Instructor/Coach Certification Requirements

In order to maintain certification, and receive insurance coverage for instructional and coaching activities, instructors and coaches are required to:

Pay the annual “coaches” membership fee of $20, and be a member in good standing
Maintain current First Aid and CPR certification (Alternatively, instructors/coaches may arrange to have someone who is certified present at all times during instruction/practices)
Successfully complete the "Make Ethical Decisions" online evaluation at www.coach.ca
Maintain a log book, and submit to CanoeKayak BC annually, or as requested.
Coach and/or instruct only to the level for which you are certified.
Coach and instruct in accordance with the CanoeKayak BC / Whitewater Canada methods
Follow, and promote, the Whitewater Canada Leadership Development Model
Follow, and promote, the CanoeKayak BC Whitewater Code of Safety
Re-certification will be required every 3 years, and involves attendance at a CanoeKayak BC instructor/coaches symposium, professional development workshop, and/or re-certification course within the 3 years.

Trip Leader Certification Requirements

In order to maintain certification, and receive insurance coverage for trips, trip leaders are required to:

Pay the annual “non-competitive” membership fee of $5, and be a member in good standing
Lead trips only up to the class of whitewater for which you are certified
Conduct trips in general accordance with the methods outlined in the Kayak Leader courses
Follow, and promote, the CanoeKayak BC - Whitewater Code of Safety

Instructor Trainer (Course Conductor) Certification Requirements

Follow all requirements above that apply to instructors and coaches
Train new instructors only up to one level below your own certification, unless you have achieved the highest level available in that stream
Following all administrative requirements as specified by CKBC-W (below)
Instructor Trainers (IT’s) are certified by Master IT’s after taking an IT course or workshop, and co-teaching at least one course at a high level of competency
Master IT’s are certified by a committee of existing Master IT’s, after having been certified at the highest level available in a particular stream (i.e. NCCP L4 or L5 for competitive coaches), having 3 years experience as an IT, and having demonstrated exceptional competency.

Recognition of Certification

This is a national program, so your certification will be recognized in all other provinces or territories that are members of CanoeKayak Canada – Whitewater.
Coaches or instructors from other provinces are expected to be able to provide their Whitewater Canada certification card, NCCP coaching passport, or other reasonable evidence of certification.
Any NCCP records generated from courses previously run by the WKABC will be recognized.
Certifications from other organizations (i.e. Paddle Canada or American Canoe Association) will not be recognized.

Grandfathering

Active coaches/instructors who have previously taken WKABC courses will be allowed to re-certify in the new CanoeKayak BC program, for equivalent or similar courses. I.e. you do not have to re-take the entire course, just attend a re-certification workshop or course.
Coaches/instructors who have a current NCCP certification under the “old” system (i.e. from WKABC or other province) will be considered certified as a Trip Leader, up to the class of whitewater consistent with their old NCCP certification:
- NCCP Level 1 – Class I – flatwater or flat moving water
- NCCP Level 2 – Class I-II whitewater

If these individuals wish to lead trips on higher classes of whitewater, they will be expected to take the appropriate Kayak Leader course in the “new” system.

When re-certifying, all of the new Kayak Leader material for the appropriate level will be covered, i.e. when someone with NCCP Level 2 re-certifies, they will cover the new Kayak Leader 2 (good for class I-III) and Kayak Instructor 2 content.

Instructor Trainer Course Administration Requirements

For courses organized by CanoeKayak BC- Whitewater (CKBC-W):
CanoeKayak BC-Whitewater will be responsible for:

Taking registrations on-line on the website, and collecting payment
Ensuring all participants are CKBC-W members
Booking and paying for all facilities
Ensuring an emergency action plan (EAP) has been completed for course locations
Providing all pre-course instructions and information to participants
Providing manuals and resource materials to participants, or to the instructor trainer for distribution at the course
Upon completion of course, issuing payment to instructor trainer, at the rate of $30 per hour as recommended by the Coaches Association of Canada.
Reimbursing the instructor trainer for expenses and travel
Completing the NCCP forms
Maintaining course records in the CKBC-W database;
Sending NCCP forms to the NSO, and pink copy to Instructor Trainer
Issuing CKBC-W / Whitewater Canada certification cards to participants

The Instructor Trainer (Course Conductor) is responsible for:

Arriving at the course location on time and fully prepared
Distributing participant manuals and other resource materials provided by CKBC-W
Having all participants sign a CKBC-W waiver, and fill out a participant profile form
Provide program evaluation forms to participants at end of course
Within one month of course completion, submitting to CKBC-W the following:
- Completed CKBC-W course report form (electronic)
- Signed waiver forms
- Completed participant profile forms
- Completed incident report forms (as required)
- Expense and travel claim form or invoice (as required)

For courses organized directly by instructor trainers, either as an individual, a member of a club, or as part of a commercial enterprise:
CanoeKayak BC-Whitewater will be responsible for:

Advertising courses on the website, if requested by the Instructor Trainer
Maintaining course records in the CKBC-W database
Completing the NCCP forms and submitting to the NSO
Issuing CKBC-W / Whitewater Canada certification cards to participants

The Instructor Trainer (Course Conductor) is responsible for:

Notifying CKBC-W at least one month prior to the course
Taking registrations and collecting fees, and organizing all aspects of the course
Charging course fees consistent with those specified by CKBC-W
Ensuring all participants are, or become, CKBC-W members
Ensuring an emergency action plan (EAP) is completed for course locations
Providing CKBC-W manuals and resource materials to participants
Ensuring all participants sign a CKBC-W (or equivalent) waiver, and a participant profile form
Provide program evaluation forms to participants at end of course
Within one month of course completion, submitting to CKBC-W the following:
- CKBC-W course report form (electronic)
- CKBC-W membership forms and fees for participants not already members
- Administration fees for each participant
- Incident report forms (as required for major incidents)
Maintaining records from the course, including the signed waiver forms, participant profile forms, and incident report forms

Database administration by CKBC-W:

Paper copies of all NCCP forms will be retained in files
NCCP forms will also be scanned and filed electronically
Electronic course report forms submitted by instructors will be filed electronically
Program evaluation forms submitted by participants will be scanned and filed electronically with the NCCP form scan and electronic course report form
Excel spreadsheets will be downloaded from the CAC database twice per year, listing all NCCP records
Records in the CAC database will be verified against NCCP forms and corrections requested if errors are noted
Excel spreadsheets will also be updated with all non-NCCP course data, as per course report forms submitted by instructors
The complete spreadsheet will be put on the CKBC website (secure coaches resource area)
Separate spreadsheets may be provided for instructor trainer (course conductor) records

To check your NCCP certification, either log in to the secure coaches resource area, or go to the Coaches Association of Canada.

Access to the secure coaches resource area is limited to individuals who have paid the CanoeKayak BC – Whitewater annual “coaches” membership fee of $20. If you are a member and have not received your username and password, contact whitewater@canoekayakbc.ca