Making paddlesport clubs welcoming for paddlers involves creating an inclusive environment that addresses their unique needs and concerns while fostering a sense of belonging and enjoyment. Here are some strategies to achieve this:

1. Skill Development: Offer specialised paddling sessions tailored to the needs and interests of the paddlers. Providing opportunities for skill development, safety training, and technique refinement in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere. Have you got a range of activities for different motivations and levels and abilities? Are there things for everyone to keep them challenged and interested?

4. Safety Measures: Prioritise safety by implementing clear guidelines, procedures, and protocols for paddling activities. Provide appropriate safety briefings, equipment checks, and assistance to ensure paddlers feel confident and supported on the water. Selection of easy access launching and landing spots can enable a more relaxed start/finish to the paddle.

5. Individualised: It is really important to understand and tune into what each paddler wants to get out of their time on the water and what makes it enjoyable for them. Armed with this information you can help everyone get the most out of their paddling. Sometimes it’s the small things that make the difference, e.g. one more stop in the day can mean someone is more comfortable in their boat. Do paddlers want a fitness based paddle, time to connect with nature, to relax or an adrenaline buzz?

6. Inclusive Leadership: Encourage paddlers to take on leadership roles within the club, such as mentoring newer members, leading paddling trips, or organising events/socials. Empowering paddlers to contribute their skills and knowledge can enhance their sense of belonging and engagement. This doesn’t need to be limited to the better paddlers, many club members bring wider skills that can benefit the club.

7. Education and Resources: Provide educational resources and information on topics relevant to your club paddlers, such as proper stretching techniques, injury prevention, and adaptive paddling techniques. Offer workshops or guest speakers that are relevant to your club membership using speakers who your membership can relate too. 

8. Feedback and Communication: Actively seek feedback from paddlers to understand their needs, preferences, and concerns. Maintain open communication channels through surveys, suggestion boxes, or regular meetings to ensure their voices are heard and valued within the club community, and make sure everyone knows what is happening in the club. 

By implementing these strategies, paddlesport clubs can create a welcoming and supportive environment where paddlers feel valued, respected, and empowered to enjoy their paddling experiences to the fullest.

If there is one take away, it needs to be a welcoming and positive environment to keep people coming back, to nurture and feed a positive club culture. We need to put effort into getting to know the person, accepting them, and being open to differences. Success can perhaps be measured by everyone feeling ‘part of it’. 

Thanks to the Paddle Scotland Lifelong Equality Group for pulling this article together and for all the paddlers who have helped us with their comments and feedback.