OUTDOOR ACTIVITY INSTRUCTOR ACADEMY

• If you’d like to book please click our ‘Book Now’ complete the online form and we will be in touch.
• Once paid you’ll be sent an email confirmation and an enrolment form to complete.
• Payment plans are available.
• pay in full at the time of booking
• split the payment into two instalments
• split the payment into three instalments

We’ll agree on the instalment dates with you at the time of booking. Generally, we take instalments on the 1st of each month.

We can’t reserve your place until we receive payment (in full or an instalment). You’ll then be sent a trip confirmation and enrolment form.

Due to this course being in high demand, we have very limited availability. However, we can hold your space for 24 hours without payment.

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

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 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.

To work at Women + Waves as a surf instructor, you need to gain an SLSGB Surf Coach Safety and Rescue Award. In order to complete this award, you need to be able to swim 200 metres 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.

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.

If you are looking for a career in lifeguarding, you will need to pass the RLSS National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification. To do this you will need to complete 400 metres in an indoor pool in under 8 minutes. 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 towards the end of 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.

Due to the ever-changing restrictions around COVID-19, we are constantly monitoring the latest news and making sure our practices are always up to date with government guidelines. We have developed our course to be COVID safe with all teachings following the correct safety guidelines. All theory work will be completed online during lockdown allowing you to work remotely from the safety of your home or hotel. Our practical activities will be taking place outside and will follow all social distancing guidelines.

We ask all of our students to be transparent and honest if they, or any member of their family, develop any COVID-19 related symptoms. If you think you may have contracted the virus, we will ask you to self-isolate for the appropriate amount of time (generally two weeks) before joining or returning to the course.

It’s important for us to stress that you will not miss out on the course as we are able to offer online learning while you are self-isolating. We have made sure that your ability to complete the course will not be affected by future restrictions or lockdown rules.

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.

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 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 Women + Waves, Newquay Activity Centre or Bodyboard Holidays. This will be a paid role and you will form part of our instructor team.

Women + Waves have access to an instructor exchange programme with an incredible surfing company in New Zealand. 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?

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 Women + Waves 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.

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.

We have a van which 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.

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

Cover for public liability will be in place whilst you partake in activities with Women + Waves, 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.

• Food
• Accommodation
• Travel costs (We may occasionally travel further afield to seek out the best conditions. However, our centre is within walking distances to most sites so this will be kept to a minimum.)
• Personal equipment

Yes, for more information and pictures of check out the accommodation via our friends at Newquay Activity Centre.

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.

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.

You need to be over 18 to join the course. If you are 65 or over 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 226017.

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 are payable as follows:

• Over 12 weeks – deposit only (one third of the total weekend price)
• 36 days to 12 weeks – 50% of total cost
• 21-35 days – 75% of total cost
• Under 20 days – 100% of total 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.

We have the ability to deliver all of our classroom-based learning via online platforms. So far this has proved to be an effective alternative and many of our students prefer this style of learning due to the current climate. If you miss any practical sessions during your isolation you will be given the chance to practice these later on in the course during your free time where possible.

We have discovered that online learning is the best way to complete theory work during your course. We are lucky to spend so much time completing our practical lessons on the beautiful beaches of Newquay. Heading back to the comfort of your home or hotel to complete your theory work is the best way to relax and consolidate your learning.

We have many students from all over the world enrolling on our Outdoor Activity Instructor Training Course. If you are travelling from outside of Cornwall, or even the UK, we recommend arriving the day before your course starts. This will give you a chance to familiarise yourself with Newquay and settle into your new home-from-home. There are many hotels and B&Bs in Newquay and the surrounding area, please check out Newquay Activity Centre’s nearby accommodation page for info.

Please note: if you are booking accommodation through us, your tenure begins the day before the course. Please arrive from 3pm onwards, unfortunately we are not able to offer an earlier move in date due to cleaning and servicing of the apartments.

Newquay is an excellent town to explore in your free time. There are independent retailers, artisan coffee shops, surf shops, restaurants, bars and beaches all waiting to be explored. During your free time you will be able to book out (for free) Women + Waves equipment such as surfboards, bodyboards, kayaks etc to practice your skills or consolidate your learning.

We can almost guarantee you will make new friends for life during the course too. Getting to know your course mates is a great way of solidifying the academy and turning a potentially daunting three months into the best time of your life!

To help boost your knowledge and to give you as much insight as possible, your instructor may send you useful links or YouTube videos on some evenings for prior learning. These learning resources are not essential but they are definitely helpful.

Our Outdoor Activity Instructor Training Course is far from a boot camp and you are free to leave Newquay as and when you please. However, we do try to encourage our students to make the most of their free time by brushing up on ocean skills, shadowing existing instructors, joining our weekend retreats and even finding local work.

We understand that everyone has different commitments and varying lifestyles so please feel free to express this to our course instructors.

We have a variety of different ways to pay for your outdoor instructor course. You may pay the balance in full at time of booking, or you may split the cost of the course over two or three part-payments. We will agree payment plans in advance with you, payments are generally taken on the 1st of each month.

Your place on the course will only be reserved when we receive a part or full payment. You will then be sent a trip confirmation and enrolment form.

This is not an issue and we can activate a discount if you do not need to retake the assessment with us. We would, however, highly recommend you still follow the training across all disciplines throughout the course. These essential skills are transferable across the majority of our activities and refreshing your skills will only serve to bolster your capabilities as an outdoor instructor.

If you need to requalify, we can deliver this within the course.

Again, this is not an issue. The training you participate in will stand you in good stead as an instructor and it will help expand your knowledge and skills. Your First Aid Qualification coupled with your specific instructor qualifications will still allow you to deliver activities such as coasteering, paddleboarding, bodyboarding and sit-on-top kayaking. There is still plenty of work across these activities and you will still be a valuable instructor for most activity centres.

If you do not meet the required standard throughout the duration of the course, you will have the opportunity to come back for assessment for up to 12 months after the course.

Women + Waves works closely with local surf retailers, bars, restaurants and companies within the adult support & care sector. There are plenty of opportunities for flexible working hours during the course to supplement your income.

Those that want to live the endless summer will have the opportunity to work abroad on our recommendation. For instance, at the end of each course we have the option to send our best instructors to work with our partners in New Zealand.

If you fancy hemisphere hopping between seasons, we will set you up with an online interview to see if you are suitable for the role. If successful, you will have the opportunity to work in New Zealand during their summer before returning to catch the UK summer sunshine all over again.

Our high standards of safety ensure that all of our course participants are in good hands throughout the course. However, if you find yourself with an injury that limits your ability to partake in the practical sessions, we will endeavour to provide time later in the course to revisit these modules.

If you are bringing your own surfboard with you, we will allocate you a space in our centre’s kit store for the duration of the course. This will need to be stored in its own board bag. You will still have access to this out of office hours.

If you can’t enter the UK due to Covid restrictions, we need you to send a screen shot of your governments or the UK Governments website that states this.

This means that we will deliver your training online and your practical sessions will be delivered when it is safe for you to fly to the UK. If this is within the course dates, you should fly over as soon as you are allowed to do so.

Your accommodation will remain reserved for the duration of the course as it is hoped that you will be able to join the course and use it as planned. If travel restrictions remain in place for the entirety of your booked course, you may join a later course depending on availability when restrictions are lifted.

We will activate a credit in order for you to achieve this. This credit will cover your accommodation and will allow you to undertake the practical aspects of your course.