Student Volunteers Needed for the Courtesy Check Program

Mar 28, 2024

As many of you know we have not yet received approval from Transport Canada for ongoing funding for our Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check (RVCC) and Safety Education and Flare Disposal Program and don’t expect to hear from TC until May.

However, we do have both stickers and the forms for the RVCC program so we can continue to offer that, additional funding from TC or not.

Squadrons offering RVCC inspections to boaters is an excellent way to get face to face with them, offer a great service and talk about CPS-ECP membership and education.

Many provinces (ON, BC, PEI) require all high school students have to do a certain number of volunteer hours in order to graduate and having them assist Squadrons with RVCCs, and hopefully Safety Education and Flare Disposal programs, would be an excellent opportunity for both students, Squadron member, you can make this a family event for any relations in high school.

On-line training that we use for our own members is also appropriate for student volunteers. For the RVCC program students could help with the completion of forms and helping to check to see if boaters would like an inspection. For the English version go to: www.smartboater.ca/rvcc/ For French go to: www.plaisancieraverti.ca/rvcc_fr/

As a caution I would make sure that any student volunteers do not handle flares as they are pyrotechnics.

To find out how you can get student volunteers just contact your local high school(s). Every inspection should account for a half hour of volunteer time so it would not take long for a student to put in the required hours. You just have a form to complete for them to hand in to their school.

I hope that this would help encourage Squadrons to conduct RVCCs and who knows, you might just find students who are interested in boating and what Squadrons have to offer. Remember PCOC Boating Basics is a requirement for all operators of powered vessels of any type. You might even find that you could offer the PCOC course in schools. Some Squadrons in BC already do that.

John Gullick, Manager of Special Programs