Become A Coach Award Provider

What the Role Entails

Become A Coach Award Provider

As a member of our tutor and/or assessor team, you will be responsible for facilitating the coach award training course’s. These form the core of the majority of paddlesport coach development pathways we offer.

You will be sharing your knowledge, skills and experience with paddlers. You can be involved with your discipline specific trainings and assessments or if you have a range of experience across disciplines, you can be involved in the delivery of our core coach training.

To become a coach award provider you will need to not only understand coaching theory and paddlesport, but be able to explain them in simple language to a range of paddlers to support their progression into coaching.

Tutors often support paddlers outside of the formal courses, with informal support and mentoring.

The role of an assessor is supportive, supporting candidates through their Coach Assessment.

You will work with the candidates before the assessment to ensure they have everything in place for their assessment. As well as making sure they know what is expected of them on the day. You will be expected to give suitable feedback throughout the course for each candidate. As well as a helpful action plan at the end of the course.

To become a coach award provider will take time and dedication. You will need to be committed to your personal development. However being a coach award provider is hugely rewarding and satisfying.

Don’t take our word for it, click the video and hear from one of our Coach Award Providers:

How do I become a coach award provider?

Coach Award Tutor and Assessor are a managed role.

We recruit Coach Award Tutor and Assessor each April.

When applications open, you will then have 4 weeks to submit your application, applications must be received by the deadline.

Applicants need to provide references, so please think carefully about who these should be.

If successful you will need to book on to an Orientation. During the Orientation you will be working alongside other aspirant providers and a National Trainer.

BEING A SUCCESSFUL PROVIDER WILL INVOLVE

• Being great at coaching rescue skills on a variety of crafts
• Having experience of the demands of taster/starter sessions
• Being able to deliver Personal Performance Awards in a range of craft
• Once qualified, supporting aspirant providers to progress with their action plans

MAINTAINING YOUR COACH AWARD TUTOR/ ASSESSOR ROLE

When you become a coach award provider you will be expected to agree and follow the Provider Service Agreement. You will also need to meet the Update Scheme requirements. This includes up to date Paddle UK membership, First Aid and Safeguarding qualifications. As well as completing some form of continuous personal development every three years.

You will also be subject to internal verification and quality assurance checks on your courses and your course paperwork.

Every year there will be an expectation for tutors and assessors to attend standardisation sessions and in each 3 year period all tutors and assessors will attend a community learning event. These events provide great opportunities to  share best practice, standardise assessment practice and discuss any new developments within the award.

SPECIFIC GUIDANCE REGARDING SYLLABUS UNDERSTANDING

Your coach award courses will be practical and predominately aimed at developing paddlesport coaches who coach in the paddlesport environment.

It is important that you, as a tutor and/ or assessor, understand the core theories that underpin the syllabus. But being able to bring them to life and explain them in simple terms is essential.

This includes:

• Understanding of Constructivist and Behaviourist learning theories
• Learning cycle (Kolb)
• Multiple intelligences (Gardner)
• Current perspectives on Learning Styles (Honey & Mumford)
• Different Sensory Channels (Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic)
• Stages of learning (Fitts & Posner)
• Feedback (intrinsic/extrinsic, structure/timing/structure/effect of, KR and KP)
• Coaching styles (Mosston & Ashworth, 2002)
• Structuring learning (e.g. IDEAS, WASP)
• Coaching philosophy and the British Canoeing Awarding Body Educational Philosophy
• Session planning (progressive, adaptable, formal/informal, written/mental methods)
• Coaches’ decision making (CDM, NDM and PJDM; Situational Awareness; Heuristics)
• Learning environment (motivational climate, coach-athlete relationships, SDT, AGT)
• Characteristics of empowerment based coaching (Duda)
• Skill acquisition:
  • Memory (schemas, chaining, sequencing, drills, whole-part-whole)
  • Dynamical systems (shaping, perception-action coupling)
  • Constraints theory
  • Practice styles (massed, variable, distributed, bilateral, and mental practice)
  • Games sense/games with aims/teaching games for understanding
• Observation (holistic, deductive, systematic observation techniques, and the links to DM)
• Observation techniques to inform WHAT to coach, and HOW to coach
• Reflective practice (Gilbert & Trudel)
• Communities of Practice (Lave & Wenger)

2025 Orientation Structure and Dates

Phase	Key Dates	Activity
Phase 1	11th June 2025 7pm to 9pm (BST)	Welcome and Induction Webinar
Phase 1	12th June – 1st November 2025	Self Directed Study (approx 100hrs)
Phase 2	10th September 2025 (7pm to 9pm (BST))	Webinar 1
Phase 2	24th  September 2025 (7pm to 9pm (BST))	Webinar 2
Phase 2	15th  October 2025 (7pm to 9pm (BST))	Webinar 3
Phase 2	29th October 2025 November (7pm to 9pm (BST))	Webinar 4
Phase 3	8th & 9th November	Face to Face Orientation – Nottingham (UK)

