Although we are a young organisation, our work has already had a life-changing impact on many young people who have been given an experience that is normally simply out of their reach and unaffordable. Small grassroots organisations already spend a lot of time fundraising for their core costs and their activities and it may not occur to them that they could afford an activity like sailing or that bursaries are available.

Most of our young crew members live in the north east of England, in some of the most deprived areas of the country.  Some are also members of the forced migrant community (from refugee / asylum seeker families).

Blue Spirit helps young people from the most deprived areas or communities have this amazingly beneficial experience by actively searching for those communities and the professionals who know them, and creating and nurturing sustainable relationships with them.

It’s easy to measure what our young sailors are getting out of the voyages at the time, from what they tell us immediately afterwards and from their wide grins when they disembark.

Here is what two young people said a few weeks after their experience …

“In July I undertook a 3-day and 2-night sailing trip through Blue Spirit Sailing and have nothing but good words and praise for this project. I started the sailing trip numb because of working and personal trauma but by the end of it I had experienced 3 days of life, nature and seeing others grow. It has given me memories I share with new friends.

"I loved the trip so much that when the opportunity came up to do a 5-day sail with Blue Spirit and OYTN, I didn’t hesitate.

"This longer trip confirmed my future goals; I am now applying to be a volunteer, working on sailboats.  I have also started a college course in professional cooking in the hope that I may combine the two, opening a door to a life lived on the sea and discovering new places. I cannot thank or praise Solen and the team enough, what they are doing is amazing."

Stephen, aged 25.

"Going sailing (twice!) made a really good, big difference in my life. Being out on the sea let me just leave all the stresses of day-to-day life and it also reminded me that I could get out and have fun again. It helped put things in perspective. Sure, my problems haven't gone away but I feel more like I can handle them and am less alone in them. I've met other people now who just get me.

"I really appreciate the fact that the Blue Spirit bursaries are for 14–25-year-olds because so many activities are geared towards younger age groups. Older young people – who may have missed out when younger through no fault of their own – are often overlooked, but can still benefit enormously from this kind of activity that can be so good for their personal development."

Ira, aged 25, care leaver.

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Here is what some support staff has said …

Rhoda Morrow, Mental Health Development Worker, Young Women's Outreach Project – June 2024:

“A huge thank you to all the crew who were with us at the weekend. It made a massive difference to all our young people that they were so well understood and no one felt judged for anything. We felt like the crew just rolled with whatever complications the young people had, giving a greater sense of accomplishment for all involved."

 "There have been really positive stories from the young people we have seen today, telling everyone who will listen what they were up to. Parents have also seen a change already."

Karl Gilbert, Patchwork support worker – May 2024:

"From the sail it’s easy to identify young people who took a lot from it. For example, one of the young people beforehand had been getting in trouble with taking family money and trying to buy cars.

"On the trip he opened up about these things and was able to consider some consequences that can come from that. Now they’re home they seemed to have calmed down slightly but with more support from the project can change their decision making.

"As put by the skipper in his final debrief, whether the young people enjoyed the trip or not, finishing is very important. Getting through the challenge of trying something completely different whilst learning to work, live, and understand strangers and friends in different circumstances like spending 48 or more hours with people can be really different to seeing them an hour a day.

"This is something that directly links to lived lives, how we as people go about managing ourselves and the people we interact with."

"Finally, the relationships built and memories made are ones that stick with the young people, the difference of the whole group on the drive home compared to when they first met was astonishing, they were like a family who knew all the small quirks of each other’s personalities."

Bridget Stratford MBE (former N.E.S.T. CEO) – August 2023

“The opportunity to take young people sailing has provided a once in a lifetime experience for our refugee teenagers. They have grown closer as a group and also developed their own sense of belonging, confidence and resilience. They found the trip very challenging but managed to work together to bring each other through it and find really fun and exciting moments…. I would highly recommend other youth groups to consider sailing as a fun and exciting experience for young people to take them out of their situations, whatever those are, and allow them to be consumed by the sailing activities and in doing so, feel free from everything they bring with them.”

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And the longer-term impact?

Thanks to Projects4Change for the following two case studies … 

15-year-old Danny (not his real name) has a condition known as ‘brittle bones’. He has also suffered from anxiety, depression, and a lack of self-esteem. He often used his wheelchair, relied on painkillers and self-harmed.

Before his first sailing experience with Blue Spirit, he took part in activities with Projects4Change, and began to take responsibility, help out, not use his wheelchair as much, and make new friends. He also developed a love of the outdoors.  Although Projects4Change staff had observed these changes, they were still surprised when Danny jumped at the chance to go on a residential voyage with Blue Spirit.

During the trip he pushed himself, testing his capabilities and surprising himself and others with his positive attitude. Since then, he has been surer of his purpose in life. He is setting up a support group for boys to talk about their mental health and do outdoor pursuits, and expressed his ambition to be a youth worker. His progress would not have been so radical without the life-changing experience of sailing.

The positive change in Danny is visible. He recovers from self-doubt more easily and now has forward momentum in his life, an understanding of his challenges and new coping mechanisms.

Reinforcing resilience

Sara (not her real name) is nearly 15 years old, she has an older brother with additional needs and lives half her time between each parent's homes. Sara has few friends although she is very likeable, she has experienced hostility in friendship groups in the past, which makes her wary of people.
 
One parent is sick and the other is the full-time carer of her brother. Educational achievement and career plans are not priorities and seem almost out of reach to many in her family. Sara is streetwise, having seen a lot in her young years – crime is high in her area and drug taking and selling is a normal part of growing up in the streets near her home.
 
The experiences with Blue Spirit Sailing have opened up a whole new world for her. Having undertaken three sails to date, Sara gained her RYA Level 1 introduction to sailing in April. Sara has proven to be one of the most resilient young people, quick to pick up skills and supportive of others, with the positive effects lasting between sails in a newfound interest in pursuing a career in sailing.

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