Become a Community Instructor
IMPORTANT: Due to the COVID-19, we have adapted the training process in order to maximize online education on the one hand and reduce the size of groups for face-to-face training. The COVID-style training process therefore includes 2 evenings of pre-training theoretical courses. The face-to-face training course includes the practical part of the boating safety course.
The community Instructor program is an opportunity for young candidates to start their training at the age of 15 and, once their training is complete and when they turn 16, to start teaching sailing to beginners. As trained community instructors, they will be able to deliver the Sail Canada certifications ICANsail.
Community instructors are key actors in camps, community organizations and places where people discover sailing. Many people first try to sail on a dinghy thanks to the advices and teaching of community instructors, which means they often are the best ambassadors of our sport.
To be a community instructor is also a great way to start a training that will lead you to the status of instructor. In many sailing schools community instructors are a key help for instructors and they are, quite often, the very future instructors of the school!
You may download the complete guide to the community instructor training process.
Prerequisites to start the training
- Be 15 or older
- To have a valid General First Aid + CPR certification
- To have the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
- To have coach boat driving experience and the Boat safety certification (delivered by the FVQ)
- To have a CANSail 2 certification (if you don't have it or have difficulties to get certified please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Each candidate must have all his prerequisites up to date in order to join a practical course or to be evaluated. In order to do so, candidates will either download their prerequisites in the registration form or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. them to us (maximum size per document: 500 ko, named as follow: name_first-name_type-of-prerequisite).
First Aid
Since 2019, all instructors have to attend a General First Aid and CPR course. It is a 14 to 16 hour course and it replaces the former Emergency First Aid prerequisite.
The FVQ offers two General First Aid courses for which you can register through the general registration form.
The organization providing the course must be nationally recognized (Red Cross, Ambulance de la Saint-Jean, Heart and Stroke Foundation…). If you have any doubts, contact us in order to check that the program is recognized.
Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
There are many companies enabling you to get your PCOC accredited by the Canadian Coast Gard. You can join the Départ-Éclair program offered by instructors accredited by the FVQ in homologated sailing schools.
Amongst the companies enabling you to get your PCOC online, Cartebateau.com offers a special price for instructors and future instructors. To have access to the special price, follow the link on our page dedicated to the PCOC
Coach boat driving experience and the Boat safety certification
- Coach boat driving experience certificate
We strongly encourage yougs sailors interested in becoming instructors to join the assistant program of their sailing school. By doing so, after having obtained their CCEP, they will be able to practice driving a motor boat. The head instructor will then grant them a Coach boat driving experience certificate.
If you did not have the opportunity to gain this experience with your sailing school, the FVQ organizes Coach boat basic courses with our learning facilitators. After half a day discovering the basics, they will deliver a coach boat driving exprience certificate.
- Boat Safety course
Due to the COVID-19 Boat Safety course will be integrate to the pratical training.
This course, offered by the FVQ , enables candidates to learn and practice safety manoeuver (man overboard, righting and towing a boat…).Both theory and pracice will be evaluated, only succesful candidates will be granted the certification
The course takes place in a sailing school and last a whole day. Both theory and practical periods alternate. This course gives instructor the necessary resources to teach in good conditions and to drive safely the coach boat.
To attend the boat safety course, candidates must have been granted a driving experience certificate by either the FVQ or their sailing school.
Note : without the Boaty safety course, you may still achieve your training and become a Multisport Community Advisor (and not a Community Sailing Instructor). As such, you will not be allowed to conduct a coach boat.
The Training
The practical course is delivered by a Voile Québec – Sail Canada Learning Facilitator, most often in a sailing school. During the two and a half day clinic taking place between May and late June, candidates learn the basis on how to teach sailing, how to advise students, and preserve a safe environment.
Candidates also practice their driving skills with the coach boat.
At the end of the clinic, the candidate is evaluated by the Learning Facilitator, and either becomes a trained instructor or, in case he doesn’t meet the standards, he remains an instructor in training.
Complete your training (optional)
Community instructors can develop their competences and their training by following two courses:
- Fundamental course (2.5 day, theory course)
- Boat safety certification ( 1 day, practical course)
This complementary training will help the candidates deliver high quality lessons allowing them to deliver CANSail 1 certification. Once these courses have been passed, and with a CANSail 4 certification or higher, the candidate only has to follow a 5 day practical course to become an instructor.
These courses are optional for Community instructors but mandatory for Instructors. They are offered by the FVQ and you may register online.
The Fundamental Course
It is a theory course usually taking place between March and April, on a week-end, from Friday evening to Sunday evening. This course provides candidates with pedagogical and teaching resources. They will also learn how to plan a course, how to install and preserve a safe environment, how to supervise a group, how to make ethical decisions, etc. The Fundamental course is a mandatory step in the training process enabling CANSail instructors to enter the NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program).
Boat Safety certification
This coach boat driving course enables candidates to learn and practice safety manoeuver (man overboard, righting and towing a boat…) The course takes place in a sailing school and last a whole day. Both theory and practical periods alternate. This course gives instructor the necessary resources to teach in good conditions and to drive safely the coach boat. Please note that you can only join the course if you already have your PCOC. The course is open to all candidate aged 14 and older.
You can register for this course when registering for your instructor training.
Courses Timetable and Prices
Upon request, we may open new courses in other places if there are enough candidates. If you would like a course to take place near your place please ask your school manager to contact us.
Please note that the planning might change in case of major problem (such as water level), and that courses might be canceled if the number of candidate is insufficient.
Taxes are included
* Early bird price is open until 15 days before the start of the training or module except for evaluations. For evaluations, early bird price is open until July 15th.
Courses schedule
Weekend Course (Fundamental and practical course) :
- Friday 6pm – 9pm
- Saturday 8am – 8pm
- Sunday 8am – 8pm
Boat safety:
- Whole day (8am – 7pm)
Register
To access the registration form follow the link: Register for Community Instructor Training
If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us either by phone (514 252-3097) or mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
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