Its all hands on deck for 10 Western Cape youngsters who will be leaving South Africa tomorrow for an epic sailing trip aboard a traditional wind-powered tall ship.
The youngsters, aged between 16 and 18, will join 25 other youths from Canada, Germany, Mexico and the United States on the two-and-a-half month trip that will see them visiting Walvis Bay, St. Helena, Brazil, Trinidad and ending up in Bermuda.
The project is facilitated by the Cape Windjammers Education Trust, a non-profit organisation committed to empowering South African youth through tall ship sailing, in partnership with Class Afloat, a floating classroom project from Canada.
“The trainees will have a teacher on board with them to make sure they do not miss out on any of their regular schoolwork while they are away,” says Dr. Antje Nahnsen, programme director at Cape Windjammers Education Trust.
Nahnsen told the Teacher that they consulted with the schools of the 10 youngsters and devised a teaching plan for each of the youths to ensure they are up to speed when they return to school in July.
The students will also be exposed to life-skills and leadership training during their time on the ship, where they will be required to actively participate in the daily running of the vessel, which is rigged for sailing but also has an engine to serve as backup. They will be accompanied by two team leaders from South Africa, one of whom is a teacher.
“The trainees will be learning traditional sailing skills aboard the SV Concordia, and at the same time they have the opportunity to engage with other youngsters from different backgrounds to their own.”
The majority of the trainees have never set foot on a sailing vessel before but had to undergo a rigorous selection process with strict criteria to ensure they are able to make the most of their journey.
“Our aim is to get young people interested and involved in tall ship training to make them aware of careers in the maritime industry and developing life skills amongst the youth,” explains Nahnsen.