SISOCNE305A Guide canoeing trips on flat and undemanding water

Release: 2

SISOCNE305A Guide canoeing trips on flat and undemanding water

Modification History

Not Applicable

Unit Descriptor

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to guide participants on day and or overnight canoeing trips on flat and undemanding water. This unit focuses on the application of planning skills to make suitable arrangements to lead a group on a canoeing trip.

Application of the Unit

This unit applies to those working as canoeing guides who are responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating day and or overnight canoeing trips on flat and undemanding water.

This unit may also apply to leaders working for outdoor education or adventure providers; volunteer groups; not-for-profit organisations or government agencies.

Licensing/Regulatory Information

No licensing, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Pre-Requisites

Nil

Employability Skills Information

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content

Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT	PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.	Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.
1. Plan a canoeing trip.	1.1. Conduct relevant assessments to determine the condition of participants. 1.2. Develop a trip plan, according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures and participant's needs. 1.3. Select a location that is suitable for participants and meets session aim and objectives, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.4. Identify hazards associated with canoeing on flat and undemanding water and manage risks to ensure personal safety of participants. 1.5. Access relevant sources to interpret detailed weather and environmental information to determine trip plan. 1.6. Determine food and water requirements according to principles of nutrition and contextual issues of the trip. 1.7. Inform appropriate authorities before and after commencing the canoeing trip.
2. Select equipment for the group.	2.1. Select canoes and equipment according to contextual issues and organisational policies and procedures and check serviceability. 2.2. Assess canoes and equipment for safety and suitability and adjust and fit according to manufacturer's specifications. 2.3. Check safety and rescue equipment to ensure suitability to the group and planned trip. 2.4. Waterproof, pack and fasten equipment that is not required on hand and prepare canoe for transportation if required.
3. Brief participants.	3.1. Communicate instructions and relevant information about the canoeing trip in a manner suitable to the participants. 3.2. Demonstrate packing of a canoe, and canoeing techniques where required. 3.3. Establish a suitable communication system for participants to use while canoeing. 3.4. Outline safety procedures and confirm participants are properly equipped for the canoeing trip.
4. Lead the group and monitor progress	4.1. Provide direction and advice to group while navigating. 4.2. Identify potential hazards and manage risks. 4.3. Monitor individual participant's performance and provide appropriate feedback. 4.4. Evaluate paddling pace and spacing between canoes throughout trip and alter accordingly. 4.5. Implement appropriate modifications to trip in regard to all variable factors that are monitored. 4.6. Maintain effective communication throughout trip.
5. Select and maintain a temporary site as required.	5.1. Access local area knowledge and use it to identify a suitable temporary site according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 5.2. Arrange shelter according to prevailing weather conditions, and comfort and safety of group. 5.3. Maintain minimal impact to environment during overnight stay, and return site to original standard on departure.
6. Complete post trip responsibilities.	6.1. Retrieve, inspect, repair and store equipment according to organisational policies and procedures. 6.2. Evaluate relevant aspects of the trip. 6.3. Review own performance and participant feedback and identify areas of improvement for future trips.

Required Skills and Knowledge

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.
Required skills
communication skills to: consult with participants to plan a canoeing trip that meets their needs convey information about the safety aspects of the trip interact with participants to create a safe and positive canoeing environment problem-solving skills to: make decisions affecting the trip respond to non-routine situations manage the group effectively planning and organising skills to source, allocate and coordinate resources, equipment and a suitable body of water with easy access to land for possible overnight stay language and literacy skills to: produce a plan for the canoeing trip complete post trip participant and self evaluations effective and efficient personal canoeing skills on flat and undemanding water to demonstrate and explain canoeing techniques to participants swimming skills to remove self from danger after a capsize and to manoeuvre canoe while in paddling gear river reading skills, such as direction and speed of flow, currents, eddies and other hydrological features that may impact on paddling and safety navigation skills to lead a group on a planned canoeing trip along a certain route and or to a chosen destination first aid and emergency response and rescue skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response to emergencies and personal health care.
Required knowledge
legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of all activities minimal impact codes to enable protection of the environment information about local area to assist in the planning process and enable management of potential canoeing hazards and any special restrictions applying to the area equipment types, characteristics and technology used for canoeing on flat and undemanding water, the advantages and disadvantages of the range of equipment, and factors affecting appropriate selection of equipment clothing requirements for canoeing, such as wet weather gear to maintain warmth and sun protection to minimise sunburn and heat stroke care and maintenance of canoeing equipment to ensure prolonged life span and safety requirements waterproofing techniques used to keep equipment, that is not required on hand, dry during canoeing importance of a personal flotation device in keeping a person afloat and their head above water stroke, and capsizing techniques used on flat and undemanding water swimming techniques to swim out of trouble and manoeuvre canoe while in water communication systems and signals used to maintain safety of self and participants principles of nutrition to maintain health during canoeing setting up and removal of camping equipment, if required to stay overnight weather and environmental information to identify forecast conditions and their effect on the canoeing trip risks commonly experienced when canoeing on flat and undemanding water, and how to avoid or manage the risks emergency response and rescue procedures appropriate for canoeing, to ensure risk minimisation to self and group.

