The Paddle UK Guide Endorsement is aimed at Paddle UK Leaders to support and recognise the additional skills required when fulfilling a guiding role.

Sea Kayaking Cornwall has a long history of helping paddlers advance from sea kayak leaders to become fully endorsed sea kayak guides. Enabling them to go on to work all over the world, lead multi-day expeditions and indeed, set up their own businesses in the industry. We are introducing a series of two-day guide modules following the Paddle UK (PUK) syllabus to focus on personal development that allows us to develop the subject matter both in the class room and on the water.

Guide Modules are open to all Paddle UK members wanting to gain knowledge, skills and develop specific areas of interest.

The ethos behind the scheme is to support leaders in their aspirations to become a guide, share experience and recognise the additional leaders guiding development.

Each module completed counts towards your PUK continual professional development (CPD) which is required by leaders, coaches and guides.

For leaders wishing to gain the Guide Endorsement status a minimum of 3 out of the 5 available modules should be completed before the recommendation can be made.

Becoming an Endorsed Guide

Once aspirant guides have acquired the entry requirements listed below, Sea Kayaking Cornwall is able to help you progress towards being signed off as an endorsed guide. This can be done through recognition of experience or observation fulfilling a guiding role.

Entry Requirements:

  • PUK Leadership Qualification (held for 2 years and 20 logged led trips / Journeys
  • First Aid Award
  • Home Nation Membership
  • Recognition of experience or training through Guide Modules and/or Approved Prior Learning (APL)

The guide modules consist of:

Camp Craft & Expedition Skills
Exploring the different expedition skills and equipment required for day trips, multi-day trips, UK and overseas journeys. Throughout the module leaders will be provided with top tips and valuable insight into making the most out of expedition from a sea kayak. Gaining valuable knowledge in how the time spent out of the kayak and around the camp can be best enjoyed. This module will be run over two days with an overnight wild camp element to take place on the Helford.

Topics include:

  • Trip considerations
  • Equipment choice
  • Nutrition & Hydration
  • Camp Craft
  • Packing
  • Tents & Tarps
  • Wildlife safety & Leave no trace

Customer Experience
Expanding your knowledge in customer experience and helping to develop business and admin skills. This module looks into profiling paddlers and deals with how leaders can put the client’s desires, interest and safety at the forefront of trips and journeys.

Topics Include:

  • Qualities of a good leader
  • Duty of care
  • Risk assessments
  • Recording incidents and near misses
  • Policies and procedures to safeguard your clients and well being
  • Insurance
  • Under 18s
  • Serious incidents & accidents
  • Client profiling
  • Trip outcomes
  • Group dynamics
  • Feedback
  • Role of the guide

Environment & Sustainability
Much of the enjoyment we derive from paddling is created by a thriving natural environment which we as guides have a responsibility to protect. As Guides we are ambassadors for the environment, ensuring our activities have minimal impact. This module will aim to increase your knowledge of the various impacts we have on wildlife, the legislation that surrounds this and what we as paddlers can do to help. The first day of the course will cover theory in the classroom with the second day taking this knowledge onto the sea to identify different native and non native species via a local sea kayak journey.

Topics Include:

  • Introducing the natural paddling environment and inspiring others
  • Potential threats and impacts and how to minimise them
  • Protected sites and associated legislation / codes
  • Understanding the needs of other users
  • Aquatic invasive non-native species
  • Biosecurity (Practical)
  • Useful publications, resources and contacts

Guide Module – Leadership
This module is designed to follow on from the leadership principles explored within the Paddle UK Leadership Awards, broadening the attendee’s knowledge of leadership and to get them to consider their style, how it may impact on their groups and how it may affect the strategy. The first day of the course will aim to cover the theory side with discussion and practical sessions, whilst the second day will be a chance to see it in action on the water.

Topics include:

  • Influences on leadership behaviours
  • Your leadership behaviour
  • Leadership style / philosophy
  • Challenge Vs Control
  • Leader decision making
  • The Effect of different behaviours

Trip Planning & Organisation
Decision making for trip planning and organisation starts potentially months ahead of getting on the water. There are many factors in play over the planning timeframe, some are uncontrollable and cannot be changed like the hazards, whilst others, like the selection of the team of paddlers, are within a guide’s control to change and influence. During the trip planning module we will look at the different factors a guide needs to consider when planning a guided trip as well as creating a paddle plan to execute the following day.

Topics include:

  • Importance of trip planning
  • Pre-trip planning
  • Managing risk
  • External factors
  • Internal factors

Paddle UK Resources

The courses offered by Sea Kayaking Cornwall line up with official Paddle UK awards so that you can make the most out of your time with SKC and utilise the skills and experienced gained in the rest of your paddling life.

Read more about Sea kayaking Cornwall & Paddle UK

Contact Us

Please give us a call if you have any queries or wish to discuss any of our courses or expeditions:

0044 (0)1326 250889 (office)
0044 (0) 7555 763695 (Shaun Rodgers)
0044 (0) 7455 884482 (James Roberts)

Sea Kayaking Cornwall, Tregedna Farm, Maenporth, TR11 5HL