New Leadership and Raft Guide Awards

NEW for 2021, the Leadership and Raft Guide Awards aim to create more opportunities for people to paddle by increasing the number of qualified leaders and raft guides.

The new awards suite aligns to the British Canoeing Awarding Body Educational Philosophy and supports leaders and raft guides to run safe, quality, enjoyable trips, based on their group’s needs and aspirations.

The awards are ideal for clubs, centres and activity providers looking to lead groups on single or mixed craft journeys, from sheltered water to advanced water.

Key features of the new awards suite include –

Direct access to the environment you want to lead
No formal British Canoeing Leadership training requirements
Direct entry to assessments available
Single day assessments, allowing more agility, reducing time and expenditure
NEW eLearning package to support those leading in an unfamiliar environment
Downloadable logbook to support the recording of activity
Digital self-analysis tool to support leaders in their development and preparation for assessment

Key changes to the disciplines –

NEW disciplines: Paddlesport Touring Leader, SUP Inland Open Water Leader, SUP Coastal Leader and Stadium White Water Leader
Canoe Leadership to be split into Open Water and White Water
Sea Leadership to have tidal and non-tidal assessment pathways

“British Canoeing is delighted and very proud to launch the NEW Leadership qualification suite, being part of the wider 4 year review of all Coaching and Leadership awards. This project has included 3 years of feedback from candidates, Providers, National Associations, Technical Groups and wider consultation… Although much of the content has remained the same, the ethos and accessibility has changed significantly, providing direct access opportunities, single day assessments and no mandatory training, which could reduce both time and expense as well as recognising and celebrating individual experience. Such shift and alignment with our Educational Philosophy supports an individualised journey.“

Lee Pooley, Head of Coaching and Qualifications at British Canoeing

General Documents

Leadership and Raft Guide Award Course Guide (1.6 MiB, 5,117 hits)

Participant Focused Leadership Guidance (1.1 MiB, 3,790 hits)

Leadership and Raft Guide Award Sample Programme (1.4 MiB, 5,152 hits)

Leadership and Raft Guide Award Provider Notes (686.0 KiB, 3,527 hits)

Paddlesport Leader Documents

Paddlesport Leader Assessment Guidance (523.6 KiB, 8,417 hits)

Paddlesport Leader Checklist (260.7 KiB, 6,872 hits)

Paddlesport Touring Leader Documents

Paddlesport Touring Leader Assessment Guidance (466.1 KiB, 5,708 hits)

Paddlesport Touring Leader Checklist (263.5 KiB, 3,733 hits)

Stadium White Water Leader Documents

Stadium White Water Leader Assessment Guidance (966.0 KiB, 1,645 hits)

Stadium White Water Leader Checklist (259.8 KiB, 1,280 hits)

SUP Coastal Leader Documents

SUP Coastal Leader Assessment Guidance (684.8 KiB, 2,717 hits)

SUP Coastal Leader Checklist (261.3 KiB, 1,750 hits)

SUP Inland Open Water Leader Documents

SUP Inland Open Water Leader Assessment Guidance (635.5 KiB, 2,962 hits)

SUP Inland Open Water Leader Checklist (261.8 KiB, 1,804 hits)

Canoe Open Water Leader Documents

Canoe Open Water Leader Assessment Guidance (498.6 KiB, 3,435 hits)

Canoe Open Water Leader Checklist (261.3 KiB, 2,328 hits)

Advanced Canoe Open Water Leader Documents

Advanced Canoe Open Water Leader Assessment Guidance (978.9 KiB, 2,103 hits)

Advanced Canoe Open Water Leader Checklist (261.7 KiB, 1,332 hits)

Canoe White Water Leader Documents

Canoe White Water Leader Assessment Guidance (1.4 MiB, 2,466 hits)

Canoe White Water Leader Checklist (260.7 KiB, 1,818 hits)

