What a week on the Broads involves.
A week of sailing on the Norfolk Broads for twelve to fourteen year olds, with volunteer skippers, mixed crews from four schools, and teachers from each child's own school.
Your staff come too.
The experience of the week can significantly change outcomes for a child. Senior teachers and educational staff are on the week, and they can guide that change positively. There are a number of staff on the week from each of the schools the children come from, with knowledge of the children. This is particularly useful both to provide positive feedback to staff in the child's school after the week, and to help ensure a child gets the most out of the week if they are having difficulties.
Schools pay nothing. We ask each school to identify eight twelve to fourteen year olds who might be described as "not thriving", and to send a member of staff who will take part in the week and help carry all the good that we unlock in young people back into school.
Lee's story.
Told by Ian, one of our volunteer skippers. Lee's name has been changed.
Lee came on Enterprise at the end of a difficult year. His parents were divorced and he lived with his mother and grandmother. Six months before the holiday his mother died and his father demanded that Lee came to live with him. Lee was left grieving the loss of his mother and any contact with his grandmother, in a home where he had known love and security. His father's attitude towards Lee was that Lee was too soft and needed to stand up for himself more assertively. At school it had been noticed that Lee was surly, angry and with a bad attitude towards peers and adults. He was told he had a big "attitude problem."
Initially on the holiday Lee did not engage well with the activities, but as the week progressed it could be seen that he had begun to master well the sailing skills, for which he was rightly praised. He demonstrated wise decision-making and warmer relationships, especially with the staff. He received positive affirmation for all the changes that were evident, spoke about feeling more confident in his abilities, and demonstrated that he was a young man who was reliable, trustworthy and a great asset to those with whom he was living and sailing.
This transformation was seen by the staff present and followed up on his return to school, where staff who had not been present on Enterprise remarked on the significant transformation that had taken place in Lee's behaviour. All-round schoolwork had begun to improve and he was setting his sights on completing school and gaining an apprenticeship.
Keeping every child safe.
Enterprise Sailing Trust is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk taking part in its activities. We are an RYA affiliated organisation, and our safeguarding policy, procedures and guidance follow the framework set out by the RYA Safeguarding Team.
- All volunteers in regulated activity with children have criminal records disclosure checks, carried out through the RYA, and receive safeguarding training.
- We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead of each gender, known to all volunteers and participants. Our lead is Tim Boyes, Chair of Trustees.
- Any concern is responded to swiftly, with support from the RYA Safeguarding Team and the local authority where necessary.
The full policy, including how to raise a concern and who to contact, is available to read below.
Read our safeguarding policy (PDF)Get in touch.
If you are a parent with a question about the week, or a school interested in taking part, we would be glad to hear from you.
tim.boyes@gmail.com