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Build Skills & Get Qualified

Build skills to make your stroke more effective on the water. Less energy and more power,  greater speed and less wear on the body will come with learning from the best. By joining PaddleNSW and affiliated Clubs, you can often access Instructors and Coaches at no cost. At the very least, you will receive substantial discount to the cost of a Scheduled Course. PaddleNSW conducts yearly professional development workshops for Club Instructors and Coaches to maintain currency.

Why get qualified?

Qualifications give you the authority to deliver training and are indicators of your ability to paddle on flat, white and/or sea waters. When you are deemed competent with a qualification, you will be reassured you have the knowledge and skills to paddle at that level, and others can be reassured that you are qualified to deliver training to that level.

PADDLE SUPERVISORS in KAYAKS, CANOES, SOTS and SUPS can supervise a paddling activity with novice paddlers on Flatwater areas such as swimming pools, lakes, dams, slow moving rivers, etc. where the group under supervision can be seen from a single vantage point at any time and does not leave the immediate launch area. Assessment Guide found here. When you hold the Award the PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities in basic skills to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club.

FLATWATER GUIDES in KAYAKS, CANOES, SOTS and SUPS are qualified to guide groups of novices on day based activities on Flatwater areas such as lakes, dams, slow moving rivers, etc. Assessment Guide found here.

Further overnight endorsement can be extended to enjoy the remote camping spots across our State.

Further moving water endorsement in kayak, canoe and SOTS enable you to lead groups of paddlers on Grade 1 water that is clearly moving and has hazards such as strainers and a degree of risk, but less than that of a Grade 2 river.

when qualified use your PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club.

FLATWATER INSTRUCTORS in KAYAKS, CANOES, SOTS or SUPS  are qualified to instruct, facilitate skill transfer to develop participants in order that they may act independently or with minimal supervision in controlled conditions for inland kayaking and canoeing. Assessment guide found here. When qualified use the PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club. You can have issued a Flatwater Skills Award to successful participants.

SEA WATER:The sea ranges from easy conditions close inshore with ready access to safe landings to open ocean with heavy swells, surf, and few safe landings. Away from the shelter of land, wind can generate choppy conditions. Knowledge of tides and weather is essential.

COASTAL GUIDES are qualified to guide groups of novices on activity and day based based programs on SOTs in Coastal conditions. Assessment guide found here. When qualified use the PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club.

ENCLOSED SEA GUIDES are qualifed to guide groups of novices on activity and day based programs in sea kayaks in Enclosed Sea conditions. Assessment guides found here. When qualified use your PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club.

SEA GUIDES are qualifed to guide groups of novices on activity and day based programs in sea kayaks in Sea conditions. Assessment guides found here. When qualified use the PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club.

ENCLOSED and SEA INSTRUCTORS are qualifed to guide and INSTRUCT groups of novices on activity and day based programs in sea kayaks in Enclosed and Sea conditions. Assessment Guides found here. When qualified use the PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club. Sea Skills Awards can be issued to successful participants.

WHITE WATER Grade 2 Whitewater rapids are staightforward with medium sized,regular waves. The path through rapids can be clearly seen from the water and is often indicated by well defined chutes or Vs of water. There are some obstacles that require manoeuving around, but paddlers with good command of the basic strokes can easily miss them.

WHITE WATER GUIDES are qualified to guide groups of novices on activity and day based programs in kayaks and canoes in grade 2 conditions. Assessment guides found here. When qualified use the PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club

WHITE WATER INSTRUCTORS are qualified to guide and INSTRUCT groups of novices on activity and day based programs in kayaks and canoes in Grade 2 conditions. Assessment guide found here. When qualified use your PADDLE ED APP and deliver activities to School, or community groups in clubs and businesses and be fully insured when your group is registered. You can operate independent of a Club. Whitewater Skills Awards can be issued to successful participants

SKILLS AWARDS are embedded in each of the above LEADER AWARDS and must be met during assessment.

FLATWATER SKILLS training and assessment can be delivered by Flatwater Instructors using the Paddle Ed APP.

SEAWATER SKILLS training and assessment can be delivered by Sea Instructors using the Paddle Ed APP.

WHITEWATER SKILL training and assessment can be delivered by whitewater Instructors using the Paddle Ed APP.

ASSESSORS can instruct and ASSESS for flat, white and/or sea skill and leaders for Supervisor, Guide and Instructor provided they are Paddle Australia qualified Assessors who hold awards in the area/craft/discipline they assess in.

To become ASSESSORS, an instructor must hold the flat, white and/or sea kayak instructor award for at least three years and comply with criteria which can be found here. To complete assessments participants need to be registered through PaddleNSW NTP system.

