Surf Kayak Leader

Surf Kayak Leader. A paddler playing on a wave whilst a leader observes.

The Leadership and Raft Guide Awards suite align to the British Canoeing Awarding Body Educational Philosophy and support leaders to run safe, quality, enjoyable trips, based on their group’s needs and aspirations.

The Surf Kayak Leader is aimed at paddlers who wish to lead surf kayakers in moderate surf.

Surf Kayak Leader Overview

Minimum age

16 years

Prerequisites

  • Full National Association Membership
  • Valid (within 3 years) British Canoeing Awarding Body recognised 2-day First Aid Award
  • Valid (within 3 years) Safeguarding Training recognised by British Canoeing Awarding Body
  • Safety training – Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue

Course Length

Optional Training / 1-2 day Assessment

eLearning

Optional free Leadership eLearning

Course Documents

To view the associated documents with this course, please click here.

Registration

You will need to register with your Delivery Centre ahead of assessment. Visit your Delivery Centre website below for further information.

Find a Course

Visit your Delivery Centre website to find a course near you.

Informal learning, experience based learning, and an availability of individualised choices are important to developing skilled leaders. To supplement this, British Canoeing Awarding Body provides quality training opportunities for those that seek them. It is important that you take an active role in deciding the appropriate preparation, training and experience that you need prior to presenting yourself for assessment. Guidance is offered below to help you construct this personalised development journey.

British Canoeing Awarding Body Training  

British Canoeing Awarding Body Surf Kayak Leader Training courses are available to support you in your development of the required skills. These courses typically cover leadership skills, and the associated personal skills, safety and rescue skills. As this training is delivered by British Canoeing Awarding Body Surf Kayak Leader Providers, they will also be able to help you identify an appropriate action plan to support your progress towards a successful assessment. This is the comprehensive option; courses are normally offered as 2-5 day programmes, with longer courses providing more time for you to practice and develop the skills.

Other Training Opportunities  

You may wish to opt for more bespoke training opportunities. For example, private tuition, in-house training through your work place, working alongside/shadowing other Leaders, or conference/symposium workshops. Many British Canoeing Awarding Body Surf Kayak Leader Providers are willing to offer bespoke training to individuals or groups of individuals. The benefit of working with a Surf Kayak Leader Provider is that they have explicit knowledge of the award requirements. However, there are a great many other experienced Leaders who may be in a position to support your development; the Surf Kayak Leader Assessment Guidance,  Checklist and the Leader and Raft Guide Self- Analysis Tool can be used as a steer as to the skills required.

Supportive Resources

There are a range of resources to support you on your journey to becoming a Leader, from the self-analysis tool, to the logbook and journey planning sheet. Explore the resources here.

Methods of Assessment

In order to achieve the qualification you need to show competence in the following elements:
  • Participant focused leadership skills
  • Personal paddling skills
  • Rescue skills
  • Underpinning background knowledge, understanding and experience

The Leadership Assessment will normally run over 1 or 2 days. This will depend on the course ratios and logistics relating to access to suitable environments.

Upon completion of the Assessment, the course provider will submit successful participants for certification.

Course Documents

To view the associated documents with this course, please click here.

Find a Course

To find a course in your area, visit your Delivery Centre website by clicking the relevant logo at the bottom of this page.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
modal close image
modal header

NEW Advanced White Water Safety Course

In January, we launched the Advanced White Water Safety course which is designed to support kayakers and canoeists on grade 3 and 4 white water rivers. The two day course will cover casualty management, moving around steep environments, dealing with stuck craft and paddlers, in complex environments.

Find out more and book your upcoming Advanced White Water Safety course today.

default

modal header

NEW Stand Up Paddleboard White Water Leader Course

In March, we launched the Stand Up Paddleboard White Water Leader which aims to support paddleboarders to lead journeys on grade 2(3) white water rivers.

This award is ideal for clubs, centres and activity providers looking to lead stand up paddleboarders on white water.

Find out more and start your journey to becoming a SUP White Water Leader today.

default

modal header

100th episode of the Coaching Podcast

In May, we celebrated a very special episode of the Coaching Podcast, as we reached the 100th episode. 

The Coaching Podcast has had over 35,000 downloads, with 74% of downloads from the UK. We also have listeners in 70 different countries, including the United States, Denmark and Germany, as well as Greenland, Azerbaijan and Zimbabwe!

Hugely successful, in 2023 the podcast won Podcast of the Year at the UK Coaching Awards. This could not be done without our inspiring and enthusiastic guests who give up their time to appear on the episodes. We have had 79 different guests over the seasons, with many people giving up their time to appear on multiple episodes.

Listen to the 100th episode here.

default

modal header

NEW Swimmer Safety and Rescue Course

In February, we launched the Swimmer Safety and Rescue course which aims to provide paddlers with the key safety skills and knowledge to work as part of a water safety team where open water swimming is involved. This could include cover at an event,  supervising swimmers at an aquapark or managed venues that offer open water swimming.

Find out more and book your upcoming Swimmer Safety and Rescue course today.

default

modal header

NEW Weather eLearning

In June we launched the NEW Weather eLearning. This eLearning is for any paddler, whether paddling on inland or coastal waters, wanting to increase knowledge of weather forecasting and how different conditions can affect trips. The course topics include wind, visibility and storms, as well as interpreting environmental clues and understanding synoptic charts and the shipping forecast. There is a practical focus in the eLearning on how to use weather knowledge to plan your trips and also how to adapt your plans to changing conditions. 

Start the weather eLearning today.

default

modal header

Canoe Slalom Technical Progression Guide

In November, we shared the final group of videos in the Canoe Slalom Technical Progression Guide. This resource from the England Talent Programme focuses on the different competencies required to become a successful slalom athlete. These new videos focus on the skills and knowledge needed to navigate waves and stoppers. Dealing with these features is a big challenge for any aspiring athlete and plays a huge part in performance. 

default