The BCU provide a comprehensive coaching qualification scheme and coach education programme. BCU Coaching UK is designed to ensure that coaches and participants are fully and properly prepared to take part in the sport and that coaches are qualified to instruct participants in all aspects of technique, safety and understanding. Access to any of the awards within the BCU scheme can be achieved via clubs, centres and coaches affiliated to the BCU UK Coaching Service, if you live in England this is via membership of Canoe England.
Please Note: We are currently receiveing a high volume of Star Award pass slips into the Office. Please allow 6 weeks for your certificate.
For a diagramatic look at the BCU Coaching Scheme click here. Upated April 2009.
For up to date coaching news and information please see our Coaching News Section
Canoe England (also offices of the BCU)
Canoe England Coaching Office
National Water Sports Centre, Adbolton Lane, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, NG12 2LU
Tel: 0845 3709500 Fax: 0845 3709501
Email
Canoe England also provides a network of Regional Coaching Representatives and Area Coaching Representatives, support to coaches and endeavours to provide a range of update and personal development opportunities for coaches at all levels. The tests and qualifications are organised into three overall categories, with levels of competence within each category:
Coaching Qualification - Teaching of canoeists
From Level 1 to Level 5
The tests and qualifications are structured to take account of the type of craft being used and the type of canoeing environment, for instance very sheltered water through to advanced water (demanding conditions).
Coaching Qualification - Competition canoeists
Discipline Support Modules
On behalf of BCU Coaching UK, Canoe England is committed to providing clear, effective and validated access to its coaching awards to all who seek to coach others in paddlesport activities. It aims to provide coaches with opportunities to develop core skills via a coach education and training programme linked to a well signed development / performance pathway.We are committed to quality coaching and the provision of ongoing coach education and continued personal development. Performance standards and performer development models ensure an integrated and networked approach to providing well defined pathways to paddler / coach performance right across the performance continuum.
Once registered with BCU Coaching UK coaches, aspirant and qualified have immediate and updated access to materials outlining all qualification specifications and requirements. A wide range of guidance notes for training and assessment opportunities are provided along with an extensive range of additional support materials, so important to modern coaches working within the infrastructure of a governing body i.e. Coaches Code of Ethics and Duty of Care, Child Protection and Screening Volunteers Information, Injury Prevention In Paddlesport, Insurance Guidelines, Guidelines for Centres and Authorities etc.
BCU Coaching UK has sought to put in place, and maintain, an administrative system that allows all administrative procedures associated with its range of qualification courses to be effectively and efficiently dealt with, ensuring clear separation between awarding and delivery functions. This system allows coaches access to a register of coaches and provides an audit trail to a coaches, coaching background, training and ongoing personal development. All details in respect of fee structures, costs and resources available for all qualification training and awards are regularly updated and are made accessible to coaches and centres via regular bulletins, magazines, publications and the web.
BCU Coaching UK provides and requires its coach education centres to attend regular workshops and updates on technical and procedural developments within paddlesport, coach education and in respect of legal matters. All coach education centres receive regular update bulletins to keep them abreast of developments and to inform them of dates of workshops and clinics. Both workshops and bulletins provide opportunities for consultation and direct communication between BCU coaching UK and its coach educators.
BCU Coaching UK has a fully published and accessible formal complaints procedure which can be invoked by all Coaching Service participants. BCU Coaching UK, as the awarding body of coaching qualifications in paddlesport, has put in place a number of mechanisms for the measuring of its quality provision and to check that it has met its commitments to coaches and Centres. While the foremost of these are its quality assurance programme and centre approval programme and workshops, it also seeks regular feedback from all involved in the provision of coaching awards via a range of effective feedback forms (from coaches to centres and from centres to BCU Coaching UK) and monitoring visits and phone calls. The BCU Coaching UK Quality Assurance Programme and the Centre Approval Programme and workshops provide a direct mechanism for centres and coach educators to be monitored and measured against the UK standards .