Code of Ethics for Tutors
The British Society of Dowsers, in maintaining and continuing to promote dowsing and dowsing
practitioners in a manner consistent with the highest standards of personal integrity and professional
behaviour, requires the following code of ethical conduct to be followed by Members of the Tutors
Register. A Member whose conduct is considered by the Council to be in breach of the ethical code may be removed from the Register.
The reputation and usefulness of dowsing depend on the behaviour of dowsers. All dowsers owe it to their
colleagues, and to members of the public who can benefit from dowsing skills, not to bring dowsing, nor the teaching of dowsing, into disrepute.
The public expect high standards of behaviour in tutors. Essential elements of this are professional competence, good relationships with students and colleagues, and observance of professional ethical obligations.
1 Good Relationships with Students
Treat every student politely, considerately and with respect.
(a) Make sure that your personal beliefs do not prejudice your interactions with your students – you must not allow your views about a student’s lifestyle, culture, belief, race, colour, gender, sexuality, age, social status or perceived economic worth to prejudice your tutoring.
(b) Adequately assess your student’s abilities, needs and desires. Listen to and respect their views, and allow them to be fully involved in the learning process.
(c) Maintain a balance, whereby no one person, or group, unduly influence the lesson or course.
(d) Confirm the outlines and objectives of the course in a way that they can understand, and be satisfied that the student has understood and agrees to what is proposed before you begin.
(e) Respect the right of your student to decline parts of the course after these have been outlined and explained.
(f) Be aware that there is often no single “correct” way of arriving at a result and that different methods suit different people.
2 Maintaining Trust with Students
(a) Always behave in an honest and trustworthy manner with your students.
(b) Only allow dowsing for information that concerns the students personally; is relevant to the course; or for which appropriate permission has been given; or that lies within an area of public concern.
(c) Make the students aware that confidential information supplied, found or that they otherwise become privileged to should never be improperly disclosed or misused.
(d) Never improperly disclose or misuse confidential information that you may discover or become privileged to in the course of your tutoring.
(e) You must not use your position to establish improper personal relationships with students.
(f) You must not deliberately withhold relevant or appropriate information or services from your students.
3 Respecting Relationships with Students and Colleagues
(a) You must always treat your colleagues and students fairly, be willing to consult with them and must be prepared to justify your actions to them if necessary.
(b) You must never discriminate unfairly against your students nor colleagues, or allow your views of their lifestyle, culture, belief, race, colour, gender, sexuality, age, or social status to prejudice your professional relationship with them.
(c) You must not make any student doubt a colleague’s knowledge or skills by making unnecessary or unsustainable comments about them.
4 Good performance
(a) The BSD encourages you to keep your knowledge and skills up to date.
(b) Contribute to the education and training of other dowsers.
(c) Keep clear and accurate records of student progress and subject matter covered.
(d) Recognise, and work within, the limits of your competence.
5 Providing information about your tutoring services
(a) When discussing or publicising your skills as a tutor of dowsing, be responsible and considerate of the effects that such information may have, both on any individuals concerned and on public opinion generally. Avoid sensational or misleading statements and bear in mind the likely accuracy and completeness of your information.
(b) If you publish or broadcast information about your services, the information must be factual and verifiable. The information that you publish must not make claims about the comparative quality of your services nor compare your services with those your colleagues provide
(c) Information that you publish or provide about your services must not put pressure on people to use a service.
6 Legal Observance and Commercial Dealings
(a) You must observe and keep up to date with any laws and statutory codes of practice which affect your work.
(b) Tutors are responsible for ensuring that adequate insurance cover exists for their tutoring work and must assure the Society that this is so. The Society holds public liability insurance for its meetings and events (and those affiliated groups who partake in this insurance), but this will not apply to events organised and run by others.
(c) You must be honest in financial and commercial matters relating to your work as a tutor and dowser.
(d) You must inform clients of your method of charging, estimated fees and all additional costs that may apply before you commence any work for them.
(e) You must not put pressure on your clients to give or lend money or their benefits to you or other people.
(f) When taking part in discussions about selling goods or services, you must declare any relevant financial or commercial interest in which you might have in the transaction.
7 Teaching and Training
(a) The BSD encourages you to help the public to be aware of and understand dowsing and related issues and to contribute to the education and training of other dowsers.
Adopted by the Council of the BSD on 30th August 2003.