Kayak Training (BCU star awards)
Training and assessment by experienced Level 3 Kayak Coach, all equipment is provided, transport, catering and accommodation can be organised by BECKs Development Training. The ratio for all star award trainings is 1:8 with 1 additional experienced assistant on the water. All session for 1 to 3 star awards are delivered on sheltered water.

One Star Award (Kayak)

The One Star award is designed for complete beginners and covers all the basic techniques to safely manoeuvre a kayak on flat water. This award can usually be completed in a day and would be run by a B.C.U. Level 1 Coach or above. The award is divided up into three different sections, Theory, Practical" A" and Practical "B".

Practical "A"

• Spinning the boat around on the spot.
• Forward paddling.
• Stopping.
• Reverse paddling.
• Paddling a figure of eight course.
• Returning to the bank and getting out.

Practical "B"

• Moving the boat sideways.
• Ruddering.
• Preventing a capsize.

Theory
Lastly the theory side of the B.C.U. One Star Award covers basic questions on: equipment, safety, first aid and the environment and access.

Two Star Award (Kayak)

The two star award contains all the techniques of a one star award as the "A" part of the assessment.

Practical B

• Deep water rescue.
• Sculling Draw.
• Sculling Support.
• Eskimo Rescue. 
• Edging.

Theory
Lastly, a Two Star paddler should have a reasonable basic level of knowledge of different types of equipment, safety, fist aid, the river access situation in this country, and be environmentally aware. They should also have some knowledge of journey planning and group awareness. The Two Star award also requires that paddlers have made at least one reasonable journey in a boat of about two hours duration.

Three Star Award (Kayak)

Again, all techniques from trhe two star award are required, plus the following:

Practical "A"

• Seal launching.
• Bow Rudder (static and moving). 
• Low Brace Turn.
• Several drag strokes, e.g. the hanging draw.
• Support Strokes (e.g. the high brace).

Practical "B"

• Towing another canoeist.
• Two types of Eskimo Rescues.
• Eskimo Rolling.

Theory.
We have covered the practical side of the Three Star award in detail but the theory on the syllabus is also very important. At Three Star level it is quite involved and we would therefore suggest that if you are interested in doing a Three Star course, it would be worth while getting a full copy of the syllabus. This is obtainable from the British Canoe Union Tel: 0115-982-1100 or contact BECKs Development Training and we will happily assist you.

Canoe Training (BCU star awards)

We also offer canoeing star award schemes where young people from the age of 12 can participate in skill training sessions and then be assessed for a government body recognised certificate.

One Star Award (Open Canoe)

• Lifting, carrying and launching a canoe
• Launching the canoe
• Tandem forward paddling
•  Steering the canoe on the move
• Stopping the canoe
• Turning the canoe on the spot
• Reversing the canoe
• Trimming the canoe
• Standing Exercises
• Moving the boat sideways
• Preventing a capsize

That’s it for the BCU One Star award apart from some theory work, which we discuss on the course.

Info on two and three star awards in open canoeing is coming up shortly.

Sports Leader UK Level 2 Award in Basic Expedition Leadership (minimum age 18)

The Basic Expedition Leader Award was launched in 1988 and is for all those who have the responsibility of looking after others, particularly the young, out-of-doors; or wish to train others to carry out day journeys and backpacking expeditions. It has nothing to do with mountains, climbing or ropes.
Please note this award was formerly known as Basic Expedition Training Award (BETA).

Aim of the Basic Expedition Leader Award

The Basic Expedition Leader Award is intended to provide a common foundation leading to the training and coaching schemes of the national governing bodies concerned with outdoor pursuits.

The Award is for voluntary youth workers, youth and community workers within the public sector, teachers and all members of the community whose ages are over 18 and of varying backgrounds, who wish to:

Train people in the basic skills involved in journeying on foot in the British Isles in summer conditions.

• Lead parties or groups in lowland areas.
• Have responsibility for the care of others, particularly the young, out-of-doors including day journey parties.
• Organise base and standing camps.
• Candidates must be at least 18 years of age before they receive the Award although they may commence training after their 17th birthday.
• The Award does NOT qualify people to lead groups in remote or mountainous country.

Content of the course

The syllabus of the Basic Expedition Leader Award is divided into ten units. Those units concerned with technical competence are the vehicles through which the elements of leadership and party management as well as the instructional skills are taught. It is essential that care and concern for the countryside should permeate all aspects of the Award.

• Unit 1 - Leadership and Party Management
• Unit 2 - Instructional and Organisational Method
• Unit 3 - Planning and Preparation
• Unit 4 - Conservation and Access
• Unit 5 - Navigation
• Unit 6 - Equipment
• Unit 7 - Living Out-of-doors
• Unit 8 - First Aid and Emergencies
• Unit 9 - Fitness and Weather
• Unit 10 - 30 Hours Voluntary Leadership Experience

Duration of the course

The requirement is for a course is a minimum of 90 contact hours of instruction and practical work followed by 30 hours of Voluntary Leadership Experience when the skills from training are put into practice, under supervision.

