreciation of these stages of growth and development will help in the development of effective exercise programs. For example, activities which include social interaction and team work are beneficial, however, you will need to recognise when participants are struggling to feel accepted, or are physically different from their peers, or are experiencing bullying/discrimination, and make allowances accordingly.
When working with minors, it is essential that fitness professionals hold a valid 'Working with children' card or approval letter. The National Crime Check website has collated the various state and territory websites related to applying for a working with children card. In addition to undergoing this background check, all fitness programming must be conducted with the formal informed consent of the parent or guardian of the child. Fitness Australia guidelines for gaining consent and information from the parent or carer of the child is as follows:
The screening process must be undertaken in conjunction with the child’s parent or guardian and their informed written consent for the child’s participation in the exercise service is required.
Consent should be in written form and outline any potential risks along with the benefits. Pre-exercise health screening questions should be undertaken and any emergency contact numbers must be recorded.