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| IT Members Area |
Understanding the AWA / WWC Paddling Development Certifications:
The certification programs offered through the AWA are focused on developing effective and safe instructors and leaders. Listed below are the various levels available to instructors and leaders wishing to teach courses or lead other paddlers in various settings. Additional fees apply to instructor members, see Course Fees for more information.
Community Kayak
Instructor - Pool
Community Kayak
Instructor - Open Water (AWA / NCCP Level 1)
Combination Community Kayak Instructor Level I Pool and Level I Open Water
Swiftwater Rescue and Safety
Kayak River Leader 2
Kayak River Instructor 2 - (AWA / NCCP Level 2)
Combination River Leader 2 and River Instructor 2 (AWA and NCCP Level 2)
Kayak Whtiewater Leader 3
Kayak Whitewater Instructor 3
Combination Kayak Whitewater Leader 3 and Kayak Whitewater Instructor 3
Instructor
Guidelines
Re-certification Courses
Community Kayak Instructor - Pool:
| Target Audience: | Lifeguards and swimming instructors who work at pools who wish to teach kayaking, teachers or youth leaders wishing to teach kayaking for their groups and club instructors running winter pool sessions. |
| Course Duration: | One day |
| Prerequisites: | ● Minimum Age: 16 years ● Must have previously experienced the basic skills involved ● Does not have to be an experienced or proficient paddler |
| Environment: | Indoor and outdoor swimming pools or controlled beachfront swim areas, with lifeguards present |
| Course Outline: | ● Risk management ● Basic pool safety ● Pool and paddling equipment ● Boat fit ● Getting in and out of boats – dryland and wet exits ● Basic strokes; forward and reverse; sweeps, draws, hip flicks, high and low braces, and hand of god ● Practice routines ● Games ● Professionalism, ethics, and promotion |
| Suggest Course Fee: |
$150 includes Provincial and National certification Fees: (Does not include pool costs – 3 hours of pool rental or clean, warm swimming water required – local host organization is best suited to make this booking) (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Community Kayak Instructor – Open Water (AWA / NCCP Level 1):
| Target Audience: | Club or summer camp instructors teaching kayaking on unsupervised flatwater sites |
| Course Duration: | One day |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA Member ● Minimum Age: 16 years ● Must have intermediate flatwater skills ● Certified as a NCCP Community Kayak Instructor - Pool ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: |
Teaching beginners on outdoor flatwater, such as lakes canals, ponds or non-moving water sites (flow less than 10 metres/minute) (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
| Course Outline: | This course builds upon the basics of the pool course and includes:
● NCCP overview |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $150 includes National and Provincial Certification Fees: (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Combination Community Kayak Instructor Level I Pool and Level I Open Water:
| Target Audience: | Club or summer camp instructors teaching kayaking in supervised pools and on unsupervised flatwater sites |
| Course Duration: | Two days |
| Prerequisites: | ● Minimum Age: 16 years ● Must have intermediate flatwater skills ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Teaching beginners in the pool and on outdoor flatwater, such as lakes canals, ponds or non-moving water sites (flow less than 10 metres/minute) |
| Course Outline: | This course combines the basics of the pool course and the technical review of the Open Water course. It includes:
● NCCP overview |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $250 includes National and Provincial Certification Fees: (Does not include pool costs – 3 hours of pool rental or clean warm swimming water required – local host organization is best suited to make this booking) (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
| Target Audience: | This Whitewater Canada course is recommended for all paddlers |
| Course Duration: | Two and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | AWA Members |
| Environment: | Class I-IV whitewater |
| Course Outline: | ●
Risk, incidents, and liability ● River dynamics (hydrology) ● River hazards ● Trip safety and planning ● Throwbags ● Wading and swimming ● Tow systems and in-boat rescue techniques ● Knots and anchors ● Tag and snag lines ● Mechanical advantage systems ● Leading rescues and organization of rescues |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $300 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
| Target Audience: | Club members who wish to lead river trips |
| Course Duration: | One and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA
Member ● Minimum age 18 years ● Class III (intermediate) whitewater paddling skills ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Class I-II whitewater |
| Course Outline: |
Risk management focused and covers the details of trip planning
and leading a group down the river on Class I – II water ● Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning ● Planning and preparation ● Paddler screening ● Risk assessment and decision making ● Leadership skills ● River hazards and hydrology ● Group management, scouting & communication techniques including river signals ● Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $200 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Kayak Instructor 2 (AWA / NCCP Level 2):
| Target Audience: | Club, school, or commercial instructors wishing to teach kayaking on easy rivers |
| Course Duration: | One and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA
Member ● Minimum age 18 years ● Class II (intermediate) whitewater paddling skills ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification ● Certified as a NCCP Kayak River Leader 2 ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Instructing beginner and novice groups on Class I-II whitewater |
| Course Outline: | ● Equipment ● Risk management ● Teaching methodology ● Site selection ● Group management and communication ● Session planning ● Technical skills; basic eddy turns (in and out), boat ferrying, s-turns, surfing, backlferrying, and the moving water roll . ● Common paddling injuries ● Basic rescue techniques ● Games and exercises ● Professional issues and administration |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $200 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Combination River Leader 2 and River Instructor 2 (AWA and NCCP Level 2)
| Target Audience: | Club, school, or commercial instructors wishing to teach kayaking on easy rivers |
| Course Duration: | Two and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA
Member ● Minimum age 18 years ● Class II (intermediate) whitewater paddling skills ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification ● Certified as a NCCP Kayak River Leader 2 ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Instructing beginner and novice groups on Class I-II whitewater |
