The ultimate challenge

Leeuwin Ocean Adventure gives young Australians living with type 1 diabetes a chance to discover hidden talents, push their boundaries and make new friends, says CEO CAROL SHANNON

Over the past 35 years, the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation has offered a unique sailing experience to more than 40,000 young people from across Australia. Our oldfashioned vessel offers hands-on, sailing experiences at sea that allow adventurous Aussies aged 14-25 to get active, try something different, meet new friends and develop skills that will serve them well in the future.

We run a range of different voyages, including our Ultimate Challenge, which caters for young people living with a chronic condition such as physical or intellectual disability. We’ve also welcomed a large number of young people with type 1 diabetes onto our voyages. Over the years, we have watched the extraordinary change in technology to support our voyage trainees with type 1, but we still do require a doctor or specialist diabetic nurse to sail with us every time.

What do the voyages involve?

Our voyages are action packed – sailing a tall ship is about working together to get all the jobs done including hauling on lines to set the sails, climbing in the rigging, taking the helm and standing watch in the middle of the night. All voyage trainees are encouraged to get involved in all aspects of ship operations, push their boundaries and take advantage of this unique opportunity to build on existing skills and develop some new ones.

Why should youth with type 1 diabetes be encouraged to take part?

STS Leeuwin II was purpose built in Western Australia for youth adventure training and development. It is Western Australia’s only tall ship and Australia’s largest sail training vessel, so coming on board is a unique experience. We aim to build resilience, tolerance, accountability, respect, problemsolving skills and an understanding of the qualities of good teamwork and leadership. We want to build courage and confidence in young people to face the challenges of their futures, whatever career they want to pursue, wherever they want to go. Our feedback from participants and their parents and research that has been conducted by us and by other sail training vessels around the world is that this is exactly what is achieved. Of course, it’s always a case of the more you put in, the more you get out – but we rarely have “passengers”. Once on board, young people embrace the unique environment and throw themselves into the tasks, the challenges and the adventure.

What special considerations are necessary for voyagers with type 1?

Because there may be some seasickness, and routines are different, it is vital that voyagers with type 1 diabetes are open and honest about their health outcomes. On board a ship, perhaps 24 hours away from the land, this is no time for bravery.

What sort of feedback have you received from past participants?

We gather all sorts of feedback from participants – and it is overwhelmingly positive! They tell us it was lifechanging, that they didn’t think they could do all those things, that they found courage they didn’t know they had, and that they didn’t know they could make new friends so easily. It’s wonderful to hear.

What Leeuwin Ocean Adventure gives participants is an intense, compact outdoor adventure-based experience – we’ve been recognised internationally for our work. The youth of Western Australia are incredibly fortunate to continue to have access to this extraordinary asset right here in Fremantle, sailing from Albany to Dampier each year.

We want to build courage and confidence in young people to face the challenges of their futures, whatever career they want to pursue, wherever they want to go.