Paddlesports latest initiative “Street Paddler” has just completed a pilot scheme in Exeter. Street Paddler has taken its blue print from several other successful schemes most of which involve some ball skills; Street Paddler offers something completely different.

Very rewarding to see the progression amongst the group, not only in skill level but in team work, trust, responsibilities and most of all motivation. You have to remember that for some of them this will be the "best thing they have ever done." I found they respected us, the kit and the centre when they were the ones using it. They had a reason to take care of it! The group were eager to learn and would put everything into it. If you give them a chance to shine...... they will! I personally have learnt a lot about not going on first impressions!

We both put ourselves forward for the Street Paddler with a commitment to the 10 weeks to give the course a familiar face, consistency and stability. We knew it could be a real success and hopefully challenge us and we weren’t wrong. As we were challenged; but not in quite the way we were expecting, and this was down to the group of young paddlers we were working with.

After two taster session with about 20 young people on each, we sat down with the PCSOs and youth workers to decide on the lucky ones who would attend the 8 week course.

We acutely ended up with seven students who committed a 100% to the course and have shown real enthusiasm. Anyone who has ever coached will know that this is half the battle. Their contribution has not only made the course successful but a very enjoyable and rewarding experience on our behalf.

The whole theme to the ‘Street Paddler’ sessions was primarily for the group to enjoy them. We were keen to break out of a taster session style course and give a more holistic feel too paddle sports.

Over the eight weeks we managed to taste a bit of everything including; white water canoeing, white water kayaking, first aid certificate, safety and rescue skills and lots more.

The group managed to demo sea kayaks, inflatables, sit on tops, creek boats, play boats and K1 sprint kayaks, courtesy of AS Watersports and Exeter Canoe Club.

Another underlying theme was to highlight an instructor’s responsibility and role, as they are working towards their Cadet Leader Award.

Their thirst for this responsibility among our sessions was one of their more impressive qualities. On their first session they had all Eskimo rescued an instructor. Later, after discussing and looking at group kit they made it their job to organise that equipment every week.

This project has been a real success and I am proud to be part of it. I hope the success of this pilot will allow the scheme to go nationwide and get bigger and better.

‘Street Paddler’ So what’s it all about? Getting young people off the streets and into a new sport canoeing and kayaking.

“Go out and get wasted, drinking with my mates, on the streets or at a mates house, get into trouble with the police, basically being an ass”.

“I think it has brought me out more, instead of being stuck in a shell, like a turtle and not wanting to come out. I’m wasn’t very confident before, I was very wary of people, perhaps through my dads girlfriends knocking me about. The instructors have help me trust other people and adults”.

“Haven Banks staff are really easy to get on with, they really helped me build a lot of trust”. What about the Police, the PCSO’s? “I now realise they are a decent bunch of people, just doing their job”.

“I don’t know, umm, it’s helped me see my other side, from my sh__y side and it’s helped me forget some of the sh__ that’s been going on. I recommend it, as its great fun, enjoyable and a great laugh. I suppose I had better thank you Nic, Liam (the instructors) and the police for introducing me to something different, something that has made me feel more positive about myself. Thanks”.

Street Paddler was drawn up by C.A.T.S (Community Action through Sport) who working in conjunction with Canoe England set up an initial meeting to get the project off the ground. Haven Banks Outdoor Education Centre, Exeter Neighbourhood Police, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council worked in partnership to make this pilot scheme a success.

The project began by inviting young people, identified by police or youth offending teams, to join in a taster session at the end of August. From this eight young people were identified who it was felt would make a good team, this was to be essential for the success of the full course. The sessions were run on a Friday evening, at time when they may have otherwise been involved in less constructive behaviour.

Acting Sergeant Dave Egan says “It’s a fantastic opportunity for police to interact with the children and enable them to be challenged in a way they haven’t before. It’s a great way for different parts of the community to mix: Parents, Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers, the young people themselves and local businesses – we have all come together in this positive way. A real partnership approach.”

Coaches from Devon County Council’s Haven Banks Outdoor Education Centre have been fantastic and it is a credit to their skill and dedication that this scheme is as successful as it is. They have worked tremendously hard with these young people who have developed enormously. Haven Banks OEC coaches Liam Kirkham and Nicola Yalland recall how the training went “On the first evening all eight of the group turned up which was a great start. What was more impressive was the motivation to get on the water. With very little encouragement or help from myself or the other coaches they were getting themselves kitted up and ready to go!”

With the evenings drawing in quickly, the young people showed real maturity and team spirit in paddling on cold, dark and wet Friday evenings. Ben Hedden, from Devon County Council's Youth Service, who is centre manager for Haven Banks, added. I am delighted with the way the project has run and the outcome it has achieved. 7 young people have given 100% commitment to the program, turning up each evening despite the inclement conditions. I believe these young people deserve a big pat on the back, for their commitment and enthusiasm so far.

Andy Davey from Canoe England said: “I have worked with disruptive and excluded young people in the past, sometimes as a one-off events or short course in outdoor activities. During these activities there has been an improvement in behaviour, team skills and self-esteem. Unfortunately at the end of each scheme there has been little or no follow up or further encouragement to maintain this improvement.

