White water active

BCU Raft Guide Training Scheme

The BCU Raft Guide scheme is a nationally recognised award scheme for guiding commercial rafts. Entry into the Raft Guide scheme is at Level 1(site-specific) with progression through the scheme to the Level 5 Award.
Both Level 1 Training courses and Level 1  Assessments are also available for Level 1 Guides who are working towards their Level 2 Award. In addition, Training and Assessment courses can be run at alternative locations in the UK and abroad

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Level 1 Raft Guide Award
The Level 1 Award is made up of a training course followed by a one-day assessment. Between the training course and assessment you are expected to gain guiding experience in the form of logged rafting sessions.The Level 1 Raft Guide Training course is generic and where you attend your training course does not affect your qualification. However, the assessment is site-specific; the site you are assessed on is the site where you are qualified to guide. If you want to guide at additional sites you will need to be assessed on those sites as well.
Central Registration
To be able to attend any of the Raft Guide courses you must have centrally registered with your governing body (BCU/WCA/SCA). To centrally register you must complete a C1 form (available from the BCU/WCA/SCA) and return it along with copies of your pre-requisites. Your governing body will then stamp the form and return it to you. You will be unable to attend any of the courses below if you do not have a stamped C1 form.
Level 1 Raft Guide Training Course
This is a three day training course that is suitable for candidates with little or no whitewater experience. Although the course is mainly river-based it also includes some flat-water and dry-land training, as well as theory sessions.
Core topics:
    •    River skills using paddle rafts
    •    River dynamics
    •    River safety and rescue
    •    Raft design & maintenance
    •    Client care and Duty of Care
    •    Manual handling
    •    Incident management
 

    •    Minimum age – 18 yrs
    •    Current First Aid Certificate (min 8hrs)
    •    WCA/BCU/SCA/CANI membership
    •    Central registration
    •    Whitewater experience is useful but not essential

 
Post-Training Experience
As a trainee Level 1 Raft Guide you need to log a minimum of 10 trips before you can attend an assessment. These can be logged on the at Mile End Mill either in a trainee raft or accompanying a qualified guide on their session, subject to trainee skill levels, raft bookings and guide availability.

Level 1 Raft Guide Assessment
The assessment is one-day, comprising a normal rafting session and a safety & rescue session.
Pre-requisites:
    •    Minimum age - 18 yrs
    •    Level 1 Training (within last 3 years)
    •    Current First Aid Certificate (min 8hrs)
    •    Central registration (see top of page)
    •    Minimum of 10 logged trips since training

Assessments for candidates who attended a Level 1 Training course  free of charge (excluding WCA/BCU assessment fee) and are run subject to demand.
Assessments for external candidates can be arranged – please contact us for details.