I took the SUP Instructor qualification because I want to be able to introduce more people to the sport in a safe environment. I want to use my knowledge and skills to involve the disadvantaged groups in to the sport. As one of the admins of East of England Paddlesports, we promote safe and responsible…
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I have recently moved with my family from South East England to Cumbria in order to work as an Outdoor Instructor. I am currently a Mountain Leader and Rock Climbing Instructor and start work in April with an outdoor company in the Lake District. As part of my personal and professional development, I decided to…
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I help run a paddlesports group called East of England Paddlesports and I decided to take on the SUP Instructor qualification to aid in running the group and be able to provide lessons to spread the joy of SUP. As the only female admin, I wanted to be able to provide women only lessons as…
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The trajectory of a life can pivot on the most unlikely of invitations. To give a college roommate a lift home from the east to the west coast of the USA, after which I moved there. To drive a friend down that west coast to the world’s second longest peninsula and tag along on some…
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What is Find A Provider? Find A Provider, is a web-based search function that will enable anyone accessing the Paddles Up Training Website and British Canoeing Website to find a British Canoeing Course Provider. The system allows a search to be made based on distance from a town or postcode. A filter can also be…
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The Wild Water Racing Coach Award launched in January 2018 and supports you to coach Wild Water Racing. We hear from Jamie, who recently become the first person to qualify as a NEW Wild Water Racing Coach, and Hannah, who ran the first Wild Water Racing Coach Assessment. Hear from Jamie, the first NEW Wild…
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Rugby Canoe Club is an affiliated British Canoeing club based in the Midlands. The club turned 50 years old in 2020. Their coaching team was recently strengthened with the addition of two new Paddlesport Instructors. Billy (18) and Máiréad (17) became the club’s youngest ever Instructors after undertaking their FSRT and 2 day Paddlesport Instructor…
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British Canoeing Awarding Body Course Staffing Ratios Tutors, Assessors and Providers must obtain permission in advance from Paddles Up Training if they wish to work outside these ratios. Leadership BCAB Course Staff Requirement Learners Ratios Paddlesport Leader Training Paddlesport Leader Provider minimum 1 – maximum 6 Paddlesport Leader Assessment Paddlesport Leader Provider 1 day =…
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The Polo Coach Award launched in January 2018 and supports you to coach Polo. We hear from Lesley, who recently ran the first Polo Coach Assessment and Neil, who recently become the first person to qualify as a NEW Polo Coach. Hear from Lesley, who ran the Polo Coach Assessment Neil came with a background in…
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My first “taste” of stand up paddleboarding was back in 2018 when I had a 45 minute taster on a Groupon deal for £7! I managed to stand up but soon fell off when a boat passed by, in St Ives Harbour. I always had an itch to get back on a board but living…
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Paddles Up Training supports the promotion of paddlesport for people of all abilities and encourages them to take British Canoeing Awarding Body Personal Performance Awards, Safety training, Leadership Awards and Coaching Qualifications. This web page provides guidance to Tutors, Assessors and Providers on how they can best support people with special educational needs, disabilities, temporary…
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Polices for course candidates, providers, tutors, assessors. Accredited Prior Learning Appeals Procedure Paddles Up Branding Guidelines Candidate Registration Guidance Certification Guidance Complaints Procedure Conflict of Interest Policy Course Authorisation, Advertising and Results Submission Course Ratio/ Staffing Guidance Data Collection Guide Data Retention Chart Delivery Centre Fees (from January 2023) Equality and Diversity Policy First Aid…
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We are pleased to introduce the new Personal Performance Award Provider Refresher eLearning. This eLearning is aimed at existing PPA Providers to ensure continual development, standardisation and delivery of our Educational Philosophy. We have developed this eLearning update to revisit the awards, explore methods of delivery as well as focus on a specific area to…
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I started kayaking about 9 years ago when my kids first started at Falcon Boat Club. I sat in the car park for the first 2 months, until one of the coaches asked why I didn’t give it a try, so I did! I continued on and off for about a year and a half,…
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I started paddleboarding over in Australia and just found it naturally came to me. I got my board last summer and used it mostly on the sea and few lakes. As I’m a Paddlesport Instructor and Paddlesport Leader, I wanted to improve my knowledge and experience so that’s why I took the SUP Inland Open…
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I completed my Level 2 Coach Award in 2017 and used this to help out at my local club. Due to a combination of Covid and work pressures, I had not done much coaching during the last few years. In May this year I left my job in the Civil Service to spend the summer…