“Street Paddler, being over an extended period, has allowed the coaches to build a rapport with the young paddlers so as well as developing their personal skills and providing an opportunity for them to gain personal paddling awards they have developed there interpersonal and team skills. The key element which sets this project apart from others is that the young people will have the opportunity to continue beyond the initial eight weeks of the project with either Haven Banks Outdoor Education Centre and or Exeter Canoe Club this should make a real difference to the individuals and make the whole project more sustainable.”

The initiative has been very successful in breaking down barriers with local young people and has helped to divert them at key times when they may have become involved in anti-social behaviour. Sgt Egan said: “Schemes like this are sometimes difficult to get started, but this one has really taken off. We’ve steered kids onto a path that they otherwise would never have come across, and that’s really positive, both for their own development and the community as a whole.”

Chief Inspector Jim Meakin who is the Forces lead on Anti Social Behaviour and Youth Issues.

Says “It is a key priority for us to increase peoples confidence and to reassure them in the way that we deal with anti social behaviour. We are working with our partners in the community to ensure we are consistent and efficient in our approach to anti social behaviour and youth issues. Street paddler has allowed young people to access a programme which has instilled team spirit, discipline and lifted self esteem. Our team of Dave Egan and Tom Cunningham both Sergeants from the Exeter Police Neighbourhood Team to involve young people who they felt would benefit from the experience. Everyone who has engaged with these young people has seen a marked difference in the attitude and behaviours of the young people which is great for the individuals and the wider community. Canoe England have been key in the delivery of Street Paddler with great support from Andy Davey, Canoe England’s development officer for the south west. Without the dedication of the Haven Banks Watersports staff who I know have worked tirelessly with the young people and Ben Hedden who is in charge of the centre and has been fully supported by Devon County Council the scheme would not have been such a success. We are hoping that all participants will continue to work toward higher canoe qualifications. I have no doubt this initiative is giving positive life skills to those young people involved. It has been fantastic to be involved with such inspirational people who have made a difference for these young people.”

The Street Paddler team will be evaluating the impact of the project on the young people and preparing it so that it can be rolled out across the South West. Not to mention we have had a request from the GLC for this scheme to be introduced into London in preparation for 2012. Street Paddler is a multi agency effort from C.A.T.S, Canoe England, Devon and Cornwall Police, Haven Banks Outdoor Education Centre (Devon County Council), Local Councils and Exeter Canoe Clubs. If you would like more information on Street Paddler for your area, please contact Clair Roberts on 01288 357505 or 07794 362403.

Bude based charity C.A.T.S, (Community Action Through Sport’s) ethos is to promote, recognise and reward young people for positive community action with sport and healthy living awards. The Street Paddler idea does not finish when these young people have finished the canoe course. The conclusion of the scheme is to ensure that these young people are armed with a new life skill, in this case to be a canoe instructor, and then give their time voluntarily back into the community using their new skill coaching other young people and helping youth organisations. Denise May, co-founder of C.A.T.S says ‘We hear far too much about the bad things that young people do. This scheme is designed specifically to re-engage disaffected young people back into their community. C.A.T.S aim is to ensure that these young people use their new skills to give their time voluntarily back to their community, so that C.A.T.S can recognise and reward that positive community action’

CANOEING and KAYAKING

Canoeing and Kayaking are popular sports in South West England and with a wide range of lakes, canals, estuaries and rivers there are lots of opportunities to learn and improve. Canoe adventure companies know the very best local waters and will match your level of competency accordingly. Alternatively, multi-activity centres often include canoeing as an option and this can be a pleasant introduction to the sport.

Kayaking
Kayaks are good starter boats as they move easily through the water and are fairly easy to master. Shorter than traditional canoes, kayaks are paddled with double-ended paddles and the paddler is enclosed in the body of the boat from the waist down, creating a semi-submersible which is superb on white-water.

For white water thrills, look no further than the rivers of Dartmoor and Exmoor. The River Dart, in Devon, has developed a great reputation for the sport and has all the facilities to match. Exmoor has the Barle and the Exe - challenging by anybody's standards. Increasing in popularity are the longer, slender sea-kayaks, ideal for coastal paddling and exploring dramatic coves and inlets and accessing remote beaches.

Canoeing
In an 'Open' or 'Canadian' canoe, the paddlers sit on seats and work with single-bladed paddles. Though now built in modern materials, the design of open canoes has required few changes over the centuries. It can reach places, carry equipment and go with an ease other boats struggle to match.

Canoe Hire and Day Adventure Trips
Various sizes of canoe are available for hire in the South West and a day out canoeing with a group of friends can be an excellent way to explore remote rivers, estuaries and watering holes at your own pace.

Canoeing in the south west of England with it long coast line has some of the best sea kayaking in the UK.

The 7 County Sport Partnerships that cover the whole South West region – a map is on the next slide

For more information, contact Phil de Glanville at Sport England SW on phil.deglanville@sportengland.org or your County Sport Partnership.

The BCU British Canoe Union is the UKs governing body fro canoeing and kayaking in the UK. Below the BCU, British Canoe Union sits Canoe England CE the Scottish Canoe Association SCA the Welsh Canoe Association WCA and the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland CANI, each of the associations has autonomy to over see canoeing and kayaking with its own area under policy’s set by the BCU.

The BCU is funder by a membership subscription and funding through Sport England. Sport England sets the over all policy for sport with in England