Our Programmes

Since South Africa does not yet have a Tall Ship, CWET is currently focussing on awareness raising and lobbying for the benefits of a Tall Ship for South Africa.

In the meantime we facilitate the following programmes for youth:

• day excursions with focus on environmental education aboard the Howard Davis and the JML Rotary Scout
• overnight, off-shore educational training-under-sail voyages of different lengths on small vessels in local waters around Cape Town in co-operation with local yacht clubs, yacht owners and skippers. While all voyages aim at contributing to life, leadership and career development of trainees we also offer thefollowing specialised voyages
• “Blue Bottle Voyages” – have a special focus on environmental awareness and applied learning around maths and sciences; as part of this voyage trainees graduate to “Blue Bottles”, watch dogs that are ‘stinging’ anyone who pollutes the precious environment of the Western Cape.
  
• “Southern Right Voyages” – have a special focus on social and cultural learning, fostering exchange andunderstanding between youth fromdifferentsocial and culturalbackgroundsin the Western Cape; as part of
  this voyage trainees graduate to “Southern Rights”, young and dynamic leaders that stand up for the rights of the diverse people of the South.
• educational visits aboard international Tall Ships e.g. the Canadian Barque Picton Castle, the Russian BarqueKruzenshtern and the Dutch Barque Europa, while they are in Cape Town
• placement of South African youth on overseas Tall Ships during international Tall Ship meetings for international youth exchange
• training and involvement of selected ex-sail-training participants as crew members and mentors for future sailing trips as well as involvement in the co-ordination of and fundraising for future sailing voyages
• training and involvement of local and international volunteers in
  various administrative and operational aspects of the organization.

CWET’s programmes currently target South African youth at risk from disadvantaged backgrounds in the ages between 15 and 25 years. In the future when there is a South African Tall ship CWET will also target South African youth from all social and cultural backgrounds as well as international youth for cultural exchange activities, merchant marine cadets to collect sea time, corporate business for team building and incentive travels (generate income to offer trips for disadvantaged youth).

For the recruitment of sailing participants CWET currently partners civil society organisations in the Western Cape that focus in particular on HIV and crime prevention, reconciliation, education and career development.

CWET’s “training-under-sail voyages“ seek to complement and enrich programs of other civil society organisations, in particular to achieve
sustainable behavioural change in youth around various personal, social and career development aspects.

In co-operation with these organizations, CWET selects suitable participants and identifies specific learning aims for each target group. Preparation and follow up workshops link the sailing programme to the focus of intervention of the partner organisation and ensure that the life-changing experience of the sailing trip is sustainable and becomes part of “real life”.

Currently we recruit from the following organisations:

• Trinity International (www.trinityproject.co.za), Cape Town based HIV/AIDS mentorship programme for youth from previously disadvantaged, low-income areas
• Christel House SA (www.sa.christelhouse.org), a private school in Cape Town that offers schooling for children from low-income areas in Cape Town to break the cycle of poverty
• Izivunguvungu Sail Training School (www.izivungu.co.za) that works with youth from previously disadvantaged, low-income areas
• False Bay College and Boat Building Academy, Cape Town (www.falsebaycollege.co.za)
• South African Youth Ministers Program (www.saymp.co.za). This program is among other areas implemented in the Western Cape and is working alongside 30 previously disadvantaged schools and communities. Beneficiaries comprise of both unemployed youth and youth in grade 10 – 11, engaging them in trainings and activities around governance, democracy and active citizenship.

A members‘ club is currently being established allowing for ongoing involvement of participants in the regular crew and the organisation of the ship.Visit our volunteering programme.

Please contact us if you are interested in any of these programmes.