The Paddle Australia (PA) Learning and Development (L&D) project aims to develop a culture of continued engagement and belonging. PA believes Learning and Development to be a key component in promoting these values and allowing our clubs, paddlers and sport to learn and grow.
Through stakeholder engagement, PA has identified a series of key subject areas for review, development and delivery as listed below. Coaching has been identified as the key subject area for review and development in the first instance.
- Coaching
- Volunteering
- Officiating
- Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme (PAQS)
- Paddling
In 2020, PA undertook a review of the Coaching Framework and Qualifications Scheme (CFQS). The Coaching Framework followed the FTEM athlete pathway, widely used in sport for the purpose of athlete development (Gulbin, Croser, Morley, & Weissenteiner, 2013). In 2022, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) launched the ‘Modern Coaching Approach’ which has the athlete (participant) at the center of coach development, encouraging everyone in sport to play, coach and enjoy sport through focusing on the individual needs of each person. With this in mind, and with the support of the ASC, PA made the decision to revisit the area of coaching and Learning and Development more broadly to continue to modernise the delivery of our sport as well as empower and educate our community and our sport to create positive sporting environments where paddlers, coaches, volunteers, officials, instructors, guides and communities thrive. Rather than focusing only on winning, skill development and moving up through levels of coach accreditation, the new Learning and Development framework, as detailed below promotes a culture of continued professional development, enabling coaches, volunteers, officials instructors, and guides to continue to improve their skills for the benefit of participants across the sport.