Youth development

A Service for Youth Leaders

The Cirdan Sailing Trust provides challenging residentials aboard large traditional sailing vessels where young people, with their youth leaders, experience together the adventure of life at sea.

A voyage with Cirdan is the ideal adventurous, positive activity for young people through which they can develop essential life skills. The experience and the outcomes can clearly be measured against aims and objectives highlighted in the Government’s 'Aiming High for Young People: A Ten Year Strategy for Positive Activities', the 'National Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto' and 'Every Child Matters'.

By taking young people out of their comfort zone and placing them in a totally alien environment, youth leaders can work with the whole group starting on the same level.

Many skills and disciplines can be developed or enhanced in particular:

• listening
• following instructions
• working together
• and the need for safety.  

A voyage with us encourages young people to take personal responsibility whilst confronting the demands and challenges of life at sea. The experience itself promotes the acceptance of others, no matter what their social or cultural background, and the experience as a whole boosts self-esteem and develops self confidence, the willingness to face new challenges and take controlled risks.

Many aspects of the National Curriculum can be incorporated into a sailing voyage with The Trust from well before the young people even step onto the vessel until well after they return to dry land.

• PSHE skills through healthy eating menu planning, culture awareness, health and safety issues.
• Mathematical skills through budgeting for provisions and passage planning
• Geographical awareness of coastal towns, river estuaries and tides
• Historical knowledge of traditional vessel usage and ports
• Environmental awareness of land, sea and wildlife
• Literacy skills through log book recording, report and letter writing.

Benefits gained

All our voyages are evaluated to obtain essential information and feedback from the youth leaders and young people.

From the information we receive, it is clear that the benefits of a sailing residential are numerous and can last a lifetime. We have evidence that the experience we provide can change the course of young peoples' lives.

Group leaders who sail with The Trust have rated the following as areas of significant development resulting from a voyage:

• The sense of achievement
• Ability to face challenges
• Team building skills
• Improved self-esteem
• Increase in positive attitude

"I could visibly see the young people grow in confidence and stature with every achievement".

See also Youth Charters