UKSA has announced a partnership with multi-award-winning tour operator Neilson Active Holidays which sees Watersports instructor training students guaranteed job roles with Neilson as well as course fee support. UKSA’s 12- week course gives you the skills you need to start your career in the Watersports industry. You will qualify as a multi-disciplined instructor to teach windsurfing, dinghy sailing and wingsurfing enabling you to teach beginners, train future instructors and share your passion for the water. You will also gain your multihull endorsement and train on paddleboards and paddlesports craft. On successful completion of training and subject to interview, you will start your career working for Neilson at one of its beautiful beach resorts based in Greece, Italy or Croatia.

Dee Caffari, British yachtswoman and UKSA’s Youth and Mental Health Ambassador, has visited the Cowes based charity to share her Round Britain and Ireland Race experience. The visit saw Dee host a session with UKSA’s further education students, talking about the race this summer, as well as giving the students an opportunity to ask questions regarding building resilience while out on the water. Dee said: “It was great to return to where my sailing career started at UKSA and share some of the challenges, triumphs and frustrations of my recent race”. Ben Willows, UKSA CEO comments: “It was important to us when appointing Dee as our Youth and Mental Health Ambassador that our students had access to Dee, and her wealth of knowledge and experience.” Read more here.

Yachtmaster graduate Julia Prinselaar shares her fantastic journey on the ocean with training provider UKSA. “UKSA’s offshore qualification opened a big door to a professional life of adventure. I completed my studies at the end of April and began work in the marine industry in May 2022. I am First Mate of a 56’ aluminium expedition sailing vessel that works with scientists and documentary filmmakers operating in Greenland and the Canadian Artic. Together with my husband, we also run High Latitudes, consulting with private yacht owners who wish to take their vessels into polar regions north and south.” Read more here.

UKSA has announced a new partnership with Inspiring Learning, a leading provider of outdoor learning programmes for all ages. The new ‘Woodland and Waves’ residential programme is a dual centre experience, located on the Isle of Wight at both Inspiring Learning and UKSA’s centres. Children will be able to experience a wide variety of both land and water-based activities across the two centres, helping them to build confidence, work as part of a team and develop resilience. Available during autumn and spring months, the programme is completely customisable and offers five-day, four-night stays. Activities include water-based options such as dinghy sailing, keelboating, stand up paddleboarding and kayaking alongside shore-based choices of climbing, abseiling, zip wire, aero ball, high and low ropes, buggy building, and bushcraft.

Earlier this month UKSA announced Richard Stokes as its new chair of trustees, replacing Kevin George who is stepping down this September. Currently UKSA’s vice chair, Rear Admiral Richard Stokes CBE, joined UKSA as a trustee in October 2018 and became vice chair in September 2020. Richard comments: “UKSA is a remarkable charity that transforms the lives of young people. I am delighted to have been selected as Chair and I very much look forward to working with Trustees, the Chief Executive, beneficiaries and donors, and all the team at UKSA to continue to extend the breadth and impact of the charity.”

During 2021, UKSA funded 3,275 young people on water-based adventures, a record for the charity. This includes 1,400 Year 6 students from the Isle of Wight who took part in its Test the Water programme. These are just two of the key findings from UKSA’s new ‘Did you know?’ campaign, which launched this month. In the next 12 months, UKSA will welcome over 11,000 beneficiaries and will continue to provide funding support to the most deserving young people to ensure costs do not form a barrier to experiencing outdoor water-based activities.

UKSA‘s Youth and Mental Health Ambassador Dee Caffari recently shared her top five mental wellness tips. Dee has not been a stranger to challenges both mentally and physically and her top tips to help deal with mental wellness and resilience can be applied by everyone and all ages. Ben Willows, UKSA CEO comments “This year’s theme explored the experience of loneliness, its effect on our mental health and how we can all play a part in reducing loneliness in our communities. It is a key driver of poor mental health and UKSA’s programmes of activities and maritime training certainly tackle this for youngsters with the amount of teamwork involved, which ultimately then builds confidence and resilience.”

UKSA has been awarded a maritime grant from the TK Foundation worth over £600,000. The funding will enable UKSA to welcome 77 teenagers onto its Sea Change Foundation Programme each year. This week-long residential course gives them an introduction to the water and informs them how to progress into the maritime industry. Alongside this, the grant will increase the percentage of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who can access the UKSA Superyacht Cadetship.

UKSA has announced British yachtswoman Dee Caffari MBE as its Youth and Mental Health Ambassador in a newly created role. Dee comments “I hope that by supporting the UKSA in this role I will be able to facilitate confidence in our young people to ensure our future generations can thrive. Being out in the elements facing the forces of Mother Nature, you soon realise that everyone is equal. She doesn’t care about your age, race, religion or socio-economic background. Agile thinking, adaptability, teamwork and collaboration are all required, and these are all skills that are transferable into everyday life.”

In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week earlier this month, UKSA is sharing 20-year-old Josh Coates’ experience of its Level 3 Workboat Crew Member Apprenticeship for which it is currently recruiting. Josh comments: “On-the-job training is a real positive of the William Shipping apprenticeship. It would be a dream to eventually captain a vessel and have my own deckhands whilst leading the team on jobs”. UKSA senior education coordinator, Philip Hoar, said: “This apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity for an individual looking for a career in the fast-growing maritime workboat industry”. Read more.