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Why they do what they do and the impact on the community
UKSA is the world's leading maritime youth charity with a vision to widen access to maritime training and enhance life skills and employment in the sector. It is the largest RYA training centre in the world and has been providing schools and groups activity programmes, leisure training, full time education courses and professional career training in yachting and water sports for 35 years. Training is delivered from its purpose built, all-inclusive 4-acre waterfront campus in Cowes.
In 2023 UKSA welcomed 6496 children through its doors, 30% of which were funded. Ben Willows, CEO of UKSA, said: “Our commitment to the Island is ever growing and we’re proud to continue to exceed the numbers of children on the Isle of Wight who are benefitting from our funding, which we can only do with the continued support from our amazing donors. As one of the bigger employers on the Island, we wanted to give our community a better understanding of the impact we have. From our Skills for Life assessments which take place after each child’s experience with us, we know that we have increased the water confidence of over 1,200 Island children in the last year.”
As the year comes to an end, UKSA is reporting almost 70 per cent improvements across its ‘Skills for Life’ framework for schools and groups visits in 2023. 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.
With a 91% pass rate for its careers students, UKSA further cements its reputation as the world’s leading maritime training centre with industry-leading instructors helping thousands of individuals launch long-term careers.
Offering a credible alternative to university and the opportunity to enter the workplace with qualifications, skills, and real-life experience, UKSA’s training programmes can provide pathways for roles such as deck officers, deck and interior crew, yacht skippers, water sports and sailing instructors.
UKSA’s Test the Water programme offers a half-day water-based adventure FREE to every Island school with the aim to support year 6 Island children. Helping them to gain water-confidence, understand water safety, to support students to develop confidence and life skills such as communication and resilience, and to inspire young Island people to understand how important the connection with the sea is to their life and wellbeing.
Since 2014 7,000 plus Year 6 students have taken part in UKSA’s Test the Water programme. 1213 children took part in 2023 from 48 Island Primary Schools. The Test the Water children would have sailed around the Isle of Wight 10 times if you combined all their dinghy miles!
UKSA’s Sea.Change Foundation programme is a course offered to young people aged 14-17 from disadvantaged backgrounds, teaching students how to be more confident and resilient, work together with peers and inform them of all the pathways that connect into the maritime industry.
The programme runs over 5 days during the school holidays. Participants experience a wide range of water-based yachting and water sports activities, including dinghy sailing, power boating, keel boating and paddle-boarding. Thanks to the Sea. Change Foundation UKSA can provide funding for every young person to participate on this course if you or your parent/guardian receive financial support from the government (free school meals, pupil premium, universal credit).
UKSA’s waterfront location is the perfect position for residential and non-residential water sports and team building for school trips and youth groups, for students aged 8 and above. Enjoy the multi-activities UKSA are renowned for. Learn to sail, kayak, windsurf or paddleboard. Or choose raft building and on-the-water team building activities. Evening activities can include swimming, archery, crabbing, park games and indoor football.
