STEVE BANKS OUTDOORS

A two day British Canoeing training course in moderate water conditions for those wishing to develop the necessary personal paddling, group management and safety skills to operate effectively in this environment.

“Hi Steve, Thanks for a couple of smashing days. I thought your style was great and your ability to get people achieving things without them realising was inspirational. I found your approach to be consistent throughout, which is hard to maintain! And that your consistency gave a very clear message of what we should be trying to achieve as leaders!”

Paul Aitken, Head of Outdoor Education, Morecambe HS

As of January 2021 this is now a single day assessment for those wishing to gain this British Canoeing professional leadership award.  BC have reduced the ratio so only two candidates maximum can be assessed at once – and they are encouraging 1:1 courses.  These changes do permit a more flexible approach to organising assessments which closer match candidate’s schedules and paddling areas.

Steve will advertise dates he has available for the assessment but will also be available to fit in with candidate requests – so please do call to discuss your specific needs.  When you enrol, Steve will be happy to discuss your course in advance so you can ask questions and ensure you know exactly what to expect so you can be as well prepared as possible. The White Water Safety & Rescue course is a prerequisite for White Water Kayak Leader assessment candidates (see below for course dates).

“Hi Steve, I just wanted to say thank you so much for both the 4* WWK training course and this weekend’s assessment, I got a huge amount from it. Your manner throughout your courses is relaxing – incredibly calming, but most of all always 100% professional. Your ability to put me at ease in the situations where my HR is double what it should be is fantastic. You push to get the best from people without them even knowing they are doing it. Thank you once again for all your hard work and patience – must be tough work! Thank you so much.”

Rachel Platt, Outdoor Education Teacher, Morecambe HS

This attendance only course aims to provide grade 2 white water paddlers with the knowledge and skills required to prevent, avoid and deal with river incidents. It is a prerequisite for those wishing to undertake Canoe Leader and White Water Kayak Leader assessments, though is also highly recommended for anyone wanting to paddle safely on rivers.

“Hi Steve, I found the two days really useful. The mix of tutor led and student led delivery worked really well for me. This course for me, you seemed to find the right balance and, as a bonus, it’s helped me to get over a fear of kayaking. Many thanks indeed.”

Nick Liley, Deputy Director, Calvert Trust, Keswick

This is the advanced water leadership training course. It is a valuable course for kayakers wanting to develop their skills and awareness in more challenging conditions as well as for those who wish to become qualified to lead others in this environment. You must hold the 4 Star/White Water Kayak Leader award or the old SI/Level 3 White Water Kayak Coach award as a minimum to enrol on this course.

“Thank you for a great weekend! …but you realise I hope, that you have been an extraordinarily bad influence. Not only do my poor club paddlers now go home from my coaching sessions exhausted (but grinning!) but I have even been thinking about paddling kayaks again…now that really is a worrying thought! Anyway, thanks again for all your enthusiasm and support without which there would have been a great deal of walking!”

Sally Vetta, Outdoor Instructor, Derbyshire

This two day course will assess your advanced white water personal paddling, navigation, safety, rescue and group leadership skills against British Canoeing’s syllabus. When you enrol, Steve will be happy to discuss your course with you beforehand so you can ask questions and ensure you know what will be expected.

“Hi Steve, Thanks again for a great day. I thought the choice of river was appropriate and didn’t feel any pressure from yourself throughout – despite creating a lot for myself compared to my usual paddling! The most valuable part of the course for me was the feedback session at the end. I found each of your points relevant and specific to a particular part of the day and I could clearly make this connection. On previous courses, including trainings and assessments, I have never been able to understand the feedback quite as easily as yours.”

Stuart Watson, Outdoor Education tutor, Norfolk