| Course Outline: | ● Equipment ● Risk management focused and covers the details of trip planning and leading a group down the river on Class I – II water ● Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning ● Planning and preparation ● Paddler screening ● Risk assessment and decision making ● Leadership skills ● River hazards and hydrology ● Group management, scouting & communication techniques including river signals ● Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills ● Teaching methodology ● Site selection ● Instructional group management and communication ● Session planning ● Technical skills; basic eddy turns (in and out), boat ferrying, s-turns, surfing, backlferrying, and the moving water roll . ● Common paddling injuries ● Basic rescue techniques ● Games and exercises ● Professional issues and administration |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $350 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
| Target Audience: | Club, school, commercial instructors or guides/leaders who wish to lead advanced whitewater trips; safety boaters, other professional paddlers, etc. |
| Course Duration: | One and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA
Member ● Minimum age 18 years ● Class III-IV (advanced) whitewater paddling skills ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification ● Certified as a NCCP Kayak River Leader 2 ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Class III - IV whitewater |
| Course Outline: | This
course follows the same format as the Kayak Leader 2 course, but
for trip planning and leading on Class III – IV water. ● Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning ● Planning and preparation; remote runs, map analysis, GPS ● Paddler screening ● Risk assessment and decision making ● Advanced leadership skills ● River hazards and hydrology ● Group management, scouting & communication techniques including river signals ● Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $200 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Kayak Whitewater Instructor 3:
| Target Audience: | Club, school, or commercial instructors wishing to teach kayaking on intermediate/advanced rivers |
| Course Duration: | One and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA
Member ● Minimum age 18 years ● Class III-IV (advanced) whitewater paddling skills ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification ● Certified as a NCCP Kayak River Leader 2 ● Certified as a NCCP Kayak Whitewater Leader 3 ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Instructing intermediate and advanced groups on Class III-IV whitewater |
| Course Outline: | ●
NCCP overview ● Equipment ● Risk management ● Teaching methodology ● Site selection ● Group management and communication ● Session planning ● Technical skills; basic eddy turns (in and out), boat ferrying, s-turns, surfing, back llllllferrying, the moving water roll and pivots. ● Common paddling injuries ● Basic rescue techniques ● Games and exercises ● Professional issues and administration |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $200 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Combination Kayak Whitewater Leader 3 and Kayak Whitewater Instructor 3 :
| Target Audience: | Club, school, commercial instructors or guides/leaders who wish to lead advanced whitewater trips and teach kayaking on intermediate/advanced rivers |
| Course Duration: | Two and a half days |
| Prerequisites: | ● AWA
Member ● Minimum age 18 years ● Class III-IV (advanced) whitewater paddling skills ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification ● Certified as a NCCP Kayak River Leader 2 and Kayak River Instructor 2 ● Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification |
| Environment: | Leading and Instructing intermediate and advanced groups on Class III-IV whitewater |
| Course Outline: | This course follows the same format as the Kayak River Leader 2 course, but for trip planning and leading on Class III – IV water. ● NCCP overview ● Equipment ● Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning ● Planning and preparation; remote runs, map analysis, GPS ● Paddler screening ● Risk assessment and decision making ● Advanced leadership skills ● River hazards and hydrology ● Group management, scouting & communication techniques including river signals ● Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills in difficult water ● Risk management ● Teaching methodology ● Site selection ● Session planning ● Technical skills; eddy turns (in and out), boat ferrying, s-turns, jet ferries, surfing, pivots, side surfing and spins ● Common paddling injuries ● Games and exercises ● Professional issues and administration |
| Suggested Course Fee: | $350 includes National and Provincial Fees (Does not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider) |
Course fees include all provincial and national certification fees that are used to support the future development of materials and programs for kayak instruction and education.
Course fees do not include pool costs – 3 hours of pool rental or clean warm swimming water required for Community Kayak Instructor Pool Level I – local host organization is best suited to make this booking.
Course fees do not include advertising, administration, travel, accommodation or meal costs for running a course that may be charged by the service provider.
Upon successful completion of the course instructors will be registered with the AWA and with NCCP.
- Active instructors are required to re-certify every three years.
- Active instructors who use AWA insurance through a club are required to use all AWA forms such as waivers and medical forms, for all instructional and leadership programs.
- Active instructors are required to maintain First Aid and CPR certification
- Active instructors on the river are required to maintain Swiftwater Rescue and Safety
| Target Audience: | Course specific; coaches/instructors who have previously taken the full course and who wish to remain certified |
| Course Duration: | Course specific, typically one to two days, approx. half the original course time |
| Prerequisites: | ●
Provincial or territorial paddle sports association member
● Minimum age 16 years or 18 dependent upon level of course ● Must have documentation of having previously taken the full course ● Documentation of having taken an equivalent course in another jurisdiction may be acceptable, but should be confirmed with instructor trainer prior to the course ● Standard First Aid and CPR certification may be required, course specific ● Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification may be required, course specific |
| Environment: | Course specific |
| Course Outline: | ●
Administration and program overview ● Risk management ● Teaching methodology ● Course content (curricula) and required competencies review ● Practical demonstrations of knowledge/skills ● Other as required, course specific |
| Course Fee: | Course specific |