Evidence Guide

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit	Evidence of the following is essential: plans within activity constraints and guides and monitors group in a safe and professional manner applies contingency management techniques to make adjustments to deal with a range of problems or variable factors that may arise during canoeing trips encourages and responds to group feedback and evaluates and reflects on own guiding performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement.
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Assessment must ensure the safe guiding of groups on canoeing trips in locations that reflect local conditions and are of sufficient breadth and duration to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance. Assessment must also ensure access to: resources and information regarding participants and location to plan, guide and document canoeing trip a body of flat and undemanding water suitable for the participants a suitable overnight site, where required participants to take part in the canoeing trip a suitable and safe method of transport, if required, to drive canoe to and from activity location canoeing, navigation, overnight, first aid and safety and rescue equipment.
Method of assessment	A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: observation of planning and guiding processes and interacting with participants, including conveying information for safe participation oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of canoeing trip observation of dealing with contingencies such as changing weather conditions and equipment failure portfolio of canoeing trip plans third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISOOPS204A Use and maintain a temporary overnight site SISOOPS304A Plan for minimal environmental impact

Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Condition of participants may include:	previous experience physical capabilities age injuries and illnesses.
Plan may include:	aims and objectives date, time and duration location, equipment and resources guide to participant ratios safety requirements risk and contingency management plan.
Relevant legislation may include:	occupational health and safety permits or permission for access environmental regulations marine regulations.
Organisational policies and procedures may include:	occupational health and safety time and budget constraints use and maintenance of equipment communication protocols confidentiality of participant information guide to participant ratios emergency and safety procedures international river grading system code of ethics.
Session aims and objectives may include:	developing canoeing skills education development therapy fitness targets recreation.
Hazards may include:	temperature extremes slippery or unstable terrain dangerous animals and insects stinging trees and nettles dense vegetation group management hazards slippery or unstable shore poor posture, poor technique poor carrying techniques loose or insecure craft when being transported. other craft.
Flat and undemanding water may include:	sheltered and calm waters within 400m of the shore winds to moderate - 16knots and 29kph) ease of access to shore minimal flow of water (less than 1knot, 1.8kph).
Risks may include:	hypothermia heat exhaustion injuries exhaustion lost party or party member equipment failure.
Relevant sources may include:	Bureau of Meteorology media land managers or agencies coastal patrol or coastguard volunteer marine rescue local knowledge.
Weather and environmental information may include:	satellite images daily and weekly forecasts maximum and minimum temperatures weather warnings event warnings river levels synoptic charts high and low tide predictions.
Food and water requirements may include:	menu planning and preparation range of foods.
Principles of nutrition may include:	food groups dietary guidelines individual food requirements and allergies.
Contextual issues may include:	weather conditions, including times season transport location trip distance and duration group objectives group size.
Appropriate authorities may include:	waterways departments river rescue authorities supervisors.
Canoes may include:	C1 craft C2 craft.
Equipment may include:	canoeing equipment resources safety, first aid and rescue equipment navigation equipment communication equipment repair equipment camping and overnight equipment.
Relevant information may include:	safety procedures logistical details risk management canoeing techniques responsible and safe behaviour.
Safety procedures may include:	capsizing procedures boundaries symptoms, treatment and prevention of common canoeing risks communication systems use of safety and rescue equipment.
Variable factors may include:	change of weather and conditions equipment failure participant's needs.
Temporary site may include:	rest stops activity sites temporary or overnight shelter tent.
Relevant aspects may include:	objectives planning process activity site weather equipment selection clothing selection food selection instructional content instructional technique assessment technique group feedback directing techniques rescue techniques employed.

Unit Sector(s)

Outdoor Recreation

Competency Field

Canoeing