Paddlesport Touring Leader

Course Description

The New Paddlesport Touring Leader

• Do you want to lead paddlers on their next adventure?
• Are you a paddler or do you have experience of paddling?
• Do you want to support your club leading mixed craft?

If so, the Paddlesport Touring Leader Award could be for you!

WHY BECOME A PADDLESPORT TOURING LEADER?

First of all, the Paddlesport Touring Leader Award is open to all paddlers! The award supports your existing skills and enables you to lead fun, safe and enjoyable trips.

Secondly, you can design your own learning journey, using formal and informal opportunities to develop your skills.

Furthermore, this award is used by clubs, outdoor centres and organisations to support their activity delivery on mixed craft. This includes single or tandem craft.

WHAT CAN A PADDLESPORT TOURING LEADER DO?

Your award will support you to run safe and enjoyable trips, based on your group’s needs and aspirations. You will lead journeys, on moderate inland water, for a range of mixed craft.

As a result of becoming 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 Body Awards and Training such as:

• Paddle  Awards – Paddle Start, Paddle Discover and Paddle Explore.
• Personal Performance Awards – Touring Award, Open Water Touring Award and Multi Day Touring 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?

There are no formal Personal Performance Award or Safety Award requirements to becoming a Paddlesport Touring Leader. However, to get the best from your course you need to feel comfortable in or on your craft.

You need to be able to independently paddle on open water, rivers up to and including short stretches of Grade 2.

In addition, we recommend holding the a personal performance award in your chosen discipline.

For example:

• Progressive White Water Award
• Progressive Canoe Award
• Stand Up Paddleboard White Water Award

And you have experience of those environments before booking on your training (or equivalent).

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR ASSESSMENT?

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 Paddlesport Touring 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.

Leadership eLearning and online Resources

These optional, interactive eLearning packages will take you through some of the key principles behind:

• British Canoeing Awarding Body Model of Leadership.
• Leading in unfamiliar environments.
• Leading mixed craft journeys

In addition you will also find resources, guides as well as a digital self-analysis tool. Find out more!

Registration

The Paddlesport Touring 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:

• You need to be at least 16 years of age to register.
• Safeguarding Training (dated within the last 3 years).
• 2 day First Aid (dated within the last 3 years).
• Full National Association Membership.

WHAT DOES REGISTRATION COST?

£40.56

HOW DO I REGISTER?

• You need to access your membership portal and register through the portal.
• Ensure your record is up to date before you start**.
• Click on the registration tab and follow the on screen instructions.
• For more information you can use our Registration Guidance.

When should I Register?

When you have all of the prerequisites in place

At least 2 weeks before your assessment, this allows us to resolve any issues in plenty of time!

Why do I have to Register?

Your Registration covers:

• Advice, support and guidance
• Registration services
• Provision of Internal Verification
• Provision of digital platforms and resources
• Administering qualifications including e-certificate and digital records
• Enhanced insurance
• For more information you can use our Registration Guidance.

Course Content

There are lots of ways you can prepare for your Paddlesport Touring Leader assessment. It is important that you take an active role in deciding the appropriate preparation, training and experience that you need, before booking your assessment. Informal learning and experience based learning are important for your development as a leader.

British Canoeing Paddlesport Touring Leader Training

These training courses are usually between 2 and 5 day programmes, with longer courses giving you more time to practice and develop your skills. Typically run over two days, the British Canoeing Awarding Body Paddlesport Touring Leader Training course will support the development of your personal skill level and leadership ability to lead a group of paddlers in moderate inland waters. The training emphasises the application of a variety of techniques appropriate for exposed open water, requiring the paddler to perform appropriate and effective manoeuvres in real situations. As this training is delivered by British Canoeing Awarding Body Paddlesport Touring Leader Providers, they are well placed to help you identify an appropriate action plan to support your progress towards a successful assessment.

The training covers four key areas:

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

Formal 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.

As well as the formal training course you could consider other formal training options such as:

• Foundation Safety And Rescue
• White Water Safety and Rescue
• Personal Performance Awards

Other Training Opportunities

There are lots of experienced leaders who can support you in your development in a personalised and individualised way. For example, in-house training at your club or work-place, working alongside of shadowing other leaders, private tuition or conferences, symposiums and workshops, the list is endless! You could also work with a Paddlesport Touring Leader Provider on an individualised programme as they have explicit knowledge of the award requirements.

Paddlesport Touring Leader 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

Leaders are expected to demonstrate appropriate paddling ability to fulfil their leadership role. The assessment takes place over a typical paddling day, depending on the logistics relating to access to suitable environments you and your assessor my agree a longer assessment.

Help and support ahead of your assessment

• British Canoeing Awarding Body Paddlesport Touring Leader Leader Assessment Guidance – this explains, in detail, the standard required for assessment

  You can look at the Assessment Guidance here.

Leadership eLearning and online Resources – 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 a Leader. You also might find it useful to carry out a Self-Assessment using British Canoeing Awarding Body's Leader Self Analysis Tool Find All resources here!

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