Since the formation of IAHD, it has been a major priority that our courses and innovations are of the highest possible quality. Various international organs recognize and certify this fact.

IAHD is internationally regarded as the leader in disable diver training. As a guarantee for our high standards, IAHD is certified and recognized by the international organs listed below.

United we are strong. This applies to both those in the recreational diving industry and those with a disability. This is why the IAHD works together with other organisations from both areas. In this way, in addition to sharing knowledge, the various organizations will also increase the mutual awareness within the organisations.

The following organizations are either IAHD partners, affiliations, or otherwise connected to the IAHD.

There many potential IAHD divers that have a very specific medical condition. Often, their own doctor has insufficient knowledge to assess these potential IAHD divers correctly. As a result the examining medical professional may not have sufficient specialized (diving)knowledge to certify the potential IAHD diver.

In order to prevent this, a team of medical (diving) specialists, devote time and knowledge to the IAHD. If there is any concern regarding a medical certification or rejection, IAHD can contact this team of medical (diving) specialists to get a second opinion.

As an international (Diving) organisation you can still do so much good work, but without publicity many will not be able to enjoy the fantastic work that all the IAHD instructors put into people with a disability. This is why it is important to have ambassadors who can put in a good word for the organisation in important places, such as with the authorities and the media.

The well known people listed below dedicate time, for no own benefit, to promote the IAHD and to encourage Diving with people with disabilities.

Because IAHD instructors and centers largely work with individuals who may not always be able to protect themselves, IAHD has developed a comprehensive quality assurance program. This program is designed not only to safeguard IAHD students and divers by monitoring the quality of every IAHD training course, but also to recognize and reward IAHD instructors and centers that stand out through their excellence in training and commitment.

To effectively implement this quality management program, it is divided into several areas of control:

Internal control:

Internal control is carried out by IAHD itself. During any IAHD course, a representative of IAHD may visit to verify whether the training complies with all IAHD standards. In addition, IAHD may deploy so-called “mystery customers.” These are registered students within an IAHD course who are approached by IAHD to provide an evaluation of a specific part of the training.

External control:

External control is achieved through feedback from IAHD students and divers. After completing an IAHD course, students receive an email requesting them to complete an online evaluation related to the training. This includes specific questions that allow IAHD to assess whether the instructor has met all required standards.

Voluntary feedback:

As an IAHD diver, you can also share your own experiences. If you have had a particularly negative experience with an IAHD professional member or IAHD center, we encourage you to report this so it can be investigated and, if necessary, addressed to prevent future issues.

Negative experiences can be submitted via the contact page of the IAHD Training Department. We also highly value positive feedback. IAHD has a dedicated reward program for professional members and centers that demonstrate a strong commitment to safety, customer care, and high-quality training.

If you have had an excellent experience, you are also encouraged to share it via the IAHD Training Department contact page. If necessary, an IAHD professional member or center may be expelled from the organization. This may occur in cases of serious misconduct. Expulsion is never immediate; all facts are carefully gathered, and all individuals involved—including the person concerned—are heard.

Whenever possible, corrective measures and/or additional training are offered first. Expulsion will only take place if the individual or center fails to respond adequately, or if the severity of the issue leaves no alternative in order to protect clients and/or the reputation of the IAHD organization.

The International Association for Handicapped Divers (IAHD) is a professional, international training organisation. The IAHD has developed its courses according to the guidelines set out by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

As a result the IAHD courses adhere to the highest possible international standards for safety, knowledge and skill development. These guidelines are documented in several standards:

Certificate EUF 2018

• ISO 11121 Recreational diving services – Requirements for introductory training programmes to scuba diving.

• ISO 24801-1 / EN 14153-1 Recreational diving services – Safety related minimum requirements for the training of recreational scuba divers – Part 1: Level 1 – “Supervised Diver”.

• ISO 24801-2 / EN 14153-2 Recreational diving services – Safety related minimum requirements for the training of recreational scuba divers – Part 2: Level 2 – “Autonomous Diver”.

• ISO 24801-3 / EN 14153-3 Recreational diving services – Safety related minimum requirements for the training of recreational scuba divers – Part 3: Level 3 – “Dive Leader”.

• ISO 24802-1 / EN 14413-1 Recreational diving services – Safety related minimum requirements for the training of scuba instructors – Part 1: Level 1.

• ISO 24802-2 / EN 14413-2 Recreational diving services – Safety related minimum requirements for the training of scuba instructors – Part 2: Level 2.

• ISO 11107 Recreational diving services – Requirements for training programmes on enriched air nitrox (EAN) diving.

The IAHD has received for all of the above diving courses an ISO recognition. Obtaining this ISO recognition means that the IAHD courses are recognized by more than 163 countries in the world.

IAHD has specialized in training people with disabilities since 1993.

We are also the only diving organization in the world that is ISO-certified for both entry-level and instructor training programs for individuals with disabilities. This experience has made us pioneers—often imitated by others, but never surpassed.

IAHD also strives to promote dive locations with accessible facilities, ensuring they are easy to reach for people with disabilities. Our goal is to ensure that individuals with disabilities can receive the same quality of (diving) education, certification, and diving experiences as able-bodied individuals.

In 2000, the Dutchman Klaas Brouwer took control of the IAHD and it was under his leadership that IAHD expanded to many countries around the world. This rapid growth presented new problems, particularly in logistics and management and in particular, unfortunately control over the registration and certification of trainees and instructors was partly lost.

To help address these issues, in 2007 Klaas Brouwer contacted the World Organisation of Scuba Diving (WOSD), an international dive organization that had already implemented IAHD courses in its own training system. Brouwer knew that WOSD had developed a registration and certification system that would solve IAHD's problems. WOSD agreed to modify this system so that it could also be used by IAHD.

Later Klaas Brouwer wanted to take a step-back and decided to hand over full control of the IAHD to the World Organisation of Scuba Diving (WOSD). Since 1st January 2010, the IAHD is an independently operated, non-profit subsidiary of the World Organisation of Scuba Diving (WOSD).

Under the leadership of Gerard Oijnhausen and Fred Siebers the image and structure of the IAHD was completely renewed and modernised. In addition to expanding and modernizing the existing course material, the courses were updated to allow training of people with mental disabilities. The management structure between the Head Office and those in the field was also changed in order to achieve faster and more direct communication lines.

The organisation is comprised of both able-bodied and disabled people who all strive to achieve the goals set by IAHD. Experience has shown that the most effective approach is to encourage those with a disability to try diving, so that they can experience how accessible diving is for them. There are very few disabilities which actually prevent one from diving. However, the type of disability varies from person to person as does the way in which one can cope with that disability.