Safety

At Arran Outdoor Education Centre, we make the safety and wellbeing of our participants our highest priority.

Our experienced and qualified staff carefully plan and risk assess all activities and follow national safety standards and best practice. We maintain high standards of equipment, training and supervision so everyone can enjoy challenging and rewarding outdoor experiences in a safe, supportive, and inclusive manner.

Instructor qualifications

Our instructors hold a range of qualifications from national governing bodies, allowing them to safely lead different activities and sessions.

Our risk assessments set out the qualifications instructors need for each activity. Instructors must also complete an induction for each activity before they lead a session with a group.

Inspections

The centre currently holds a three-year AALA (Adventures and Activities Licensing Authority) licence, the longest licence available. The licence is valid until 17 July 2028, and AALA will inspect the centre again in early 2028.

Our AALA licence code is R0083.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and HSE Food Standards also carry out annual inspections of the centre.

Affiliations and accreditations

Arran Outdoor Education Centre is a recognised RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Training Centre and a Paddle UK Delivery Partner.

The Centre Team Leader is also a member of the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC) and the Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education (SAPOE).