Description

We are proud to offer both training and assessment courses for the Paddle UK / British Canoeing Awarding Body – Paddlesports Leader. We offer supportive and informative training courses with the perfect balance of input and practice to help maximize your leadership, safety, and personal skills.

What is this award? The PSL is for the paddler who wants to lead mixed craft in sheltered water environments. You don’t need to attend an official training course before your assessment, however, we highly recommend it! During your training course, we’ll develop your personal performance skills, practice efficient and effective rescue skills, learn and practice leadership skills, and build your underpinning knowledge. You’ll walk away with confidence, a detailed understanding of leadership, and your route to assessment with an individualized action plan.

Whilst there is no formal requirements for skill level prior to attending a training course, in order to get the most out of the course you should have some experience and be able to confidently paddle your chosen craft in the sheltered water environment. This will include ungraded, slow moving river sections and wind affected areas including force 3. You should also be aware that this course will involve being in the water, performing rescues. So being comfortable being in water, and wearing suitable clothing to stay warm will be needed. If you have any questions, concerns or would like to borrow equipment then get in touch or leave us a message in the notes at checkout.

When you’re ready for an assessment you’ll need to lead a mixed craft group of 4 – 6 people (containing at least 1 sup, 1 canoe, and 1 kayak), in sheltered water environments. There are two distinct environments you’ll be assessed in: a slow-moving river, and a wind-affected area with force 3 winds. You’ll be assessed against criteria in four areas:

• Participant-focused leadership skills
• Personal paddling skills
• Rescue skills
• Underpinning background knowledge, understanding, and experience

If you want to find out more, either get in touch or explore the paddles up training webpage. If there are no dates in the drop-down menu or none of those suit you, then choose ‘by arrangement’ and we’ll be in touch to arrange a training course for you. A training course will have between 2 and 6 participants, so it will only run if there are at least 2 participants booked on and we have suitable weather conditions. If you have booked on and the conditions are not met, we will seek to rearrange as soon as possible for the attendees, transfer your booking to another course or issue a refund.