All Enquiries 0131 333 6333

Climbing Wall Award

Coaching & courses > Indoor Courses > Climbing Wall Award

The Climbing Wall Award (CWA) is a nationally recognised award for; climbers, youth workers, and teachers that are supervising climbing activities on both indoor and outdoor walls. It is about demonstrating good practice to add to the enjoyment of the activity and covers personal climbing, supervising and management of climbing activities such as bouldering, the teaching of basic movement skills and roped climbing (but not lead climbing). All our Climbing Wall Award training and assessment courses will also cover the abseiling module of this award. Please see training and assessment dates below.

This MLTUK led award enables holders to supervise people on climbing walls. Mountain Leader Training UK is the co-ordinating body for all mountain training schemes in the UK, overseeing the training and assessment of around six thousand leaders, instructors and guides.

To gain the award you need more than just good personal climbing skills. You'll learn about safe group management, indoors and out, crag etiquette, environmental responsibilities and more. You will also learn how to become an effective supervisor, encouraging others to enjoy their climbing safely, whilst also improving some of your own climbing skills.

To register you must meet the criteria below, as set out by MLTUK. This must be completed before booking.

Registration Requirements:

• Minimum 17 years of age
• Membership of an affiliated mountaineering club or a mountaineering council (you can join at a discounted rate using the PDF form available to download here)
• Have at least six months experience of using a variety of climbing walls.
• Have a genuine interest in climbing and the supervision of groups on climbing walls.

Training                                                                                                                                                   The CWA training course lasts for a minimum of 16 hours and is often run over an intensive weekend. Providers run their courses throughout the UK and at most times of the year. If you have an exceptionally high level of experience you may apply for exemption from the training course.

Consolidation
At the end of your course the training staff will develop with you a personal action plan that will guide you through this phase of the scheme (usually a period of at least six months).

Assessment
The minimum contact time for those undertaking the Climbing Wall Award assessment is six hours; minimum contact time for the Abseiling module assessment is two hours. Assessment includes personal climbing, group supervision and the use of climbing walls.

Assessment Requirements:

• Minimum 18 years of age prior to attendance on an assessment course
• Have attended a training course or been granted exemption from training and have a relevant training page in their logbook
• Have recorded a minimum of thirty visits to at least three different climbing walls
• Have a genuine interest in climbing and the supervision of groups on climbing walls.
• Additionally have assisted a qualified 5 supervisor on at least fifteen instructed sessions on at least two different walls including a large public facility in a variety of contexts
• Hold a valid first aid certificate

Please contact us for more information.