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I’ve been paddling for over 40 years in kayak and canoe, and coaching for 30, but my experience on a SUP was virtually non-existent when I went for my Paddlesport Instructor Tutor Orientation. Understandably, this was an area that I had to become proficient in to become a Provider. So I got on the water with…
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Paddles Up Training would like to congratulate Kostas for becoming the first Performance SUP Open Water Coach! Kostas takes us through his journey through coaching and why he decided to become a Performance Coach. I have been coaching and working as an outdoor educator for almost a decade now. I began my journey like the…
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Like many, we began SUPing more regularly during lockdown and created a community stand up paddleboarding and wild swimming group to inspire others to join us. The water is our happy place and offered timely mental and physical health benefits. In May this year, we set up our business Moffat SUP hire to service the…
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In 2020, British Canoeing Awarding Body introduced a NEW supportive points based CPD process. Aligned with our Educational Philosophy, CPD is now individualised, allowing the Instructor, Coach and Leader to consider what areas they may need to develop. This process is simple, easy to upload and gives you the opportunity to recognise all of your…
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With the launch of a range of direct entry awards, clubs, centres and organisations may be wondering which qualification is right for the activities they run. This guidance will give you an overview of the options available to your paddlers wanting to start their journey on the qualification pathway. The Career Start or Develop Skills…
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Guidance for both paddlers and Providers The Personal Performance Awards are designed for paddlers wanting to gain recognition of their learning and development, in the craft and environment they choose. Although not compulsory, the NEW awards provide an appropriate guide of the personal skills required for the Leadership Awards. Paddlers are also able to gain…
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As lots of paddlers prepare to become Instructors, Leaders and Coaches, the range of direct entry awards now available give you the choice of how you up skill your personal paddling ahead of the course to ensure you can focus on the course content. The Personal Performance Awards are a great stepping stone for those…
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Looking to lead mixed craft journeys on sheltered water? Then become a Paddlesport Leader! The Paddlesport Leader is aimed at paddlers taking on formal leadership responsibilities in benign, sheltered water environments and aims to support Leaders to run safe, quality, enjoyable trips based on their group’s needs and aspirations. 1. Available in any craft, from SUP to…
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Still not made up your mind about becoming a Paddlesport Instructor? Here’s our top 5 reasons why you should! 1 – Supports you to run starter / taster sessions and games on very sheltered water The Paddlesport Instructor award develops your skills to run starter / taster session for those new to paddlesport, games and…
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For both of us, paddleboarding is not just about the sport, it’s a way of life. Jo’s passion for paddleboarding grew over the last few years and knowing Hayley’s love for the outdoors and passion for well-being, she introduced Hayley to the sport and the water quickly became the place she felt at her happiest.…
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At Paddles Up training we are fully committed to provide Equal Opportunities and our Reasonable Adjustments for Qualifications and Awards Policy is designed to support candidates. Policy Statement British Canoeing Awarding Body’s policy is to encourage inclusion and therefore avoid a separate system. Where a specific disability prevents a candidate from completing a particular part…
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Supporting your Paddlesport Instructors Upskilling in a Different Craft. The Paddlesport Instructor is aimed at those running starter and taster sessions and short journeys, within the safety management systems of clubs/centres or other organisations. Paddlesport Instructors are qualified in one stable craft, either Canoe, Kayak, Sit-on-Top or Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP). Paddlesport Instructors and deployers, (clubs and centres), could use…
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Launched in January 2021, the NEW Paddlesport Touring Leader supports you to lead fun, safe and enjoyable mixed craft journeys, on moderate inland water. This new award is already proving popular and we hear from Grant, Emily and Piotr. Hear from Grant, who recently ran the NEW Paddlesport Touring Leader… It’s a really great award…
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Hear from Dan and Paul who recently delivered one of the first online core coach training courses. Delivering the online core coach training course was really interesting. As providers, it gave us a new challenge – how to make the content as practical as possible whilst we were all in different physical locations. We managed…
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