Advanced White Water Leader

Course Description

Become an Advanced White Water Leader!

• Looking to lead journeys on advanced white water?
• Are you a white water paddler or do you have experience paddling in grade 4 white water rivers?
• Do you want to support your club?

If so, the Advanced White Water Leader could be for you!

Why become an Advanced White Water Leader?

First of all, the Advanced White Water Leader is open to anyone with experience of paddling in advanced white water. The award will enable you to lead fun, safe and enjoyable white water trips for groups of paddlers. 

You will be supported to develop your personal and leadership skills during with like-minded white water paddlers.  Alternatively, if you have sufficient experience you could go straight to assessment.

Furthermore, this award is used by clubs, outdoor centres and organisations to support their white water journeys on grade 4 white water rivers. 

What can an Advanced White Water Leader do?

Your award will support you to lead safe and enjoyable journeys. You will lead white water paddlers with a range of experience on trips based on their needs and aspirations in the advanced white water environment.

As a Leader you can work independently or be deployed by a club, centre or organisation to lead trips and journeys. The purpose of these trips may be wide ranging from educational experiences, social adventures or trying something new.

You will be able to provide British Canoeing Awarding BodyAwards and Training, such as:

• Personal Performance Awards – the Start Award, Discover Award, White Water Award and the Progressive White Water Award

Note: other experience, training or qualifications may be required. Find out more in our develop skills section.

How should I prepare for the training course?

To get the most from your course you will need to feel comfortable paddling on grade 4 white water rivers. We would recommend holding the Advanced White Water Award before booking onto your training. 

How should I prepare for the assessment?

Before your assessment, you need to attend the Advanced White Water Safety and Rescue Training. This course will support you to consider safe practices, provide practical solutions to common issues and appropriate responses to incidents, providing peace of mind when venturing out onto more demanding rivers.

There are lots of ways you can prepare for your assessment. It is important that you take an active role in deciding the appropriate training and experience that you need. You could book onto the British Canoeing Advanced White Water Leader Training course to support you in developing the required skills. Alternatively, you can choose bespoke learning opportunities to support your development stage. Find out more on the content tab.

Registration

The Advanced White Water Leader has a formal registration requirement.

Leadership Registration

Registration is a process for leaders who are planning to attend a Leadership Assessment course. The purpose of Registration is to confirm you hold all prerequisites, it's quick and confirmation is sent straight to your inbox*. This should then be shared with the assessor to confirm eligibility for assessment. It also gives you peace of mind that you have everything you need in place and you can focus on enjoying your assessment. Please do not try to Register unless you hold all prerequisites:

*Note - as long as you meet the prerequisites, you will be automatically sent confirmation of your Registration.

What does Registration cost?

How do I Register?

• You will need to be an On the Water British Canoeing Member - join now British Canoeing Membership (On the Water)
• You need to be at least 18 years of age to register
• Once you're a member, you access your membership portal and register through the dedicated platform
• For more information you can use our Registration Guidance here.

Course Content

It's your development pathway! You choose if you want to attend formal training courses or develop your personal skills, leadership and safety and rescue, with a mentor or through your Club/Organisation. When you're ready for assessment, you are in control. It's your group, your trip and our assessor joins you for the day.

Advanced White Water Leader Training

Typically run over two days, British Canoeing Awarding Body Advanced White Water Leader training courses will support the development of your personal skill level and leadership ability to lead a group of paddlers in an advanced white water environment. The training emphasises the application of strokes to achieve suitable techniques and boat control in real situations.

The training covers four key areas:

• Personal paddling skills
• Rescue skills
• Safety, leadership and group skills
• Theory

Some training courses can be extended to include the assessment prerequisite Advanced White Water Safety and Rescue training.

Formal leadership training is not mandatory, however if you chose to access the training you will have a great couple of days, develop your community of practice, as well as make friends and paddle with likeminded paddlers.

Advanced White Water Leader Assessment

We believe in assessments for learning and you will definitely learn a lot from your assessment. To find out more click on the assessment tab.

Course Assessment

We do everything we can to take the stress out of assessments, we are focused on the journey and not the destination. The experience will be safe, engaging and enjoyable, with you at the heart of the process, involving you in as much of the decision making as possible.

Typical Assessment

Your assessor will guide you through the stages of arranging your assessment, discussing with you the best times and dates for the assessment, helping you ensure you have a group to lead and the appropriate assessment conditions on the day.

By the end of the assessment, you will have to demonstrate knowledge and skills in four areas:

• Personal paddling skills
• Rescue skills
• Safety, leadership and group skills
• Theory

Advanced White Water Leaders will need the ability to judge the conditions and the standard of the group and make appropriate decisions. The assessment takes place over a typical paddling day, depending on the logistics relating to access to suitable environments, you and your assessor may agree a longer assessment.

Help and support ahead of your assessment

• The Advanced White Water Leader Assessment Guidance – this explains, in detail, the standard required for assessment. You can look at the Assessment Guidance here.

• Leadership eLearning – This optional, interactive eLearning package will take you through some of the key principles behind the British Canoeing Awarding Body Model of Leadership. This is a good refresher of the Leadership principles, at any point on your journey towards becoming an Advanced Surf Kayak Leader.
• You might find it useful to carry out a Self Assessment using British Canoeing Awarding Body's Leader and Raft Guide Self Analysis Tool.
• You could also log your previous experience in a logbook like this Coaching and Leadership Logbook. You can also use the headings suggested and make your own!

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