Sailing as an Intervention

Fulfilling Careers in the Sail Training Sector: Charting a Course for Professionals and Volunteers – it’s not About the Boat!

“…physical and mental health, self-esteem and self-efficacy), social (collaboration and leadership) and, arguably, spiritual (Brown, 2019 ; Easthope, 2007 ; McCulloch, 2007 ; McCulloch et al, 2010 ). Indeed, sail training is now seen as a powerful and positive educational or therapeutic ‘intervention’ which can be used for overcoming exclusion (whether through socio-economic, physical or mental difference), and supporting rehabilitation such as addressing antisocial behaviour and criminality, overcoming mental health issues or substance dependency (Allison et al, 2007 ; MacLachlan, 2017 ; White et al, 2016 ).…”

“…Without the knowledge and experience to know how to respond appropriately and with confidence, practitioners often feel poorly equipped, vulnerable and overwhelmed. There is an emergent and urgent need for “training and professional development in adventure therapy and greater professionalization in practice, and through better research in the area” (MacLachlan, 2017 , p. 232). Such a call provides the context and rationale for recent collaborative work at the University of Plymouth from which this paper has emerged.…”

“…The world of sailing is overrepresented by those with high cultural capital; and there has been a tendency for inequalities to be reinforced and replicated, whether intentionally or otherwise. The fact remains that “[o]utdoor activities—perhaps especially sailing—are often seen as rather privileged, well-off, middle-class, able-bodied, and … white activities” (MacLachlan, 2017 , p. 227).…”