Advanced Canoe White Water Leader Documents

Advanced Canoe White Water Leader Assessment Guidance (1.2 MiB, 1,551 hits)

Advanced Canoe White Water Leader Checklist (261.3 KiB, 1,038 hits)

Sea Kayak Leader Documents

Sea Kayak Leader Assessment Guidance (383.2 KiB, 6,887 hits)

Sea Kayak Leader Checklist (260.2 KiB, 3,580 hits)

Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Documents

Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Assessment Guidance (658.0 KiB, 2,439 hits)

Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Checklist (261.5 KiB, 1,857 hits)

Surf Kayak Leader Documents

Surf Kayak Leader Assessment Guidance (669.8 KiB, 1,570 hits)

Surf Kayak Leader Checklist (262.5 KiB, 1,030 hits)

Advanced Surf Kayak Leader Documents

Advanced Surf Kayak Leader Assessment Guidance (675.5 KiB, 1,100 hits)

Advanced Surf Kayak Leader Checklist (263.5 KiB, 955 hits)

White Water Leader Documents

White Water Leader Assessment Guidance (1.0 MiB, 3,249 hits)

White Water Leader Checklist (258.9 KiB, 2,523 hits)

Advanced White Water Leader Documents

Advanced White Water Leader Assessment Guidance (1.1 MiB, 1,839 hits)

Advanced White Water Leader Checklist (259.8 KiB, 1,375 hits)

Stadium Raft Guide Documents

Stadium Raft Guide Assessment Guidance (1,006.9 KiB, 961 hits)

Stadium Raft Guide Checklist (261.0 KiB, 768 hits)

Raft Guide Documents

Raft Guide Assessment Guidance (1.2 MiB, 1,393 hits)

Raft Guide Checklist (262.6 KiB, 953 hits)

Raft Trip Leader Documents

Raft Trip Leader Assessment Guidance (1.1 MiB, 1,115 hits)

Raft Trip Leader Checklist (263.3 KiB, 762 hits)

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Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course

This course was launched on the 4th January and aims to provide paddlers with the key safety and rescue skills required to operate safely and be able to deal with common problems in a sheltered water environment.

The course content focuses on rescuing from the paddlers specific craft and covers equipment, safety frameworks, as well as a range of rescues such as contact and towing rescues, self-rescues and deep water rescues.

Find out more about this course!

Stand Up Paddleboard Instructor

This course was launched on the 4th January and aims to support Instructors running SUP taster/starter sessions and short journeys in very sheltered water environments.

The 2 day course helps to prepare candidates for their first SUP instructing role, ensuring they are ‘primed and ready’ to deliver safe and enjoyable sessions for people new to paddleboarding, within the safety management systems of clubs, centres or other organisations.

Find out more about this course!

Inclusive Language eLearning

This eLearning was launched on the 11th January and will cover the importance of using inclusive language and the impact it can have on those around you.

This module provides an understanding of key terms, definitions and examples of inclusive language; supports learners on how to identify and tackle inappropriate or exclusive language such as banter and microaggressions; and how to challenge it when it happens.

International Webinars

We have held several International webinars throughout the year the first being Paddling in France which was on 15th February 2023, this was then followed by the United States of America on 15th March 2023 we then had Nepal, Norway and the latest one Austria which was on 21st June 2023.

If any resources were used in the webinar you can now find them on the BCAB Digital Library along with the recording of the webinars. Unfortunately Paddling in Norway wasn\’t recorded so that wont be on the Digital Library.

Manual Handling eLearning

This eLearning was launched on the 31st January and will cover different types of manual handling, how we can consider and manage risk and shows the steps we can take when manual handling to better protect our bodies.

Throughout paddlesport, there are many occasions when we are lifting, carrying and moving craft, as well as performing rescues. It’s essential we reflect on current practice and consider whether we are putting ourselves and others in potential danger of damaging joints and muscles, particularly when moving or lifting equipment or people.