Personal Performance Award, Leadership Award or Coaching Qualification Which is right for you? There are now a large number of different personal performance awards, coaching qualifications or leadership awards available, and many of them now are available as direct entry awards, allowing paddlers to choose to enter at a level that is appropriate for them. Over the next few pages we will describe each of the awards and qualifications to allow you to decide which is best for you. Personal Performance Awards A basic assessment of a paddlers abilities where they are able to control their boat and perform some basic strokes. A simple capsize is required to be demonstrated. The 1 Star Award normally has a formal assessment whilst the Paddlepower assessment is ongoing and can be ticked off week by week which is more suitable for junior paddlers. This award will normally take a paddler 6-8 hours of paddling time to achieve. 2 Star Award and Paddlepower Discovery Taken in both Canoe and Kayak Paddlers will now be capable of controlling their boats and linking strokes together to get where they need to go and will show good mastery of the basics. Skills will be demonstrated in both Canoe and Kayak. More advanced rescue skills will need to be demonstrated including rescuing another paddler. Paddlepower is again assessed on an ongoing basis whilst the 2 Star Award will have a formal assessment. Paddlers achieving this award are well placed to do trips and explore more aspects of paddling. 3 Star Award taken in a chosen discipline: Open Canoe, Touring Canoe, Touring Kayak, White Water Kayak, Freestyle, Sea, Surf Paddlers will show a really good control of their craft, have experienced a number of trips and will be competent members of a group out paddling. They will have good rescue skills for themselves and others. Paddlers are now well placed to paddle independently and plan trips with other paddlers. https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/go-canoeing/things-to-do/build-my-skills/ Direct entry is available at any level to the performance awards 1 Star Award and Paddlepower Passport Taken in any craft
Leadership Awards Leadership awards allow paddlers to lead others in the appropriate environment; the leader will help the group to make appropriate decisions on the trip, but all of the paddlers on the trip should have the basic skills to accomplish the trip safely. Leadership awards are not coaching awards, and leaders may not have any formal coaching qualifications, but leadership and coaching awards can be combined to allow both coaching and leading in the appropriate environment. Paddlesport Leader Award Generic award for all craft The Paddlesport Leader is aimed at paddlers taking on formal leadership responsibilities in benign, sheltered water environments, such as canals, slow moving rivers or small lakes. It aims to support Leaders to run safe, quality, enjoyable trips based on their group s needs and aspirations. Only pre-requirement for assessment is Membership of British Canoeing and a 1 day First Aid Award. Formal training is available but is not mandatory. Assessment is a 1 day assessment whilst on a trip Leader Award Taken in a specific discipline. White Water Kayak Leader, Open Canoe Leader, Sea Kayak Leader etc. (Previously the 4 Star Award) This award is for those wishing to lead others in Moderate Water environments such as Grade 2/3 moving water, large lakes, and the sea (up to certain conditions). Pre-requirements for assessment are Membership of British Canoeing, Leader training and a 2 day First Aid Award. Log-book experience must be gained between Training and Assessment, in various different places in different water conditions. Assessment is over 2 days Advanced Leader Award Taken in a specific discipline. Advanced White Water Kayak Leader, Advanced Open Canoe Leader, Advanced Sea Kayak Leader etc. (Previously the 5 Star Award) Direct entry is available at any level to the leadership awards This award is for those wishing to lead others in Advanced Water environments such as Grade 4/5 moving water, very large lakes, and all sea conditions. Pre-requirements for assessment are Membership of British Canoeing, Advanced Leader training and a 2 day First Aid Award. Log-book experience must be gained between Training and Assessment, in various places in different water conditions. Assessment is over 2 days https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/coaching-leadership/courses-for-coaches-leaders/
Coaching Awards From the 1 st of January 2018 British Canoeing s Coaching qualifications will change to enable paddlers to enter the coaching scheme at whatever level is appropriate for them. It will also mean that paddlers will choose to enter in the discipline that they want to coach in rather than having to work through the different levels of flat water coaching awards. Paddlesport Instructor Award Canoe and/or Kayak (Previously Level 1) This award is aimed at paddlers delivering introductory Paddlesport events and taster sessions, providing fun and engaging experiences for all ages and any of the competitive and no-competitive paddlesport disciplines. The Paddlesport Instructor can plan, deliver and review short coaching sessions, normally with the support of a more qualified coach. Pre-requirements are Membership of British Canoeing, Foundation Safety and Rescue Training, 2 Star award or higher in Canoe and Kayak, or Paddlepower Discover. Training and Assessment is over 4 days, which is normally split into 2 weekends. Coach Award (Previously Level 2) 18 different awards available. This award is aimed at paddlers who wish to coach those who want to gain/improve skills within a chosen discipline. This will include beginners new to the sport or paddlers looking to develop skills in a discipline or environment so they can paddle safely and without the need for a coach. Only pre-requirement is Membership of British Canoeing, Discipline Specific Training For some Discipline Specific Training there is particular pre-requirements, so for the White Water Kayak Coach training the pre-requirement is to hold the White Water Kayak Leader Award. There are no pre-requirements for the Sheltered Water Award or for attending the Core Coach Training.
