Congratulations to 17 year old Hannah Concannon who has won Jubilee Sailing Trust's prestigious Leadership@Sea award. Hannah's beautifully presented report with thoughtful prose and stunning photographs is a deserving winner for this award that recognises progress in developing leadership skills in a diverse environment.
The prize for the award is a second voyage with the JST, so Hannah will have another chance to hone her leadership skills this summer.
The JST's Youth Leadership@Sea scheme is a special challenge for 16 - 25 year olds. Taking part in the scheme involves more than simply joining a JST voyage. The young people must complete their own log book and undertake problem solving and teambuilding tasks throughout the voyage; tasks which are specially designed to increase their awareness of the diverse physical abilities within our society.
They also have the opportunity to lead a Watch (a team of up to 10 people) which involves learning how to manage and motivate a team and delegate duties. Throughout the experience they are mentored by a member of the Permanent Crew - who evaluates how the young people cope in different situations and the new skills they develop. At the end of it all, they must produce a post-voyage report which is an opportunity to reflect on and share what they have learned with others and is automatically entered into the competition to win another voyage.
Hannah said in her report: "During the Leadership@Sea programme, meetings were held for everyone taking part in it. I enjoyed these meetings as they were a chance to get to know the other young people on the ship, if they weren't on your watch. We learned about the sails and this was put into practice when we had to take the lead, putting up some of the sails. This was a good opportunity to lead others. Also some of us chose to be blindfolded for half a day to see what it is like to be blind, and to see how other people treat you. It was difficult and it made me respect those who are disabled as people do treat you differently. We discussed this in our meetings and how you should treat people with disabilities as equals and give them help if they ask for it".
Young people wishing to take part in the Youth Leadership@Sea scheme must first complete an application form and write a short supporting personal statement. They may then receive a bursary of up to £300 towards the cost of their voyage and are encouraged to raise the balance through their own efforts.
For more information, please visit the
Youth Leadership@Sea page on the JST website or write to
voyages@jst.org.uk
After hearing she had won the award, Hannah wrote this for us:
I first heard about the Jubilee Sailing Trust when I was growing up, as my Uncle went on a voyage on the Lord Nelson in 1994. He had a buddy, who assisted him when he was on board. He told me about it and how he had a brilliant time. When I joined the ship at Hartlepool, I didn’t know what to expect of the voyage. I came onto the ship alone and was apprehensive about the forthcoming journey. I was pleasantly surprised by all people who welcomed me on board. I started to feel comfortable when I realised that there were other young people who were also on their own. Everyone made you feel accepted and part of the crew. We all learned new skills together, as a team, which helped to develop a sense of community.
The experience has meant a great deal to me, as it has brought me out of my shell and built up my confidence. It showed me that disabled people can be involved in all activities, and had the opportunity to be part of the working crew. Everyone’s contributions were valued. As I drove away from the ship, I had time to reflect on the voyage. About the all the good times I had experienced and all the people I had met, which made the trip special.
I recommend that if you get the opportunity to sail with the Jubilee Sailing Trust you should definitely go for it!
Hannah Concannon