Summer Volunteers

Volunteers and Instructors are attracted to the Trust who in turn deliver a wide range of Paddlesport activities. To prepare our volunteers before they get qualified we run a range of courses aimed at developing new talent, thereby ensuring high standards are achieved and maintained.

Volunteers that demonstrate an aptitude to lead paddlesport activities are required to undertake safety and rescue training and obtain first aid qualifications before initially working as assistant instructors whilst they obtain more experience.

During the season, opportunities are available for aspirant instructors to obtain further qualifications.

Most volunteers ascend to become formal instructors within one season after which their contribution to the organisation is recognised and they get to wear an instructors shirt.

 

You may wish to get involved in a volunteering role as part of your Duke of Edinburgh scheme or you may be looking for some holiday employment when you are back from university, many of our instructors get qualified and come back each summer.

Older volunteers may have enjoyed participating in paddle sports and now you want to give something back or just like spending time outdoors, whatever your reason for getting involved, we hope we can offer you access to a rewarding pastime with many opportunities to maintain your interest.

Volunteers without qualifications are used to assist in the delivery of activities or assist with other land-based tasks, not being placed in a position of unsupervised responsibility. All volunteers over the age of 18 are required to have undergone a DBS check, Younger volunteers will work alongside a nominated DBS checked adult, who will be ensure their safety at all times.

It is recognised that not all volunteers will wish to become instructors with some very happy to remain in a supportive role,  where a volunteer wishes to become an instructor, they will be required to obtain the following qualifications in addition to their DBS certificate:

• Hold a valid First Aid Certificate (minimum 6 hours)
• Hold a BC FSRT or PSRT qualification.
• Attend a BC Paddlesport Instructors Course or (for Scouting attend a Scout Leaders Paddlesport Leaders course including PSR before later satisfying an in-house Instructor Assesment.

If you wish to volunteer and get involved in the work of the Canoe Sports Trust, you are very welcome to join us.

 

One of our younger instructors hoping to stay dry!