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Cape Windjammers Education Trust promotes training under sail as a tool to enhance individual, social and leadership development thereby contributing to sustainable peace and development in the region. The trust has been formally established in 2005 and is based in Cape Town.
Training under sail is an outdoor adventure activity for “young” people of all ages. It is a defined programme of instruction in sail handling, navigation, passage making, safety at sea and ship management. But its purpose goes far, far beyond this. Training under sail uses this experience principally as a means to help young people learn about themselves, discover hidden strengths and talents, and understand the value of others and of working as a team. It requires participants to confront many demanding challenges, both physical and emotional. It is an activity that inspires self-confidence and the acceptance of personal responsibility, promotes an acceptance of others whatever their social or cultural backgrounds, and develops a willingness to take controlled risks. These are all skills needed to meet the challenges of today’s life! For most who undertake sail training on Tall Ships it is a positive life-changing experience.
It is not learning to sail that is the most important part of sail training. It is the process of having learned under the rigorous challenge of the hard demands of getting a ship around safely under sail . Learning cooperation and trust, constant problem solving, getting along, true leadership; these issues are daily experienced in a ship under sail.
The process of over-coming fear and mastering the unknown technology of a complicated sailing ship teaches a skill set that is absolutely transferable to any vocational, business or leadership sector and, in fact, to living life its-self. A voyage as a young trainee in a real sailing ship is very, very far from a yachting vacation, let there be no doubt. And unlike participating in the Olympics, as wonderful as that may be, the ship and her crew “win” simply by arriving in port. The competition is with sea and all seafarers are the winners. There is only the Gold, no Bronze or Silver. For most who undertake sail training on tall ships it is a positive life-changing experience and an effective tool to support sustainable behavioural change in youth.
Currently, since South Africa has not a Tall Ship as yet, Cape Windjammers Education Trust charters smaller local vessels for educational sailing trips around the waters of Cape Town and works together with local Yacht Clubs and skippers. We also fundraise for bursaries to place South African youth on international tall ships during international tall ship rallies or on their voyage when passing South Africa.
Our long term vision is to build or convert a South African owned tall ship and to use it for youth development in South Africa and the African continent. It is for this long term project that we are currently lobbying for support amongst key stakeholders and civil society at large. CWET aims at utilizing the well-proven benefits of sail training on a “tall ship” for a variety of purposes,
Education and Citizenship Development as well as Leadership Training and Experience, cultural exchange, reconciliation and team building for South African and international youth, vocational training and career development opportunities on board and in the organization in marine sectors, with a strong focus on Maths and Science, inter alia Deep-sea Navigation, Coastal Pilotage and Oceanography, Meteorology, Hydrography and Cartography.
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