Set sail on a new adventure in 2022!

Now that Christmas is well and truly packed up for another year and we are into the lighter days of February its an ideal time to look for a way to fill free time meaningfully! Perhaps you feel like doing something completely new in 2022, if so, Challenge Wales has an ideal opportunity waiting just for you – read on to see if it ‘floats your boat’!

Challenge Wales is a charity with a difference.

Its adventurous outdoor and accredited youth development programme provides a unique opportunity for those aged 12 – 25 years to develop to their full potential, broaden their outlook on life and develop employability skills. For many, it’s been life-changing providing a positive, can-do learning environment and a journey of self-awareness through learning teamwork & communication skills and improving mental health & wellbeing.

This is achieved with the help of an amazing team of volunteers who donate hundreds of hours of their time and an array of skills which enable the charity to achieve the work they do. They have two incredible sail training vessels:

a 72-foot Tall ship “Challenge Wales” and a 60-foot 2 masted schooner “Adventure Wales”!

Some of the big visions of the charity are to improve the employment prospects of young people, to provide the best outdoor learning experience in Wales and the South West and provide the best youth development opportunities. That’s pretty amazing for something right on our doorstep in Penarth, I hope you agree!

Over the past 12 years, the award-winning sailing charity has worked with thousands of young people many of whom have: • been unemployed, • in care, • are young carers, • homeless or at risk of being homeless, • have dropped out of education, • have severe financial limitations, • have learning difficulties, • are looking for a challenge and focus in their lives. • Are interested in a marine or environmental career or completing their DofE Gold Award

Predominantly, the young people joining Challenge Wales for their sail training adventures come from a variety of backgrounds and abilities including socially and economically disadvantaged as well as those that are looking for a focus in their lives, interested in environmental and marine-based careers or are just wanting to do something different or try something new. However, if you

by Natalie McCulloch

feel you don’t quite ‘fit the criteria’ think again, they also offer big boat adult adventures (for individuals, families & friends, and companies) that help raise vital funds to support our youth development programme. Its certainly a charity which is there for everyone!

Challenge Wales’ wonderful work is achieved through sail training ranging from one day youth development days to longer UK residential voyages and for those looking to ‘ramp up’ the adventure they even offer overseas experiences.

Over 25? Don’t despair! As well as helping younger generations, adults aged 18 – 85 years can join a variety of adult-only voyages which help fund the predominantly volunteer run charity. Voyages from 1 to 14 days gives you the opportunity to see Glamorgan’s heritage coast boasting sandy beaches and rugged cliffs, the dramatic coastline and abundant wildlife of West Wales and the stunning natural beauty of North Wales. With dolphins often swimming at the bow, and the opportunity to take part in climate change and micro-plastic citizen science projects, a voyage can have a lasting impact, and many of these voyages will start and finish from Cardiff Bay. This is truly an adventure that keeps on giving no matter what age bracket you fall into!

With the mission to see as many young people as possible reach their potential, through sailing on Challenge Wales and Adventure Wales, the Challenge Wales charity is reliant on its fantastic volunteers who donate their time and experience to sail the boats, while supporting and mentoring

those onboard, as well as helping to fundraise. Could this be you?

If you want to get more involved and feel like ‘stepping aboard’ and joining the Challenge Wales team as a volunteer, are reliable and able to use your own initiative, why not get in touch with them today?

One of their fabulous trustee’s Vicky Williams relays; “Challenge Wales is a small, growing charity that has a huge impact on the lives of the young people who sail on our vessels. We’ve seen fi rst-hand young people who have lost hope and motivation, gain confi dence, come out of their shells and be inspired to focus on successfully getting a job or being more active in their community. We’ve seen our volunteers be positive role models and help inspire young people to focus on their future and what they can do, not what they can’t. It’s never been more important to use outdoor space to help improve mental health and wellbeing and having one of the most amazing outdoor classrooms you can imagine, we are an opportunity that so many people can experience and be part of”

There are several ways you can get involved as a volunteer both on and off shore: on the boat as crew, off ering maintenance help on Ship-Shape Days, shore-side in the offi ce, fundraising, helping to run the newly launched Sea and Tell shore-based programme or being a Challenge Wales supporter.

Some advantages from being a Challenge Wales volunteer include: • A chance to share your experiences, knowledge, creativity, ideas and enthusiasm • Opportunity to make new friends and meet some new & amazing people • The opportunity to develop your own skills in a fun and exciting way • The opportunity to develop your sailing skills (if you are a sailing volunteer) • The opportunity to put something on your CV

Not forgetting that fabulous feeling when you know you are making a diff erence to the lives of people, the environment and community. in a post-covid world, there are lots of reports on positive impact of blue space / being outdoors on mental health and in line with this. In fact, Challenge Wales has been independently evaluated which showed there were improvements in young people’s mental health and wellbeing after they sailed with them. Challenge Wales activities help young people not just to develop confi dence and improve teamwork and communication skills but also improve their mental health.

One young person who is a shining example of the benefi ts of the charity stated that the voyage had helped with his anxiety and depression which in turn lead him to need to make less use of mental health services. That’s pretty incredible right??!!

If you feel you would like to ‘set sail on a new journey’ and book a voyage with Challenge Wales on either their young people or adult programmes, there are so many advantages to this. Some reasons people choose to book are: • Looking for a new fun activity • Want to do something adventurous outdoors • Looking to develop teamwork skills, leadership development or provide a team building activity • Looking to gain a range of sailing skills • Wanting to gain a sailing qualifi cation or accreditation or taking part in a Gold DofE Residential • Wanting to gain an awareness of marine life and appreciate the sea • Wanting to make new friends • Needing time away from your home or work life to just chill and refl ect …to name a few, what would yours be?

So why not have courage to push your own boundaries and push the boat out when it comes to setting a new challenge for 2022! Hop on board a boat with a diff erence, to make a diff erence to those who need it most!

Get in touch:

Tel: 029 20 704657 Log on: https://challengewales.org/ Social media: “Challenge Wales” on Instagram, facebook, twitter

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