Paddle Paddle Swim

Paddlesport Instructor
2026-07-22 09:30 - 2026-07-23 17:00, 2026-08-27 09:30 - 2026-08-28 17:00 UTC | Silver Wing Lake, Wraysbury (M25 Junction 13, West of London), Silver Wing Sailing Club, Staines Rd, Wraysbury, London, TW19 5AG, United Kingdom
PSI is the first step on the coaching ladder with Paddle UK (British Canoeing).

It is a 2-day course with minimal pre-requisites: Participants must be a Paddle UK member, have completed a Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course (or FSRT) and register with Paddle UK (in addition to making a booking on this page).

The Paddlesport Instructor qualification is designed for instructors running paddlesport taster/starter sessions within the safety management systems of clubs, centres or other organisations in:

Very Sheltered Water environments

Craft deemed suitable for a first-time experience

Course Content

The qualification will support the instructor with practical skills such as kitting up a group and getting afloat, initial familiarisation activities, games and activities to support learning and how to use mini journeys to inspire adventure and exploration. This will be enhanced with support on how these sessions can be delivered in a way that is enjoyable, safe and rewarding.

The process of completing the qualification aims to help prepare candidates for their first paddlesport instructing role; ‘primed and ready’.

Getting your group ready & on the water

Preparation, kitting up, manual handling

Bankside briefings

Paddling fundamentals

Supporting beginners

Introducing basic skills

Strategies for helping your participants fix common errors

Games with aims

How we learn, how we instruct

Understanding factors that promote learning

Tools for facilitating learning on your sessions

Journeying & group management

Purposeful journeys

Activities to promote skills development

Leadership styles

Using the environment

Assessment

Professional Standards

Personal Paddling Skills

Rescue Skills

Deployment matters & next steps

Remit

Further qualifications

Personalised feedback and action planning

Assessment Criteria

Participants are required to demonstrate effective rescues from their chosen craft, in addition to professional conduct and competence in personal paddling skills (see here a full description of the assessment guidance). The rescue assessment includes:

Assisting swimmers

Towing systems

Recovering equipment

Self-rescues

Self-rescues

Assisted self-rescues

Deep water rescues

Various craft from preferred craft

Techniques for getting swimmer out of the water

Multiple rescues

Unconscious / unresponsive rescues

Entrapped rescues

Group management

Safety protocols

Communication

Find out more on the British Canoeing Awarding Body website:

Course overview

Course documentation

Do I meet the pre requisites?

To be accepted on this course, participants must:

Be current members of Paddle UK

Have completed Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course (PSRC)

Register on the Paddle UK portal

While the lower age limit for this course is 14, we are not licensed to deliver adventure training to under 18s unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Paddlesport Safety and Rescue
2026-07-29 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-08-19 09:30 - 17:00
1-day course with qualification

This multi-craft course provides the BCAB Award that is the pre-requisite safety training for Paddlesports Instructor and Paddlesports Leader.

This is a mainly practical training course with no assessment. Your course will support you in keeping yourself and others safer, providing you with the tools and concepts to consider solutions to common issues on the water.

Every participant receives individual feedback at the end of the course.

Course Content

Clothing and Equipment

Craft overview, safety considerations and features

Clothing and equipment worn

Additional safety equipment

Safety frameworks

Sheltered water environment and weather

Safety principles

Rescue protocols

Calling for help

Contact and Towing rescues

Assisting swimmers

Towing systems

Recovering equipment

Self-rescues

Self-rescues

Assisted self-rescues

Deep water rescues

Various craft from preferred craft

Techniques for getting swimmer out of the water

Multiple rescues

Unconscious / unresponsive rescues

Entrapped rescues

Reflections from the course

Reflections on own learning and areas for development

Skills checklists

Find out more on the British Canoeing Awarding Body website: https://britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/paddlesport-safety-and-rescue/

Do I meet the pre requisites?

Participants need to either hold the Paddle Explore Award or equivalent ability, due to the paddling environment and the craft control required to complete the course.

While the awarding body does not set a lower age limit for this course, we are not licensed to deliver adventure training to under 18s unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Course & certification fees

This course is available at no cost to members of Hampton Canoe Club. Participants will just need to pay a certification fee (goes to Paddle UK) and an access fee (which enables us to use the lake).

The fee for all other participants is includes all costs and fees.

Places are automatically reserved upon receipt of fees, please choose an option below.

Paddlesport Safety & Rescue (PSRC)
2026-08-20 09:30 - 17:00
