Join DiveBuddy.com

Meet new scuba divers, maintain a virtual dive log, participate in our forum, share underwater photos, research dive sites and more. Members login here.

#51828
Is there a non-profit scuba certification agency?
Greg - 2/05/2013 5:26 PM
Category: Training
Replies: 15

Is there a non-profit scuba certification agency? If not, why? I don’t mean DAN, they don’t certify new divers...at least I don’t think they do.

Most divers are environmentally friendly and help to preserve our oceans. So shouldn’t there be a scuba training agency that is 100% non-profit? Not the kind of agency with a for profit and non-profit division like PADI (ie: Project Aware). Then any extra money goes towards research, beach cleanups, fisheries, education, etc.

In the past, I believe some agencies were non-profit, so what changed? Did they just get greedy? Or are there things a for profit company can do to help our world that a non-profit can’t?
#305
Subscribed
JMorales - 2/05/2013 8:24 PM
I think that if Padi was non profit then they would not be able to offer so many different Cert courses. They just wouldnt have the resources to develop them.


Maybe I am wrong but thats my opinion.
#4045
mkolba_ppo2 - 2/05/2013 8:34 PM
I believe NAUI is non-profit.
#1806
hcdiveteambrian - 2/05/2013 9:02 PM
Boy Scouts of America used to issue Scuba Instructor Certs, and scuba diving certs. I don’t know if they still do.
#12117
Eric_R - 2/05/2013 9:36 PM
NAUI is setup as one. There’s a lot of money made in non profit.;)
#1806
hcdiveteambrian - 2/05/2013 10:00 PM
From hcdiveteambrian: Boy Scouts of America used to issue Scuba Instructor Certs, and scuba diving certs. I don’t know if they still do....
Whoops. I meant the YMCA (young mens christian association) did.
#28736
RAWalker - 2/06/2013 4:43 AM
The problems arise in the liability issues and insurance costs and the ability to present legal representation to protect the members of such a organization.
#51828
Subscribed
Greg - 2/06/2013 6:04 AM
From RAWalker: The problems arise in the liability issues and insurance costs and the ability to present legal representation to protect the members of such a organization....
Isn’t this something our insurance should cover?
#7701
#51828
Subscribed
Greg - 2/06/2013 7:20 AM
I didn’t know about SEI, pretty cool. I’ll have to add them to our certification agency list when someone adds certs to their profile.
#1406
Green_Achers - 2/06/2013 5:53 PM
Aqua Tutus Diving Club is a non-profit group in the SF Bay Area that trains people to dive. Someone would need to ask them if they are the certification group or are they operating under someone’s authorization.
#20384
LatitudeAdjustment - 2/07/2013 7:45 AM
I’m sure there are instructors out there who will tell you they are non-profit who thought being a professional meant they would earn money teaching this sport :( Last I heard my old YMCA instructor was cleaning pools.
#1806
hcdiveteambrian - 2/07/2013 2:49 PM
YMCA has been giving Instructor Certs since at least the mid 50s that I know of.
#346
Subscribed
shellmoundal - 4/09/2014 1:28 PM
NACD AND NSS/CDS ARE NON PROFIT.
#142
Subscribed
USACMASDiver - 7/21/2014 1:36 PM
There are several. NAUI is set up as a 503 NGO. YMCA, which was also a CMAS linked group, got out of diving education and they passed the CMAS flag to SEI and USOA, the Underwater Society of America. And please don’t forget our friends at the British Sub Aqua Club. They are unique. They have two branches or two groups, one is the retail, business style, BSAC, but they other, is a "club" style, and thus the name, "The British Sub Aqua Club." The club branch is pure non-profit. NAUI is awesome, CMAS is still alive and kicking, and there are CMAS instructors in the USA, and someday, you might even see the BSAC in the USA someday. There are, however, those in the diving community who do not want to see the BSAC open its doors in the USA. I am a yank, I have dived with them, and with the chaps I have dived with they were fantastic divers.