Administration

The Award is administered by Sports Leaders UK which franchises the responsibility to run courses to an approved operating authority such as a voluntary youth organisation, a local education authority, a college, university or school. This franchise will be on a "one-off" basis.

Operating authorities should appoint a course director who will normally hold a minimum of the Summer Mountain Leaders Award of the Mountain Leader Training Boards (MLTB’s).

Method of delivery

One of the prime functions of Basic Expedition Leader course is to bring the training to the candidates rather than take the candidates to the training. The work must be based in lowland areas, on the fringe of our urban areas, thus reducing travelling time and costs as well as the use of expensive mountain centre accommodation. Course Organisers must resist pressure from staff to base the training in mountainous areas where they may well have trained and with which they are familiar. The course is essentially practical and the skills and techniques will be acquired by doing rather than by listening in a classroom though this may be appropriate from time to time. The Course Director has considerable discretion over the location and accommodation but must be concerned with providing the most suitable learning conditions for the candidates.

Youth Achievement Award
(UK Youth/ASDAN)

The Youth Challenges and the Youth Achievement Awards are an activity-based approach to peer education. The Awards are designed to help develop more effective participative practice by encouraging young people to progressively take more responsibility in selecting, planning and leading activities that are based on their interests.
The peer group model encourages the development of a wide range of life skills through a flexible and informal approach.

The Awards:

• Recognise and accredit young people's achievements.
• Encourage progressive responsibility and ownership of learning.
• Provide a mechanism by which to measure the quality of work with young people.
• Reinforce good practice.
• Encourage participation and social inclusion.
• Use peer education.

They enable young people to:

• Enhance self awareness and self-esteem
• Develop communication skills and resolve differences by negotiation
• Get on with and work well with others
• Explore and manage feelings
• Understand and identify with others
• Develop values
• Plan ahead

The Level of the Awards

1. Youth Challenge
This is a 30-hour programme comprising of 6 five-hour activities. Encouraging young people to take part in activities is the focus at this first level.

2. Bronze Youth Achievement Award
The Bronze Award encourages young people to take part in peer group activities. To complete Bronze young people need to undertake four 15-hour challenges.


3. Silver Youth Achievement Award
The Silver Award comprises of six 15-hour challenges and encourages young people help to organise their own activities. By taking an increased level of responsibility and helping to organise the activities they are making a vital contribution to ensuring that the activity takes place.


4. Gold Youth Achievement Award
The Gold Award requires the young person to complete seven 15-hour challenges and make a presentation. The focus in Gold is on planning, organising and leading activities. Significant responsibility will be demonstrated at this level.

 John Muir Award

The John Muir Award is an environmental Award scheme focused on wild places. This could be any where from a mountaintop to a city garden. It encourages the discovery and conservation of wild places, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration.

The Award is non-competitive, open to all and is the educational initiative of the John Muir Trust. There are three Levels of the John Muir Award, encouraging a progressive involvement. All levels of the Award are based on meeting the same four challenges of: Discover, Explore, Conserve, Share.

Discover: Get out in a wild place. This could be your garden, a nearby park, a high mountain, or a local beach. This challenge is all about discovering your own wild place.

Explore: Find out more about your wild place. Look at the plants and animals that live there, travel through it, or spend a night camping out and find out what it sounds like at night. Exploring is about getting to know and experience a place.

Conserve: John Muir set up the world's first national park and was committed to ‘putting something back’ into wild places. So for this challenge you need to do something to help take responsibility for your wild place. You could be planting trees or plants, maintaining paths, minimising your impact or perhaps conducting a survey of the wildlife that lives there. It's your turn to look after your wild place.

Share: A major part of the Award is to encourage people to value wild places. So throughout your Award we ask that you find ways to share what you are doing. This could be a group discussion around a campfire, a display at school or work, or maybe a contribution to a website. It could be artwork, information leaflets or taking other people out to enjoy the places you have discovered. This is the chance to share your experiences with others.

 Adventure Service Challenge Scheme

Adventure Service Challenge, otherwise known as the ASC scheme, is a three-fold, integrated, interwoven scheme of activity for young people aged 8 to 14 years and beyond. It offers activities of:

ADVENTURE
Discovery, exploration, leisure pursuits, attitudes to and skills for life;
SERVICE
Concern for others, opportunities for helping those in need;
CHALLENGE
A comprehensive and complete training programme.

The ASC scheme is complete in itself. It is also designed to prepare young people for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. In fact, the DoE Award HQ recommends ASC for that purpose.
ASC is not a youth movement. It is an organised, structured, yet flexible and adaptable scheme of activities. It is multi-faith and open to all cultures. It is unique in that it offers its services to leaders and teachers who wish to meet the needs of a wide ability range of young people.Those taking part are not in competition with each other, their progress is assessed on the measure of their own personal achievement.

OFSTED Report on an Inner London Secondary School:

"The Adventure Service Challenge Scheme provides, through Key Stage 3, personal and social education, and religious education, and successfully builds on a variety of activities to promote independence, responsible attitudes and service to others."