Ops Manual - Background & Administration

Background & Administration

Scope

This document is intended to highlight acceptable and best practice in water activities and shore based NGB training and form the basis of how Ajax and Warspite Sea Scout groups conduct Scout Water Activities including  The document should be regarded as live to reflect changing circumstances. Suggestions and comments should be sent to the Centre Principal as described in Change Log

References

Unless otherwise stated the latest version is implied.

[POR] Scout Policy, Organisation and Rules https://www.scouts.org.uk/por/ 

[TGN] RYA Training Centre Guidance Notes https://www.rya.org.uk/network/training-centres-and-instructors/training-notice-and-guidance/ 

[TG14-15] RYA Guidance on major incident Procedures https://www.rya.org.uk/network/training-centres-and-instructors/training-notice-and-guidance/training-guidance/ 

Centre Context

Warspite & Ajax Scouts Boating Centre is the water activities & RYA training operations of 1st Cuddington (Warspite) and 4th Thames Ditton (Ajax) Sea Scouts. Each group is an independent Scout Group and charity. Each group is led by a Group Lead Volunteer and overseen by an Trustee Board. Both groups operate within the rules laid out in “Policy, Organisation and Rules” of the Scout Association ([POR]).

The relationship between the Groups is managed in accordance with:

1. The Scout Laws

2. The inter group agreement of the 1979, as subsquently modified in 2024, relating to land & buildings at City Wharf, Thames Ditton 

3. The inter group agreement of the 26th October 1994 relating to the operation of a joint RYA Training Centre. (Appendix A)

4. Custom & Practice: 

With identical charitable objectives, ethos and commitment to excellence, the groups have long cooperated. This manual sets down the standards under which water activities and shore based training will take place.

Precedence of rules

If this document conflicts with [POR], the stricter set of rules should be followed and the conflict brought to the attention of the Centre Principal.

Definitions

Within this document:

Warspite refers to 1st Cuddington (Warspite) Sea Scout Group

Ajax refers to 4th Thames Ditton (Ajax) Sea Scout Group

Centre refers to the Warspite Ajax Scout Boating Centre, a collaboration between the two groups under the terms detailed in Appendix A . As both Groups agree to undertake their water activities and recognised shore based training in accordance with this manual, centre is also used to refer to both groups jointly.

Centre Principal is the person nominated by the Joint Management committee(JMC) to run the joint centre and who will hold the role of RYA Centre principal. 

Scout / Scouts refers to any youth member of the Scout Association and not just the Scout Section. Where it is desired to refer to members of the Scout Section, this will be made clear.

NGB refers to National Governing Body. They are:

• RYA - Sailing, Windsurfing & Power boating 

• BCU (British Canoe Union) -Canoeing & Kayaking

• BR (British Rowing)– Pulling 

DO is an abbreviation of Duty Officer.

Heads is a nautical term for toilets.

Personal Buoyancy refers to buoyancy aids and or lifejackets. Where one or other is required, this will be made clear. General guidance can be found within section 8. The latter may be designed to be deflated or partially inflated during normal activities. The inflation device may be manual or automatic. The design should be adhered to, unless a specific instruction is given. 

Instructor and Group Leader both refer to the individual in charge of a specific group undertaking a specific or range of activities. Dependant on the activity, this individual may be an NGB instructor/coach, member of the leadership/instructor team of either group, or a young person. The designation may be made at the time of the activity in line with these procedures, the Scout Association Permit Scheme or Scout Association C Class waters. For more details on when a qualified instructor is required, please see section 5.6.

Permit holder refers to an individual holding a permit under the Scout Association Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme.

Class C/B[3,2,1]/A Waters These refer to scout association water classifications as defined in [POR]section 9b.5.3.1. 

Individuals undertaking activities:

3 Groups of individuals undertake water activities at the centre. Their details are recorded as follows:

• Members of Ajax Sea Scouts: Qualification recorded by GLV. Contact details maintained within Online Scout Manager. No formal booking form required but details held should be checked by course director at the beginiing of the activity.

• Members of Warspite Sea Scouts: Qualification recorded by GLV. Contact details maintained within Online Scout Manager. No formal booking form required but details held should be checked by course director at the beginiing of the activity.

• Other individuals undertaing formal training or other sessions. Qualifications recorded by Centre Principlal. Contact details held by Duty Officer and passed to Centre Principal at the end of the activity where appropriate. A booking form is required 

Within this context prospective members of either group are classed as members.

The Centre Principal will hold a record of all RYA & BCU qualifications issued. This will include: 

• Name of holder; Level of qualification; Date issued; Endorsements; Certificate number; Certificate signatory; Course director or Lead instructor.

A copy of this record will be provided to both Groups both on request. Link to MASTER Warspite - Ajax RYA Centre Certificate Record

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CMX_ZH5GUOOJgYv1Oeab4qjhwgD_V2jXwEjznMcFoKs/edit#gid=0

• Link for RYA Instructor Qualifications and British Rowing Coach Qualifications https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wECFdjmRQmN5BTeQdCdUGAjgdoRaWjzAIpQpEP9iolg/edit#gid=0

Location of Operating Manual

The operating Manual is available online : www.wasbc.org.uk

Review of Operating Manual

The Centre Operating Manual will be reviewed annually and if any changes required reissued before 31st December. 

Acknowledging Operating Procedures

All Centre instructors and especially those who act as duty officer are required to acknowledge that they have read and understood this document.

This acknowledgement is now done on line at:

The Centre Operations Manual Acknowledgment list https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CfP0cux3BZesCHcTLmyftks_1v5ESnx7oR686yX- whc/edit#gid=0

Feedback & Complaints

Feedback is welcomed in all forms. Complaints may be made through the normal Scouting channels. However complaints regarding RYA tuition can be made direct to the Centre Principal.

Course Feedback can be given via the online feedback form, instructors should encourage their students to provide feedback, and also provide feedback on the centre themselves at:

https://goo.gl/forms/nf1NzDOoj6j9Lldu2

Feedback regarding our operating procedures (this document) should be provided via: https://forms.gle/MDDL1JH2142SHv8UA 

Centre Management

The following roles are appointed by the Joint Management Committee and the appointments are reviewed annually. Changes may be made by the JMC to further develop the centre. It is expected that the JMC will agree goals and objectives for the roles as part of the annual review.

1. Centre Principal

The Centre Principal is responsible for assisting the groups in the development of the Centre and the management of RYA operations.

The Centre Principal is Richard Hunt

2. Chief Instructors

The centre has a wide variety of experience to draw upon. To support activity development, chief instructors have been appointed for each discipline. They will work with the Centre Principal to support instructors within their discipline:

• Sailing: Jamie Ashley

• Powerboating: Peter Weekes

• Pulling: Richard Hunt

• Paddlesports: To be appointed.

The Chief Instructor for a discipline is not necessarily the most qualified individual within a discipline, nor are they responsible for the delivery of all instruction, they are there to advise and to promote the development of their discipline. It is part of their role to assist the GSLs & Centre Principal in the maintenance of the standards of tuition and safety across the centre.

Operating Team

The intra group agreement establishes an Operating Team to support the work of the centre. This is comprised of the Centre Principal, Chief Instructors and any other individual agreed by the Joint Management Committee.

Additional Waterbases

The nature of Scouting means that water activities may take place at a variety of locations. The principles within the Ops Manual should be applied, subject to risk assessments. RYA Instruction will only occur at the centre.  

Historic Waterbases

Historical waterbases have had RYA recignition at different times. These are no longer in place:

• Cobnor Dinghy Park

• Island Barn Sailing Club