Forth Canoe Club exists to support canoeists in all their paddling activity. As such it supports and encourages trips for recreation and competition. Club organised trips should follow the policy in this document to ensure they remain safe for all participants. Trips by members which are not formal club trips are advised but not required to follow this policy.

Each trip should have a trip leader. It is the responsibility of the leader to ensure a trip is kept safe, enjoyable and useful. The trip leader should be approved by the committee member for the relevant discipline and must hold relevant qualifications and/or experience for the trip. He or she is responsible for suitable trip advertising, transport and meeting coordination. He or she must ensure all paddlers are competent for the trip. The trip leader should to the best of his or her abilities check all paddlers have suitable equipment and that individual health issues are taken into account. He or she must ensure that suitable child protection practice is followed and that all participants (or guardians for under 16s) are aware of the inherent risk associated with canoeing.

Relevant safety equipment should be taken on a trip. The exact nature of this would depend on the trip but could typically include a first aid kit, tow line, throw line, GPS, mobile phone, map, group shelter, spare equipment and warm drinks.

A trip must have suitable coaches and canoeing leaders for the group. Coaches and canoeing leaders can be qualified by experience recognised by the club or formal qualifications. Formal qualifications include old-style BCU coaching, UKCC BCU coaching and 4/5 star leader awards. The remit for coaches and journey leaders can be found in the BCU Terms of Reference http://www.canoescotland.com/Portals/0/EditableContent/AdminCoaching/BCU%20TERMS%20OF%20REFERENCE%20280409.pdf . It is expected that on many trips all participants will be suitably qualified and therefore no coaching or individual canoe leadership will be necessary. There should be a first aid certificate holder on a trip holding a certificate suitable for UKCC Level 2 coaching. All paddlers must be members of the SCA or an equivalent organisation.