STYC Paper for Sail Training International

[Ben]

Earlier this year STYC were asked to create a paper to be presented at the Sail Training International Conference in Istanbul. The paper focuses on how the Sail Training community can help ensure young people are made more aware of the opportunities and experiences avaliable within Sail Training.

We want to hear your thoughts on our paper.

Follow this link to go to read STYC's paper to STI:

http://www.uksailtraining.org.uk/images/stories/documents/stycpaper_sti_conference.pdf

[chris@chriswren.co.uk]

I have learnt the immense value of sail-training [for all ages] over the last 15 years. Some feedback is here:-
http://chriswren.co.uk/sailtraining/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/GuestFeedback.pdf

Communicating the opportunities available is certainly an issue. Some sail-training organisations are not even widely known in their own home port!

Some offer opportunities to sail below the usual cost through utilising full time volunteers. However I have seen that too often bursaries are under-utilised because the very people they are supposed to help do not come forward.

My current concern is finding resources to meet needs. When on a boat as captain I cannot find sufficient full time crew. When seeking a new boat, as I am now, I have difficulty finding one. I am trying to persuade existing sailing websites to address this communication need.

Regards,
Chris Wren

[Ben]

Hi Chris, just to clarify your main concerns. Is it the fact that sailing websites don't have the sufficient forums for professional captains and crews to advertise their availibility for full time employment rather than at volunteer level? Is this concern particularly with regard to sail training or are you talking more generally?

Ben

[chris@chriswren.co.uk]

Those seeking captains and crews don't know where to look. Those available seeking boats to serve on don't know where to look.

This particularly applies to full time voluntary sail-training. This is the way a number of charities operate worldwide.

So most solutions are by chance or by word of mouth with personal contacts - not very effective or quick!

If there was one website [or a number of websites linked], matching resources to meet the needs would be much better.

Chris.