Even though an agency is nonprofit the instructors and dive shops that teach that agencies courses are not. Money is just as much an issue.
Standards The standards of any agency assume that a conscientious instructor is administering them. No system by way of procedures or written standards can be effective otherwise. For instance, I see many instructors using the minimum as defined in the standards as a maximum (get in the pool, do the required skills to the minimum required performance level and get out then go to open water conduct four 20 min dives, which after skill performance leaves not time to dive, and issue a card). This does meet standards but produces poor divers and does not meet the intent of the standards. The PADI standards recommend time for fun and practice as part of each confined water module. To make this a requirement would be hard because it would be hard to define. In open water a tour is a required component of each dive. The length is not specified. The tour is where experience is gained. Last night I finished a class in the pool. We play mask exchange games, toss a toypedo and have a very cool (parts are challenging even for an expert) buoyancy control course set up. This class negotiates the course like seasoned pros. When I take this class to open water it will be a cake walk. Skill performance will go smoothly and amount to little more than a formality. In general all I have to do is spend two days diving with already competent (although inexperienced) divers. These are divers who will be better their first day out than many long time divers that I meet. This is the kind of class that is intended by the standards.
Now the catch
Conducting a class like this takes time and money (pool time costs me a fortune) it takes extra effort (someone must assemble, setup and take the time to conduct the games and practice activities) even though the standards say you can skip it and go home. I am starting to charge for this time and effort. The fact is it puts out better divers who have more fun. The value is there. If there is no market for this, I simply will not teach. Those who are in a hurry and want to put more effort into saving $50 than into learning to dive can go to the other guy who is less expensive. We have identified the portion (however small) of the market that interests us. If that market is too small to sustain the effort then there is nothing more for me to contribute. I will go diving, keep what I know to myself and leave new divers in the hands of the fast cheap instructors and the internet.
I have a video that was given to me by a customer. You know they video your dive group then sell copies for $50. I show this video to all my students because it contains great examples of everything that a diver shouldn't do. It shows the dive leader tearing apart coral to grab octopus and the group taking turns playing with it. The video shows divers with unsecured alternates and gauges. The video shows How hard a diver must work when the are overweighted, have incorrect trim with fins beating the coral to pieces. The video shows that, despite the number of divers in the group, no one has a buddy. This video is how I have come to view recreational diving. The video shows the norm. The divers in the video spent alot of money to be there and they were happy. I have another video I show as an example of what divers should look and act like in the water.
KC_Scubabunny 
