Raft Guide (Grade 3)

Course Description

Looking to lead groups of people white water rafting on natural rivers?

• Do you want to take groups of people from all walks of life rafting?
• Do you have experience of white water rafting?
• Are you looking to support your club or centre?

If so, the Raft Guide (Grade 3) could be for you!

Why become a Raft Guide (Grade 3)?

First of all, the Raft Guide (Grade 3) is open to anyone interested in leading a raft on natural rivers up to grade 3! The awards supports your existing skills and enables you to lead fun, safe and enjoyable white water rafting trips.

Secondly, you will be supported to develop your personal paddling and guiding skills during training, with like-minded guides. 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 rafting activity on natural rivers.

What can a Raft Guide (Grade 3) do?

Your award will support you to run safe and enjoyable white water rafting trips, based on your group’s needs and aspirations. You will lead groups with a range of experience on natural rivers up to grade 3.

As a Raft Guide, you can work independently or be deployed by a club, centre or organisation to lead white water rafting trips. The purpose of these trips may be wide ranging from social adventures, club activities or trying something new.

You will be able to provide British Canoeing Awarding Body Awards and Training such as:

• Personal Performance Awards – Paddle Start and Paddle Discover.

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 Raft Guide. However, to get the best from your optional training course, you need to feel comfortable in a raft and be able to paddle on natural rivers up to grade 3.

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. Alternatively, you could attend the Rescue 3 WRT Pro Award. 

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 Raft Guide 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 package 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
• Raft Guide videos

And provides resources and guides as well as a digital self-analysis tool. Find out more!

Registration

The Raft Guide (Grade 3) has a formal registration requirement.

Registration

Registration is a process for Raft Guides (Grade 3) who are planning to attend an 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 16 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.

Raft Guide Training

Typically run over two days, British Canoeing Awarding Body Raft Guide training courses will support the development of your personal skill level and raft guide ability to lead a group of clients in a grade 3 environment.

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 making friends and raft with likeminded guides.

Raft Guide 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

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

Every Raft Guide (Grade 3) will prepare differently for their assessment, however, you can check your readiness for assessment using:

• Raft Guide Assessment Guidance – this explains, in detail, the standard required.

  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's Leader Self Analysis Tool Find All resources here!

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