Voluntary National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Watchkeeper

Who we are:

National Coastwatch is a charity staffed and managed by volunteers whose mission is to help save lives at sea and around the UK coastline. If you, a family member or friend uses the coastal waters or the shoreline – maybe canoeing, fishing, boating or even walking on our beautiful but sometimes treacherous coastline – we are watching and keeping you safe.

National Coastwatch is a critical part of UK Search and Rescue. We work alongside His Majesty’s Coastguard, the RNLI, other Lifeboats and the ‘blue-light’ emergency services to assist in the protection and saving of life at sea and along the coastline of England and Wales.

The role:

Full training is given - we have moved a lot of the initial training on to video but most training will be carried out while on NCI Watch duty. Trainees will always be on duty with a qualified NCI Watchkeeper.

Carry out a minimum of at least two (2) or three (3) NCI watches per month. Each Watch can be either four (4) hours or three (3) hours depending on the time of year. Our stations are open 364 days per year (closed Christmas Day).

We have two local NCI station in the New Forest area - Calshot Tower QAVS (Calshot Spit) and Stone Point (Lepe Country Park). 

Our Volunteer Watchkeepers devote their time to keeping watch over our shores, inshore waters and coastal paths and cliffs, helping HM Coastguard, the RNLI and shore-based blue light services to save lives.

Being a National Coastwatch Volunteer Watchkeeper enables you to give back to your community, helping protect local residents and visitors; it gives you new skills, new friends, a sense of pride in yourself and your colleagues and a great sense of satisfaction should you be involved in an incident where lives and property are at risk.

Your first visit to our stations will involve an informal conversation with the Station Manager or one of the Training Team. You will find out about when our stations are open, what we ask of our watchkeepers and how the station fits into our national network of lookouts around England and Wales.

We will explain how and when training is provided, when you will be expected to buy your uniform and how often you will need to attend both the training sessions and general station meetings. These meetings may include group training sessions, but also give you the chance to meet your fellow watchkeepers and the station management committee in a non-working environment.

Skills

• You may be asked about your previous life experience, as any skills you can bring to the Charity from previous employment may be useful in running and maintaining not only your local station, but also in the management of the Charity as a whole.
• No previous experience necessary - all members of National Coastwatch are expected to carry out regular watches, attend station meetings and help out at fundraising events
• All training given - training is carried out by experienced watchkeepers both in our stations and on courses. An assessment is carried out when you are ready, to check that all necessary competencies have been learned.
• Learn at your own pace - the training is designed not only to make you an efficient watchkeeper of value to the community, but also to increase your general knowledge of maritime matters.
• It is important to note that we are a uniformed service, the correct uniform has to be worn while on Watch and/or representing the NCI.
• Be part of a crew and team - teamwork, looking after stations and working with others from various backgrounds.
• Learning the use of Admiralty Charts and VHF Marine Radio skills - support, training and courses on these skills are provided.
  
• Good communication and organisational skills.
• Liaising with other Watchkeepers, the public and other UK SARs and Emergency Services.
• Listening skills, attention to details, record facts - Spot, Plot & Respond.