Last week saw 9 young people from Fife sailing on Alba Venturer as part of our CashBack for Communities programme. Logging in 139 nautical miles, the group called in at Tobermory and Loch Tuath in Mull. The weather was mixed for the first-time sailors as they took on all the challenges of sailing.
All the young people threw themselves into the experience and worked hard to achieve the goals they set themselves. They said:
“I feel really tired but had a great time. I learned how to sail the boat and I feel proud of myself.”
“This week I learned how to live with people in a tight space, teamwork, and building relationships”.
“I had an absolutely brilliant week- I am so chuffed as I managed to achieve all the goals I set myself: learning to tack and jibe, make more friends, and lead the watch.”
“I feel a real sense of achievement after a week on the boat. I was nervous when I first came on, but now I’m ready for the next adventure!”
With future goals of getting a job, buying a van, securing a work experience place, becoming a youth worker and volunteering with OYT Scotland, the confidence gained and lessons learned during the voyage will make a difference for everyone in the group.
Also taking part in the voyage were two group leaders, Linsey Neilson and Gemma Frail.
Linsey commented: “The voyage was a fantastic opportunity for our local young people to experience sailing first hand. It was amazing to watch young people form friendships, develop their team building skills and feel a real sense of achievement in only 5 days. I would like to thank the young people and staff for such a positive experience, I was proud to be part of it!” Gemma continued; “It was a great experience to see young people stepping out of their comfort zone and pushing themselves to learn new skills and really flourish in a challenging environment. The staff team at Ocean Youth Trust Scotland did an amazing job at encouraging all the young people to take part and really learn some new and valuable life skills along the way. This is definitely something our young people can take forward into their own working lives.”
A very special thanks to the volunteers and sea staff who helped make the voyage a success!