ANT SQUAD – Avon Navigation Trust Youth Squad
Avon Navigation Trust youth squad (ANT SQUAD) is a new youth volunteering initiative giving young people opportunities to have fun on the river whilst at the same time learning and gaining life enhancing experiences.
This is all being made possible by NEPTUNE and our partnership work with other organisations.
ANT SQUAD will run along the lines of a club. The Core Membership is aimed at 15-23 year olds. Activities will vary, for example, one session there may be an activity like paddleboarding from Neptune, and the following session it might be litter picking from kayaks or learning how to operate the locks. There will be a strong environmental element to ANT SQUAD activities, as well as paddlesport activities, water safety, helming craft, river trips and so much more.
The official launch for ANT squad is 2020, however sessions started with pilot sessions in 2019 with river trips on Neptune, litter picks and paddleboarding. Four of the core members have carried on their training over the winter and gained British Canoe qualifications including Foundation Rescue Training and qualified as Paddlesport Instructors. These young people will now form a vital part of the coaching team in the future. A great example of a youth project being designed and run for and by the young people themselves.