Young people across the country will try out their sea legs while gaining invaluable work experience, thanks to an award of £50,000 from the Young Start programme, which is run by the Big Lottery Fund Scotland.
This award will enable us to continue delivering our Young Leaders Development Programme (YLDP), as well as the Skippership Cadet Programme and Volunteer Training. The YLDP offers young people a chance to develop their leadership skills, take part in more adventurous sailing, and to volunteer in the community and on our boats. The YLDP harnesses the enthusiasm and talent of twelve past young people that have sailed with the Trust previously. It provides further hard and soft-skills training and a Challenge Voyage during which they train to become Watch Leaders over a 12 months period. After graduating they will sail as volunteer sea staff abroad OYT Scotland’s Vessels, supporting hundreds more young people to experience the benefits of adventure under sail.
Chief Executive, Nick Fleming, said: “We are delighted to receive this award from the Young Start programme for the second time. This award will enable us to continue to deliver our Young Leaders Development Programme (YLDP) as well as the Skippership Cadet Progamme and Volunteer Training. The YLDP offers young people a chance to develop their leadership skills, take part in adventurous sailing and volunteer both in the community and on our boats. The programme harnesses the enthusiasm and talent of 12 young people that have sailed with the Trust previously. After graduating they will sail as volunteer sea staff aboard our vessels and help hundreds of more young people across Scotland.’
Since taking part in the programme, Finn Gray, 16 from East Lothian has gone on help at a sailing school as a volunteer and has recently been accepted on an Access Employment Course at Edinburgh College. Finn, said: “The YLDP has helped me to build up confidence because after the challenge I can now do things that I was not able to do before. For example, I had not been away from home on such a long trip on my own – I now feel confident to do this again with people I haven’t met before. I learnt some leadership skills that I have been able to use at Port Edgar where I have been helping out with sailing and outward bound courses.”
More case studies from last year’s YLDP here.