For PaddleNSW registration, Assessors will need apply to the PNSW CEO with a brief CV describing experience. availability and area where they can work. PNSW administers the course/assessment and employs the Assessor for the work. These Assessors will be known as INTERNAL ASSESSORS. Internal assessors are also welcome to identify the need for courses by contacting education@paddleNSW.org.au. Courses delivered in PaddleNSW CLUBS will receive a discount for the training and assessment for CLUB members.

PaddleNSW also promotes and administers the Courses and Assessment for EXTERNAL ASSESSORS. The External Assessor runs their own course and assessment and employs PaddleNSW to set up the registration, provide additional course promotion on the PADDLENSW and PA website, and provides membership and administration to award applications to PA. Application forms can be found here and typically will cost $50 per person.

NEW COURSE and ASSESSMENT REGISTRATION SYSTEM:

When you find the AWARD/course for you on the PADDLENSW CALENDAR or Paddle Australia CALENDAR click on the registration button, and sign the waiver to proceed. (if you are a PA or PNSW Club member, then you can expect a discount after providing your PA ID to education@paddlensw.org.au).  After payment has been made, you will receive a project and quiz related to the specific Award. You can hone your skills and ensure your required experience is under way and use your PADDLE LOG to record experience.  DOWNLOAD the PADDLE ED APP and find your registration details. (keep your password somewhere safe) Much of the communication will occur through the PADDLE ED APP.

PAYMENTS can be confusing. Be aware that there will be course training and or assessment cost to your ASSESSOR or PADDLENSW and costs for PA Award registration which includes the three year insurance is a separate cost detail here.

OTHER PADDLENSW COURSES: If the course you are looking for is not on the Calendar, then contact education@paddleNSW.org.au PaddleNSW will always endeavour to respond to demand and provide a course solution for you.

A specific course can be designed for a group of four or more participants at a venue suitable for the Award.   FOR a Course that will enable RECOGNITION of CURRENT COMPETENCIES you will need to provide a Log book of experience, a short CV of your paddling history and previous awards. An appropriate ASSESSOR will review and match to the PA AWARD and PaddleNSW will provide a pathway &/or course for completing the Award.

COACHING  Is about honing skills and people are “coached” to become more efficient and effective. Achievements are usually assessed by speed. Mostly done in a Club scene, racing against other paddlers in Clubs, then they move to States, National teams and international, the Olympics. There is a hierarchy for Coaches – the National Coaches are most qualified and paid accordingly.

  • The Paddle Australia Qualifications Scheme outlines the pathways from basic skills to the skills and knowledge that an Instructor or Guide would need whether in the Recreational paddling Industry or in Clubs when introducing new paddlers to handle flat, white or sea water.
  • The Paddling Australia Coach Scheme is designed to outline the basics for Coaches to enable the paddler to hone their skills in flatwater sprints, marathon, ocean racing, canoe polo or slalom.

A participant is encouraged to attend the training courses that will provide the basic skills & knowledge and then seek opportunities to practice and develop experience at this level before considering assessment for the qualification.

PaddleNSW Qualified Trainers and Coaches can be found in Clubs or by attending standard PaddleNSW advertised courses. The most popular Courses are outlined below, however we will do our best to respond to any other training request related to our sport.

Flatwater Courses

Whitewater Courses

Sea water Courses

Recognition of Prior Learning:

Assessment for recognition of current competencies without attending a training course requires an evidence based review.  The evidence needs to include previous awards, work experience and log books outlining the experience in the water and conditions of the award before a practical review is conducted. The ACAS handbook outlines in detail the standards for assessment.

The process will cost $445 per person with a $45 discount for members. If a gap is identified an applicant will be assisted with a training program to reach competence.

PROMOTE A COURSE on our website

PaddleNSW Clubs (with qualified Instructors) can post a Course for Flatwater, Whitewater and Sea Skills free of charge. Contact education@nsw.paddle.org.au with the information or ask the Executive Officer admin@nsw.paddle.org.au for a login to publish the information.

PaddleNSW member Instructors can promote a Course for Flatwater, Whitewater and Sea Skills at no cost on the website.  Contact education@nsw.paddle.org.au with the information.

A PaddleNSW endorsed School or Business can promote a Course on the website.  Please contact the PaddleNSW Executive Officer admin@nsw.paddle.org.au for the standards and conditions for endorsement.

PaddleNSW member Assessors can promote a Course and lodge Award Applications through PaddleNSW . Each Course participant is required to hold a PaddleNSW single event membership if not already a full member of PaddleNSW.

Qualified Instructors (INDEPENDENT of a Club), can when registering as member of PaddleNSW nominate the Education Group as their Club. You are encouraged to attend the PaddleNSW Educators Forum conducted at the PNSWAGM.

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