Update & CPD

As an Instructor, Coach, Leader or Guide you will recognise the importance of maintaining and updating your knowledge and skills to reflect current best practice in paddlesport. 

Our Update Scheme supports, recognises and makes it easy for you to provide evidence that you are keeping yourself up to date.
Being part of the update scheme gives you the following benefits:
  • Validity of qualifications maintained
  •  Recognition of your currency to demonstrate to deployer
  • Liability insurance for your coaching / leading (subject to earnings limits and deployment within remit) 
  • Ability to deliver British Canoeing Awards and Qualifications. (subject to meeting other relevant criteria)
  • Allows you to apply to become a coach and/ or leader developer. (other criteria apply)
  • Allows you to support and mentor other coaches and leaders.

Find out more about the range of CPD training courses on the British Canoeing Awarding Body website. All courses are available in Scotland via SCA licensed providers. Find a course in the Events Calendar, or contact a course provider using our course provider directory.
Instructors, Coaches, Leaders and Guides commit to the following as part of remaining updated: 

List of services

Meeting your commitment to Professional Development

We recommend that you plan your development and that you may want to consider seeking support from a more experienced coach, Leader or Guide to help you formulate your development plan.

You might want to consider having a more formal relationship with and Mentor or a Coach Developer to support your development


The new process is simple, easy to upload and gives you the opportunity to recognise all of your learning and development, regardless of the source. During the recent period of restrictions, we recognise that many paddlers have engaged in many different ways for their learning and development online and these can now be recognised.


  • What is Continuous Professional Development?
  • Continuous Professional Development, CPD, is the process of maintaining and enhancing your knowledge, skills and ability after your initial training, so you can keep up to date and current with best practice.
  • Why is it important to keep your CPD up to date?
  • When instructing, coaching or leading, you are likely to look at your paddlers’ strengths and weaknesses, consider their aims and objectives and look at ways you can support their development. So why would we, as Instructors, Coaches, Leaders or Guides, not want to do the same for ourselves?
  • As part of your membership cover as an Instructor, Coach and Leader you have professional indemnity. To be entitled to have this extended cover, you need to ensure you engage in CPD, keeping you current and updated.
  • What counts as CPD?
  • British Canoeing Awarding Body’s formal qualifications and awards will count towards your CPD. When you take part in these formal courses your record will be updated automatically. Outside of these programmes, there are lots of informal opportunities that many of us will engage in without even realising it. Have you ever read an article, attended a webinar or observed someone coaching? Any of these could be classed as CPD.
  • The great thing about CPD is that your development opportunities are directed and controlled by you. This means that you can pick the CPD that’s relevant and interesting to you, that’s delivered in a way that you find engaging and meaningful.
  • The NEW CPD process makes it really easy to recognise these informal CPD opportunities, as well as making it easy to submit this information on your membership record.
  • What’s changing?
  • Currently, we calculate CPD by time and certain formal development opportunities are recognised for 18 months’ or 3 years’ CPD.
  • From the 30th September 2020, we will calculate CPD by points. There will still be a requirement to update your CPD by a certain date and the formal and informal development opportunities that you choose will have a points value associated with them. In order for CPD to be updated, you need to have gained 20 points prior to your expiry date.
  • How do I get CPD points?
  • British Canoeing Awarding Body training courses and awards will automatically update your record with CPD points.
  • It will now be easier, simpler and more straightforward to use your learning and development towards your points, no matter where you undertake it.  You can now upload any informal learning, simply, through your membership record and we are recognising that there are lots of learning opportunities that can have an impact on your instructing, coaching or leading. You can gain points through informal development opportunities, such as being a mentor/having a mentor, work based annual practice/refresher training or being observed by a line manager/coach developer.
  • This new system supports you to choose the learning that is right and relevant to your development. We recognise that many coaches and leaders have spent time during lockdown participating in online webinars or community of practice events, reading books or listening to podcasts. These can all count towards your CPD points!


Points Based CPD


You may choose to use some of the British Canoeing programmes, qualifications and awards, and associated programmes. All programmes, apart from eLearning, are automatically uploaded onto your records. 

Course Course Title CPD Points
Personal Skills Development Courses PPA Explore and Discipline Specific Award 10 points
Leadership Development Courses Paddlesport Leader Award training or assessment 20 points
Leadership Development Courses Leadership training or assessment (any discipline) 20 points
Leadership Development Courses Advanced Leadership training or assessment (any discipline) 20 points
Leadership Development Courses Raft Guide course (training) 20 points
Leadership Development Courses Raft Guide course (assessment) 10 points
Leadership Development Courses Bell Boat Helm course (training or assessment) 10 points
Coaching Courses and Endorsements Paddlesport Instructor course (training and assessment) 20 points
Coaching Courses and Endorsements Coach Award course (training or assessment) 20 points
Coaching Courses and Endorsements Performance Coach (training or assessment) 20 points
Coaching Courses and Endorsements Coaching Diploma – residential attendance 20 points
Coaching Courses and Endorsements Discipline Support Module (any discipline) 10 points
Safety Training Courses Foundation Safety and Rescue training 10 points
Safety Training Courses Stadium Safety and Rescue training 5 points
Safety Training Courses White Water Safety and Rescue training 20 points
Safety Training Courses Advanced White Water Safety and Rescue training 20 points
Safety Training Courses Advance Surf Safety and Rescue training 20 points
Safety Training Courses Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning training 10 points
Safety Training Courses Open Water Navigation and Tidal Planning training 10 points
CPD courses Foundation Module 5 points
CPD courses Intermediate Module 10 points
CPD courses Guide Module 10 points
British Canoeing Provider/Tutor Training Any Provider/Tutor training or moderation 20 points

What is my Update Status?

