Q1. How are St John Ambulance & Rescue (SJAR) certificates issued?
St John Ambulance & Rescue, in collaboration with the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research, and Innovation, issues certificates in digital form on the blockchain.
Q2. What are the benefits of the digital SJAR certificates on the blockchain?
– The digital SJAR certificate will remain with you for life and you can use this when applying for a new opportunity, whether that is at a school or with an employer.
– The authenticity of the digital SJAR Certificate can be verified on the St John Ambulance & Rescue Certificate Verifier or the Blockcerts Universal Verifier. You can send your digital certificate (JSON format) to prospective employers etc for verification. Having the certificates on the Blockcert system protects the St John Ambulance & Rescue brand.
– Your SJAR certificate/s is included alongside other certificates issued by local institutions on the Blockcert system.
– The printing and distribution of paper certificates does not contribute to environmental responsibility. The issuing of digital certificates supports the commitment of SJAR to its sustainability goals.
Q3. How do I get my digital SJAR Certificate?
Your digital SJAR Certificate will be sent by email. The digital SJAR Certificate will be added to the secure Blockerts Wallet App, which is designed to receive, store, and share your SJAR Certificate.
Note that the certificates will be issued at the beginning of every month.
SJAR will send you two separate emails:
- The first email informs you that you will receive a separate email with the Blockcert certificate. This email also contains instructions to download the Blockcerts Wallet App and how you will add the certificate to the Blockcerts Wallet App.
- The second email (send a few days after the first email) contains your certificate file (an attachment with the name: YYYY-MM-DD-SJ.json) and instructions to add the certificate to the Blockcert Wallet App and how to save a PDF version on their computer/laptop. It is strongly recommended that you keep a copy of the second email to have a backup of your certificate for future use.
Receiving certificates therefore, is an easy, two-step process:
A. Download the Blockcerts Wallet App.
The first email contains instructions to download your free Blockcerts Wallet App from the Apple App Store or Google Play. During installation, it is strongly recommended that you copy your secure passphrase of the Blockerts Wallet App and store it somewhere safe.
B. Add your digital certificate to the Blockcerts Wallet App.
The second email contains your digital certificate attached in JSON format. This file is your real blockchain certificate. It is strongly recommended that you keep your JSON file backed up in a safe place. You may need to reimport this when you change your mobile device in the future!
To add your certificate to your Blockcerts Wallet App:
- View the email on your mobile device.
- Click Import My Credential
Q4. How does the Blockcert Wallet App work?
Your app works just like a private folder. It is cryptographically secured, so nobody but you can access it. It talks to the organisations that issue you certificates, so they know where to send them. It also enables you to store all digital certificates issued by different organisations in one place on your own devices, so you don’t have to rely on anyone else to store your certificates. It is not tied to any public identity you have (like a social media profile or a school account), so you choose when and how you want to share the information in your app.
What this means, though, is that you are completely responsible for managing your app. It will have a secure passphrase to which only you have access to. Ensure that you save your unique passphrase in a secure place, like a password manager. This will let you regenerate your app and prove that you own your credentials if you ever delete your app or lose your phone. If you lose your passphrase, it’s like losing the ID that says you are who you say you are; you will need to contact us to re-issue your certificate to you.
Q5. What can I do with my digital certificate?
Having your SJAR certificate on the blockchain means that your certificate is always in your possession. You control how it is used. You can choose to share your certificate privately by email or text message.
Q6. What happens if I lose my smartphone or accidentally delete the Blockcert Wallet App?
As long as you have your passphrase, you can import your SJAR Certificate to a new app at any time. Just download the Blockcert Wallet App from the Apple App Store or the Google Play, enter your passphrase, and import your digital SJAR Certificate.
The passphrase allows you to maintain ownership of your SJAR Certificate across multiple devices. So, for example, you can enter the passphrase into the apps you download on your tablet or another smartphone, then import the same SJAR Certificate to those apps, too.
Q7. What if I do not have a smartphone or tablet?
The Blockcerts Wallet App can only be downloaded and used on a mobile phone or tablet. Downloading the Blockcerts Wallet App is optional, but it is recommended that you download the app so that you will be able to save your SJAR certificate (and other certificates issued by other institutions via Blockcerts) in one place on your mobile phone or tablet.
If you do not have a smartphone or tablet, follow these instructions:
- Save your digital certificate (in JSON format) on your computer, laptop or cloud storage.
- Upload or drag-and-drop your certificate (i.e. *.json) to the St John Malta Certificate Verifier.
- Click Verify
- The system will verify the certificate and display a dialog box. Click the text Download Record in PDF Format. The certificate will be downloaded to your preferred secure location.
Q8. Who can I contact if I have more questions?
If you have more questions about the Blockcerts Wallet App or the issuing process, please contact certificates@stjohnmalta.org.