Paddlesports Leader Development Course

We understand that plans change. If you are looking to change courses please speak to one of our team. Depending on how close the course start day is this may incur an admin fee.

If you can’t join the course, please let us know as soon as possible via email. Your cancellation notice will start from the date we receive it. Cancellation charges for the Outdoor Activity Instructor Academy, courses and modules are payable as follows:

• Over 12 weeks – 33% of total course cost
• 36 days to 12 weeks – 50% of total course cost
• 21-35 days – 75% of total course cost
• Under 20 days – 100% of total course cost

Cancellation may fall under the terms and conditions of your holiday insurance policy and you may be able to claim. Find out more under our terms and conditions.

You must be over 18 to join the course. If you are 65 or over, or under 18 we’d love to chat to you about the course before you book. Please email us to arrange a time and we’ll contact you. Or you can call us on 01637 877722

There will generally be ratios of 1:8 (instructor to pupil) for all activity training. However, theory classes may have larger ratios. You’ll often be broken down into smaller groups and all learning will observe the correct social distancing guidelines.

We will do our best to place you with people of similar ages, backgrounds and interests. This will vary depending on course participants. You will be sharing a same-sex twin room.

Yes, please see the accommodation tab for more information and pictures of the accommodation.

The visit to The Wave and presentation with the Wave Manger are included in the course price. Spaces in staff transport are limited so you may have to arrange your own transport. Normally students share lifts up there. If you’re wanting to surf whilst we’re up at the Wave you’re more than welcome to book a session, we’ll explain more about the timings of the day when you start your course. There’ll be one of the OAIA staff there to get some epic shots of you surfing or coach you in the water.

Cover for public liability will be in place whilst you partake in activities with Newquay Activity Centre, this is to a limit of £5 million. Personal accident cover is available, similar to travel insurance (injuries due to accidents etc), this is something participants can acquire themselves by looking online if they wish to purchase. Insurance is a topic covered during the course Q and A sessions so that everyone is clear of how this works in the outdoor industry.

You’ll need :

• Patience and the ability to work well with others
• Enthusiasm to learn and train
• Sensitivity and understanding
• Leadership skills
• To be thorough and pay attention to detail
• The ability to work on your own
• Knowledge of the English language
• To be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
• The ability to retain important information
• The ability to remain calm when faced with new situations

Freelance surf instructors generally get paid between £35 and £50 for a two-hour coaching session (which means, with prep and lesson close down you will work for approx. 3 hours). A professional instructor will deliver three lessons per day. If you take a full-time job or build your own roster of regular clients the pay can range dramatically. Some instructors demand huge sums by offering an awesome service and getting excellent results. Like any job, the more that you put in to it, the more that you get out of it.

Surf Life Saving Great Britain (SLSGB) and International Surfing Association (ISA) are all recognised worldwide.

We have our own accommodation option in the form of two luxurious flats. Please contact us for more information. If that doesn’t suit there are loads of accommodation options in Newquay and the surrounding area. Check out AirBnB listings, Surf Lodges, Short-term lets and Spare rooms. Most pupils stay in one of the following; An Air BnB (there is a huge range of options in Newquay) Surf Lodge Accommodation (we work closely with Smarties, Escape and Ocean Surf Lodge) Hotel or Guesthouse (Check Booking.com for the options or drop us a line for recommendations) Their van (either wild camping or staying on one of the many local touring parks/campsites) Speak to our staff if you’d like advice or recommendations.

Our HQ is situated within walking distance to many of the sites we will be using throughout the course. We are located in Newquay town centre with lots of paid and unpaid parking options close to us. We are also just a short walk to both Towan and Fistral beaches, with many surf shops and cafés nearby. On some days it will be necessary to venture further afield to make use of the conditions and the environment. On these days we encourage our students to car share as much as possible (please note our Covid guidelines). This helps to lower our carbon footprint and to split the cost of fuel. If you are happy to take fellow students in your vehicle then please let our instructors know. Travelling won’t be necessary every day but widening our activity net on the odd day will help to expose you to new surroundings and landscapes. Our Newquay Activity Centre van will be fully loaded to supply these trips with the equipment they need. However, if you are struggling for space in your vehicle please let us know and it may be possible to arrange something in advance.

Due to the nature of the job we can appreciate there’s some pretty specialist equipment that not everybody will own. If you already have some of your own equipment (such as a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet etc) we recommend bringing it with you to use on the course. However, don’t worry if this is all totally new to you; we’ll help you to order the best equipment at the best price. We can also appreciate that costs add up and that you may need to delay investing in your equipment until a little later on. If this is the case, our helpful instructors will be able to sign over Newquay Activity Centre equipment for you to borrow during the course. This is to be kept safe and taken care of until the time comes to return it. Any loss or damage to the kit will be charged accordingly. Leading up to the end of the course and beyond, we do advise that students begin building their own selection of good quality outdoor gear appropriate for professional use. If you are well equipped to start work straight away you will feel more comfortable and confident in your ability. In addition, we have close links with some of the top outdoor equipment brands with pro equipment deals available to trainees.

