New Zealand Rivers Association

The pathway

Your record builds up. The River Rescue Endorsement goes on it once.

Follow Aroha from her first season to Senior. Each award she earns is added to her Record of Learning, and stays there for her whole career.

River Rescue Endorsement

An award. 8 units, assessed once. Needed for Grade 3 and above, and it never needs redoing for the next grade.

River Rescue Course

Training you attend. Current for 3 years. It only matters if you’re going for a Senior award.

Scroll to follow her career

Aroha’s record · Before you start

Course: Not done yet
  • Theorynew

  1. Before you start

    Foundation E-learning

    The theory, done online in your own time. Every raft guide endorsement needs it before its certificate can be issued, so it goes on your record first.

    Done once. It doesn’t expire.

  2. Season 1

    Grade 2 Raft Guide

    Your first endorsement. It covers guiding on Grade 2 water, including the basic rescue skills you need at that level.

    You don’t need the River Rescue Endorsement for Grade 2. It starts to matter when you step up.

  3. Season 2

    River Rescue Endorsement

    River Rescue Endorsement: earned here, once

    Needed for everything above Grade 2. It’s an assessed award: 8 units, signed off by an assessor. You earn it once.

    Two ways to get it

    • On the November River Rescue course: tick “Add the River Rescue Endorsement” on the full-week registration. It’s included in the price.
    • On its own: enrol in the River Rescue Endorsement and an assessor marks the 8 units.

    Aroha did the full week, so she also has the River Rescue Course on her record. That’s a separate line with its own clock. Watch it on the right.

  4. Season 3

    Grade 3 Raft Guide

    River Rescue Endorsement: already held, not redone

    Grade 3 needs the River Rescue Endorsement.

    Aroha already holds it. Nothing to redo, nothing to pay again.

    If a guide who already holds it enrols in the River Rescue Endorsement by mistake, the platform spots it on their record and credits it straight away. No assessor, no re-assessment.

  5. Season 5

    Grade 4/5 Raft Guide

    River Rescue Endorsement: already held, not redone

    Same again. Grade 4/5 needs the River Rescue Endorsement, and it’s still sitting on her record from Season 2. It carries forward.

    Meanwhile, her River Rescue Course has lapsed

    Three seasons have passed since her course. That doesn’t touch her endorsements. She still holds Grade 4/5 and the River Rescue Endorsement. It only matters if she wants to go Senior.

  6. Season 6

    River Rescue Course refresher

    River Rescue Endorsement: already held, not redone

    To go Senior she needs a current River Rescue Course. Experienced guides book the Workshop Only option in November. That resets the three-year clock.

    She doesn’t add the endorsement this time. She already holds it, and the registration form tells her so.

  7. Season 7

    Senior Grade 4/5

    River Rescue Endorsement: already held, not redone

    Senior is about trip leadership. To enrol she needs:

    • Grade 4/5 on her record
    • A current River Rescue Course
    • 800 hours or 400 trips, half of them on Grade 4/5

    One River Rescue Endorsement, counted for three awards.

The short version

Three things to remember

  1. 01

    Earn the River Rescue Endorsement once

    Grade 3, Grade 4/5 and Senior all count the same one. If it’s on your record, you’re covered.

  2. 02

    Keep the Course current if you’re going Senior

    The Course lasts 3 years. A lapsed Course doesn’t take anything off your record. You need it current to enrol in a Senior award.

  3. 03

    Already hold Grade 3 or higher?

    Then you already hold the River Rescue Endorsement. The November course registration won’t offer it to you again.

Back to the endorsements briefing River Rescue course dates