 

2024 Key Submission Dates

• 30th June 2025 – Knowledge Audit 1 Completed
• 10th September 2025 – Coach Award Learner Pathway (Mandatory Task)
• 15th Oct 2025 – Risk Management Task and Risk Management E-Learning (Mandatory Tasks)
• 22nd Oct 2025 – Knowledge Audit 2 Completed
• 1st November 2025 – Create and Submit a Course Programme (Mandatory Task)
• 1st November 2025 – Coach Award E-Learning (Mandatory Task)

Find Out More

Under the minimum requirements and further instructions tabs you will find the full personal specification, more specific information on each role can be found on the following links.

Core Coach Tutor

Freestyle Coach Tutor

Freestyle Coach Assessor

Open Water Canoe Coach Tutor

Open Water Canoe Coach Assessor

Open Water Canoe Coach (Advanced Water) Tutor

Open Water Canoe Coach (Advanced Water) Assessor

Polo Coach Tutor

Polo Coach Assessor

Racing Coach Tutor

Racing Coach Assessor

Sea Kayak Coach Tutor

Sea Kayak Coach Assessor

Sea Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Tutor

Sea Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Assessor

Sheltered Water Coach Tutor

Sheltered Water Coach Assessor

Slalom Coach Tutor

Slalom Coach Assessor

Stand Up Paddleboard Sheltered Water Coach Tutor

Stand Up Paddleboard Sheltered Water Coach Assessor

Stand Up Paddleboard Open Water Coach Tutor

Stand Up Paddleboard Open Water Coach Assessor

Stand Up Paddleboard Race Coach Tutor

Stand Up Paddleboard Race Coach Assessor

Stand Up Paddleboard White Water Coach Tutor

Stand Up Paddleboard White Water Coach Assessor

Surf Kayak Coach Tutor

Surf Kayak Coach Assessor

Surf Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Tutor

Surf Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Assessor

White Water Kayak Coach Tutor

White Water Kayak Coach Assessor

White Water Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Tutor

White Water Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Assessor

Wild Water Racing Coach Tutor

Wild Water Racing Coach Assessor

Minimum Requirements

Role Description and Person Specification for Coach Award Tutors and Assessors

Key Responsibilities

• To direct training/assessment associated with the relevant qualification as and when required to do so.
• To design, deliver and tailor programmes of training/assessment to meet candidates’ specific needs.
• To deploy other tutors/assessors to plan and deliver aspects of the training/assessment programme, and to monitor and support deployed tutors’/assessors’ delivery to ensure all aspects of the learning/assessment programme is delivered appropriately.
• To work with and support British Canoeing Awarding Body and the Delivery Centres in the delivery of coach education/assessment.
• To support, advise and mentor candidate coaches in their development through the coach pathway.
• To support, advise and mentor aspirant tutors/assessors to support their development and ensure consistent application of best practice.
• To attend, and contribute to, training and standardisation meetings, workshops and other update events as required.
• To maintain robust and valid administrative practices and records for courses and candidates and maintain all relevant communications.
• To contribute to the development and updating of guidance and support materials for use with British Canoeing Awarding Body qualifications.

Qualifications

Essential

Discipline specific coaching qualification(s) appropriate to the discipline specific roles and environments. For example, Stand Up Paddleboard Sheltered Water Coach Tutor/ Assessor would require:

• British Canoeing Awarding Body Stand Up Paddleboard Sheltered Water Coach or equivalent

Desirable

Performance Coach or equivalent

Note: Core Coach Tutors will be expected to gain a Performance coach qualification if they do not hold an equivalent award within their action plan

Experience and Skills

Essential

At least five years’ active (and current) experience running progressive coaching sessions in the discipline specific environments. Verified leadership, personal skills and rescue competence in the relevant environments.

Desirable

Tutoring and/or Assessing experience. Extensive coaching experience:

with a wide range of relevant user groups (age, ability, aspirations)
• running long-term coaching programmes
• coaching in a wide range of the relevant environments

Experience of working with an Awarding Body or within a related training/assessment environment.

Knowledge

Essential

Detailed knowledge and understanding of:

• The award syllabus
• The role and skills of the Coach Tutor and Assessor
• The performance requirements of the discipline

Commitment

Essential

• Evidence of commitment to personal professional development.
• Evidence of commitment to the professional development of others through appropriate mentoring and support.