The Coach Award in more detail The chart below shows all of the different routes by which a paddler can access the coach award, and what their title will be when they have completed the award. All will be classed as a Coach, it is just the environment that changes, and therefore every coach will be assessed to the same level of coaching skills, it is just the environment that is different. An Advanced Sea Kayak Coach is still assessed at the same coaching level as a Coach Sheltered Water - Kayak. Neither is more or less qualified than the other. Core Coach Training Accessible by anyone wanting to be a coach. No need to be a Paddlesport Instructor beforehand, but they can be. Only pre-requisite BC Membership, however, good skills are required at a personal level. Discipline Specific Training Course Sheltered Water Canoe Sheltered Water Kayak Sheltered Water Canoe and Kayak Freestyle Coach Polo Coach Racing Coach Slalom Coach Sea Kayak Coach Sea Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Open Water Canoe Coach Open Water Canoe Coach (Advanced Water) White Water Canoe Coach White Water Canoe Coach (Advanced Water White Water Kayak Coach White Water Kayak Coach (Advanced Water) Wild Water Racing Coach Pre Requisites Sea Kayak Leader Award Advanced Sea Kayak Leader Award Open Canoe Leader Award Advanced Open Canoe Leader Award Open Canoe Leader Award Advanced Open Canoe Leader Award White Water Kayak Leader Award Advanced White Water Kayak Leader Award Pre Requisites before assessment For all routes aspirant coaches will need to have in place at the time of assessment: Safeguarding Training, either a 1 day or 2 day First Aid course as appropriate, and have completed all of the required e-learning and assessment tasks.
Gaining a personal performance award with HPPCC Training can be provided on a Saturday morning for working towards personal performance awards, and the club also puts on specific block courses that can be booked for the acquisition of skills. In addition on a Thursday night any paddler can attend the club to practice their skills and often further coaching is available. (Sometimes coaches may not be available if they get stuck in traffic, or stuck in work!) These Thursday night sessions are open to anyone who has completed at least 6 sessions and is comfortable in a boat. Paddlers should check the syllabi for the various awards and discuss with their coach the areas that they need to work on so that the coach on the day can support their development. 1 Star, 2 Star, Paddlepower Passport and Paddlepower Discovery are all assessed internally within the club. Some 3 star awards can also be assessed internally but 3 star White Water Kayak and 3 star Sea will require external assessors for which there will be a cost. NEW for 2018 Once a month after the club session on a Saturday afternoon the Coaching and Volunteer officer will be available to sit down over a drink in the Gamston Lock pub and discuss with any club member their own personal development, whether this is for personal performance awards or the move into Leadership or Coaching. This will help paddlers to identify the best options for them to follow, and ensure that they can make good progression. Gaining a Leadership or Coaching award with HPPCC Can you give something back? The club is dependent on having sufficient coaches and leaders to support the club activities, and we also want to ensure that our coaches and leaders get time to go paddling as well! If you would like to think about a coaching or leadership award then please talk to the Coaching and Volunteer Officer who will help you to work out what award would be best for you and will help you to access courses that are being held locally. To enable more people to undertake an award the club will support financially any club paddler who wishes to undertake a Coaching or Leadership award and then use it for the benefit of club members. Bursaries are usually available for up to 1/3 of the cost of the course, and a further bursary of 1/3 can be applied for from the East Midlands Regional Development Team. Bursaries can also be obtained for gaining first aid qualifications. Details of the New British Canoeing Coaching Structure https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/courses/new-for-2018/