The outdoor activity industry is a sector that is growing both here in the UK and in many countries around the world. Having the correct qualifications and experience could potentially see you outdoor instructing in all four corners of the world! This is your chance to change your life for the better and bag yourself a healthy, active and fulfilling career on the coast. After the successful completion of the Outdoor Activity Instructor Training Course, you will be offered an interview for the chance to become part of the team at Newquay Activity Centre, Bodyboard-Holidays or Women + Waves. This will be a paid role and you will form part of our instructor team. We have a network of graduates all over the world and Newquay Activity Centre has great links with surf schools around the globe. This makes it entirely possible to live the endless summer, moving from one side of the world to the other. There are also other international surf schools and centres that we share staff with so we can help you to build a career of international work if that’s the path you wish to explore. If you’ve set your sights elsewhere, there are many other options including contract and freelance careers. The beauty of this course is that it gives you the tools to make ‘work’ work for you! We suggest spending as much time experiencing as many different activities as you can; this is a great way of finding out where your passion lies. Is there one particular area that you wish to explore more? Do you want to work abroad and travel the world? Are you happy just being outside as much as possible? Do you want to head down the management route? Maybe you want to open your own centre? Our course is designed to help you explore the options and guide you into making the right decision. It is for you to answer the question: What do you want to do?

Start time: 09:00 – Finish time: 16:00. Please note that these times are approximate and will be subject to change. For example, we may need to start earlier to catch a tide or we may finish later due to sessions overrunning. We will inform you about this when possible so you can plan ahead. Please let us know on a week by week basis if you won’t be available outside the hours of 09:00- 16:00. We try our utmost to make our instructor courses enjoyable and informative. We hope that our students want to gain as much knowledge as possible during this time of learning and that hopefully flexibility will come from the passion to learn. You will get out of this course whatever you put into it and we appreciate your enthusiasm for making the most of the available resources.

The National Governing Bodies (NGBs): British Canoeing (BC), Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), Surf Life Saving Great Britain (SLSGB) and International Surfing Association (ISA) are all recognised worldwide. Because of the UK’s internationally recognised standard of quality, many countries including Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Middle-East, Canada and most European countries all look favourably at qualifications gained by award-winning British providers like ourselves. Trainees also use their NGBs to get employment with UK companies operating abroad.

If you are looking for a career in lifeguarding, you will need to pass the National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification. To do this you will need to complete 400 metres in an indoor pool in under 7 minutes 30 seconds. Although the NVBLQ is an excellent qualification to achieve, this is only necessary if you are interested in becoming a beach lifeguard. This assessment can be quite tough and will require most people to undertake prior swimming training to achieve the targeted time. Both assessments are mid-way through the course so you will have a decent amount of time to train in the lead up. If you are currently wildly out on those swim times, you may need additional sessions in your own time and/or consider getting some coaching or joining the swim fit sessions at our local swimming pool.

To work at Newquay Activity Centre as a surf instructor, you need to gain an SLSGB Surf Coach Safety Award. In order to complete this award, you need to be able to swim 200m in under 5 minutes. This is quite achievable for most standards of swimmers. Please note: at many activity centres you do not need this qualification in order to deliver kayaking, coasteering or stand up paddleboarding sessions As a result of feedback from previous courses we have developed the Foundation Surf Training course which has been developed to equip you with the lifeguarding skills you need to pass this section of the course. . During the course, to help you achieve the right swimming standard, there will be both sea and pool sessions built into the course. We also strongly advise you to train in the swimming pool prior to the course.

The same applies to other disciplines, such as Paddlesports. It’s not a problem if you’ve never SUP’ed Kayaked or Canoed before. We’ve got plenty of time to perfect your skills, and if you don’t think you’re quite ready for your assessment our team will come up with a pathway to get you there and support you along your journey. If you think you may benefit from a few extra sessions before or during the course, please check out our surf lessons and get in touch, we will discuss how this works. Please bear this in mind for any other technical skill that you think could need improvement.

As you can imagine you will be learning lots of technical skills from our team. Some are harder than others and we think surfing may be the most difficult to learn from scratch. However, we have proved this to be achievable for first-time surfers during the course. If you don’t pass the surfing skills within course time you have a further 10 months to make the grade. If you think you may benefit from a few extra sessions before or during the course, please check out our Foundation Surf Training course which has been developed to build water confidence amongst those with less experience in the ocean, or those in need of a refresher.

That’s not a problem, we’d recommend enrolling on our Foundation Surf Training course which has been developed to build water confidence amongst those with less experience in the ocean, or those in need of a refresher. Through a combination of classroom and practical ocean sessions, you’ll develop a solid base of knowledge about surf theory, the beach environment, hazards, and rescue techniques that will help you excel in the ocean, whether you’re there for work or leisure.

Yes definitely! We pride ourselves on being super welcoming and friendly. Most of our students arrive solo and leave with friends for life.

Due to this course being in high demand, we have very limited availability. However, we can hold your space for 24 hours without payment. To hold the place for more than 24 hours we require a none returnable holding fee. This can be as little as £250 and will be deducted from your final payment for the course

When booking one of our courses there are three easy options for payment:

1. PAY IN FULL – Pay the full amount in one, that’s it, you’re done!
2. 50/50 – Pay 50% deposit and the remaining 50% at an agreed date
3. MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN – Pay an initial holding fee (of as little as £250 and we can then set up monthly payments to come out on the 1st of each month.

We can’t guarantee your place until we have received a payment from you. To hold the place for more than 24 hours we require a non-returnable holding fee. This can be as little as £250 and will be deducted from your final payment for the course. Once you have made a payment, you’ll then be sent a confirmation email with booking details on. Full Payment must be received 12 weeks prior to the course start date