Personal Profile

Essential

• Has a personal coaching and educational philosophy that is in keeping with the British Canoeing Awarding Body Educational Philosophy.
• Has competence in the subject matter of the qualification(s).
• Has strong interpersonal skills and the ability to operate as a team player.
• Is able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people.
• Is skilled in communicating through various media and has excellent presentation skills.
• Is competent in the language used for assessment (or has access to appropriate guidance and training).
• Is fair and equitable, ethical and honest.
• Treats people with respect, is candid, and protects confidential information.
• Adheres to Delivery Centre policies and demonstrates loyalty to British Canoeing Awarding Body/the Delivery Centres/the National Association and the team.
• Supports equality of opportunity.
• Is a clear thinker able to approach tasks in a systematic and logical manner.
• Has excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
• Is able and willing to take and offer advice. Is willing to learn, develop and grow.
• Has the ability to write and speak in plain English and to use language that is free from bias and appropriate to the qualification.
• Has competence in assessment and awarding systems and procedures (applicable to Assessor roles).
• Has excellent customer care skills.
• Has the ability to make accurate judgements about the standard of candidates’ coaching performance, knowledge and development needs.
• Has the ability to design, deliver and tailor a programme of training/assessment to meet candidates’ specific needs.
• Has the ability to deploy other tutors/assessors to plan and deliver aspects of the training/assessment programme.
• Has the ability to monitor and support deployed tutors’/assessors’ delivery to ensure all aspects of the learning/assessment programme are delivered appropriately.

TUTORING AND ASSESSING QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

All Coach Award tutors require a nationally recognised Tutoring Qualification that aligns to the relevant National Occupational Standards for Learning and Development (standards 1 to 8); All Coach Award assessors require a nationally recognised Assessing Qualification that aligns to the relevant National Occupational Standards for Learning and Development (standard 9). We will accept applications from candidates who are working towards these qualifications. The following list of qualifications is not exhaustive, applicants who hold other qualifications for teaching/tutoring/assessing should list these in their application and they can be considered on an individual basis.

Examples of Relevant Tutoring Qualifications:

• British Canoeing Awarding Body Tutoring Award (available Spring 2023)
• Qualified Teacher )
• Level 3 Award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (QCF)
• Sports Education Tutoring PDA (SCQF)
• Level 3 Award in Delivering Learning (QCF)
• Level 3 Award in Education and Training

Examples of Relevant Assessor Qualifications:

• British Canoeing Awarding Body Assessor Training
• Qualified Teacher Status
• Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocational Related Achievement (QCF)
• Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocational Achievement (QCF)
• Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment (QCF)
• Conduct the Assessment Process PDA (SCQF, L&D9)
• Assess Workplace Competence Using Direct Methods (SCQF, L&D9DI)
• Assess Workplace Competence Using Direct and Indirect Methods (SCQF,L&D9DI)
• NVQ A1 Assessor Award
• NVQ D32/D33 Assessor Award

Further Instructions

Application Process

Applications open in April each year, an Apply now button will appear on all open roles. please read the instructions on the application for application deadlines and off line options.

Orientations will be agreed with successful applicants with and are both face to face and online a full schedule with dates is available on the main webpage, the up to date orientation fee can be found by look at the Paddles Up Training Delivery Centre Fees document Here . There will be additional costs in the case of a final sign off, however these should be absorbed by charging learners attending your sign off course .

(Note: this fee covers all Coach Award roles applied for and Is not per role)

Development options

The following suggestions are activities that you can undertake at any point in the development process. However, if considered before or concurrently with the application/ orientation, your application/ orientation outcomes are likely to be better.

Understanding the pathway to becoming a provider

• Decide – do I want to be signed off at orientation or have a development plan and need a final assessed delivery?
• Mentor – who can help me? Who has recently become a provider who understands the journey?
• Read – The ‘Provider Requirements’ and the ‘Provider Development pathway’ and ensure you understand the process and standards.

Planning and organising a course

• Read - the most up to date Syllabus and Training notes, comparing them to when you undertook your training. What is different? What has changed?
• Observe – do you have access to local providers you can go and watch? Can you see more than one provider run a course? How do courses change when they are run in different places?
• Watch – any related videos on the British Canoeing Awarding Body Youtube channel?

What makes a good venue?

• Consider – where will you run your courses, how will you ensure you have all of the equipment to run a course? How will your courses be different depending on different candidates? Time of year? Temperature? How do we ensure we have the right kit to remain productive during a long cold day on/ in the water?
• Consider – where do you learn best? What locations have worked well in your experience? What locations have not worked and why?

Developing my personal skills and understanding

• Get involved – do I have access to groups that would enjoy learning different rescue techniques? Can I co deliver any courses?
• Get some personal coaching – who can help you develop your skills? Could you do a PPA in SUP, Race etc to develop understanding? Who do you know who would be willing to come out and practice with you?

Understanding National Association Policies and Procedures

• Read – the policies and procedure that effect your course.
• Discuss – different scenarios with your mentor or a National Association Trainer.
• Watch – how to videos for subjects like course authorisation and certification.