Join without an account

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Join link or QR: adults 18+ self sign-in; under-18s need a parent, guardian, or leader

Joining a session (without signing in)

This is step 2 of the session workflow (after the leader plans the trip). Full loop: How PaddleSafe works (by role).

When the leader has turned on Join link / QR for that session, the join link or QR code can be opened by anyone — you do not need a PaddleSafe website account. Some sessions are members only: the same QR then asks you to sign in with a member account. What you can do on an open join page depends on your age:

Who Can use this join page to sign themselves in?
Adult (18+ on the session date) Yes — complete the form below
Young person under 18 No — a parent or guardian must register you, or the leader must add you with guardian consent

Parental or guardian permission is required for every minor on a session. This page does not replace that consent; it simply blocks under-18s from registering alone without an account.

What you need (adults signing in here)

Flow

flowchart TD
    A[Open join link or scan QR] --> B{Sign-in open?}
    B -->|No| X[Contact leader]
    B -->|Yes| C[Fill registration form]
    C --> D[Enter date of birth]
    D --> E{18+ on session date?}
    E -->|No| Y[Under 18 — parent/guardian or leader required]
    E -->|Yes| F[Tick privacy notice]
    F --> G[Submit sign-in]
    G --> H[Save your personal safe-return link]
    H --> I[After trip: Mark as safe]

Steps

1. Open the join page

Use the link or QR. You should see Participant sign-in with the session name and leader contact. The page explains that only adults (18+) may complete sign-in here; if you are under 18, use the options in step 3 instead of submitting the form.

If the page says Sign-in closed and Planning, the trip is still on — the leader has paused new joins. It is not cancelled. Contact the named leader or duty officer (shown on that page). If it says on the water, the group has launched. Ask the leader or duty officer to add you. They use Add participant (adult) or Add minor (with consent) on the On the water card of the leader page. The public join link stays closed.

2. Fill Registration details

Field Notes
Name As on the roster
Date of birth Required — used to confirm you are 18+ on the session date
Emergency contact Name and phone
Health & water Medical notes, swimming level, craft

3. If you are under 18 (or signing in a child)

The join link still works to view session details, but you cannot register a minor on this page without an account. Club safeguarding rules apply: a parent or guardian must give permission and supply the child’s details.

Do one of the following:

Do not enter a child’s details as if they were an adult — the date-of-birth check will block under-18 self-registration.

4. Privacy and submit

Where to download a copy, hide your name, or leave later: Privacy and your data.

On the join form, fill the essentials (name, emergency contact, swimming, craft). Open More details only if you need to add health, address, or kit notes.

On the thank-you page, bookmark the personal link shown. It is not emailed. On iPhone or iPad, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen to keep this trip page. That is not the same as installing the whole PaddleSafe app (menu → Install app on device), which opens the site home rather than this unique link.

When you are off the water: open the link → tick I (your name) am safe → Mark as safe. That is your job as a paddler — the leader can also update status on the roster if needed. Roster, log book, and other links sit under More options so the page stays focused on that one action.

flowchart LR
    A[On roster] --> B[Open personal link]
    B --> C[Mark as safe]

6. Leaving the session

If you cannot make it, leave before the leader Starts. That frees your place. It does not cancel the session.

flowchart TD
    A[Cannot make it] --> B{Has the leader pressed Start?}
    B -->|No| C[Open your personal page]
    C --> D[Leave this session]
    D --> E[You leave; session stays on]
    B -->|Yes| F[Mark yourself safe first]
    F --> G[Then Leave this session]
  1. Open your personal page (the link on the thank-you screen — bookmark it; it is not emailed).
  2. Tap the leave button — it names whose place it is (Give up my place, Give up my place and the children's, or Remove [name] from this session) — and confirm.

After the session has started, mark safe first, then leave. The trip remains for everyone else. To come back, use the join link while sign-in is still open.

If you have lost the link: open the session roster, tap your name, then Open your personal page. Or ask the leader to remove you.

More detail: Privacy and your data.

Checklist