We've updated our membership portal to make it easy for you to view your update status live.  Watch our short video to find out how.

Self Declared CPD

Instructors, Coaches, Leaders and Guides can choose to keep records of their CPD activities, and upload onto their database records via their membership record. Every three years, 20 CPD points will need to be gained.


Verification

SCA will review submissions to verify their CPD.


Watch our short video to see how quick and easy it is to self declare CPD and see the table below on how to gain CPD Points.



CPD Activity CPD Points Examples of evidence
Structured learning – face to face 15 points Certificate of completion, notes, learning outcomes
Structured learning – distance learning 15 points Certificate of completion, notes, learning outcomes
Accredited college / university level of education or training 15 points Certificate of completion, notes, learning outcomes
Mandatory training orientations / moderations / staff training 15 points Letter of completion, training records, certificate of completion
Learning events, workshops, conferences, etc. 15 points Certificate of attendance, notes, learning outcomes
Reading and reviewing publications 10 points Copies of reading and reflection notes linked to practice-based outcomes
Enquiry based research 10 points Copies of reading and reflection notes linked to practice-based outcomes
Peer review activities 10 points Evidence of peer review including notes, observations and outcomes
Coaching and mentoring (role in ether delivery or being a recipient) 10 points Evidence based coaching/mentoring undertaken including letters, notes, observations and practice related outcomes
Structured professional observation shadowing 10 points Evidence of observation, reflective practice and practice related outcomes
Supervised practice 10 points Evidence of participation, observations and outcomes
Group work or meetings outside of everyday coaching practice 10 points Evidence of participation, role within the session, notes, observations and outcomes
Coaching observations to different environments 10 points Evidence of participation, reflective notes and practice outcomes
British Canoeing eLearning 5 points Attendance certificate, reflective notes and practice outcomes

Choosing the right CPD for you

The great thing about the NEW CPD process is that your development opportunities are directed and controlled by you. This means that you can pick the CPD that’s relevant and interesting to you, that’s delivered in a way that you find engaging and meaningful. Find online CPD options here.


You can select formal qualifications and awards, such as British Canoeing qualifications and awards, or informal learning and development opportunities. We recognise that many coaches and leaders have spent time during lockdown participating in online webinars or community of practice events, reading books or listening to podcasts. These could all count towards your CPD points! 


Having choice over your CPD is great! But choice can lead to confusion, so read our top tips about the things you many want to think about when engaging with different types of CPD. New paragraph

  • Will this topic develop your knowledge and are you likely to be able to apply this on the water?

    There’s loads of information available at the click of a button, from podcasts, eLearning to webinars. However, you need to be able to apply your newly learnt information on the water. Just knowing the latest Freestyle skills or reading about growth mind sets won’t make you a better Instructor, Coach, Leader or Guide, unless you are able to reflect and apply it in context, in the right environment, with individuals that are suitable. 



    The best way to put these new skills into practice is to try them out!

  • Does the CPD address your areas of development?

    Sometimes it can be hard to challenge ourselves and look at areas we need to develop. However, by understanding these areas, you’re more likely to benefit from the CPD you choose. The Self-Analysis Tools can help you see where your current practice is and therefore, the areas that you can consider to develop. You could also write a personal development plan to support your learning journey or ask a mentor which areas you could develop. Pick the method that works for you! 



  • Do you have opportunities for practice and reflection?

    We would never expect paddlers to pick up new skills straight away, so why would we as an Instructor, Coach, Leader or Guide? We need to practice and reflect upon the knowledge and skills we pick up in order for it to work in the various environments we work in. Reflection is a great way to learn and a Mentor could help you do this. Alternatively, creating a community of practice with other Instructors, Coaches, Leaders and Guides is a great way to share experiences and learn from others.



  • Can you fit CPD into your everyday life?

    If you added up the amount of hours you spent coaching or leading others, it would probably be a lot! It’s therefore important to make time for your own learning and development, so you can best support and develop those you’re paddling with. 



    CPD should not seem like a burden on your time. It doesn’t have to be a weekend course, it can be as simple as talking to another Leader, reflecting on your day, or listening to a podcast and then thinking about how you can apply that to your delivery. 



    Think about your next steps, what you want to learn next? What would make the difference to the individuals you lead and coach? The key is picking CPD activities that are relevant and interesting to you, that’s delivered in a way that you find engaging and meaningful. You’re then more likely to actively seek CPD opportunities and embed this into your delivery. 



  • What are British Canoeing and SCA doing to support your development?

    The British Canoeing Awarding Body website hosts the Digital Library which includes a huge range of academic papers, videos, podcasts, eLearning and much more! The topics are wide ranging, from discipline focused resources, to nutrition advice and how to pack your craft. There really is something for everyone!



    Coaching Matters Events


    These events are delivered all over the UK and beyond; visit our events listing for details to find out what is happening in your area and what topics and subjects are going to be covered. Coaching Matters Events are a great way to work alongside like-minded individuals wanting to learn, share and develop their practice.



    Webinars


    SCA hosts a number of webinars and these are fantastic opportunities to get engaged with other coaches and leaders, as well as update in specific areas. 


    Coach Developers and Mentors


    There are many individuals that you can engage with to develop your understanding and expand your learning. We have Coach Developers and Mentors that have undertaken specific training to help structure your progression. To find a suitable Coach Developer or Mentor, contact us. You can then have an online discussion to start your own individualised development.