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The Sailing and Cruising Association is delighted to announce the launch of Out Sailing – an initiative designed to build confidence and provide new social and networking opportunities for vulnerable lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people through sailing. Many of our members find that sailing is a wonderful way of building self-confidence, learning new skills, enjoying being part of a team and simply having fun out on the water. Out Sailing is designed to extend this opportunity to vulnerable lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people.  The S&CA, in collaboration with the Albert Kennedy Trust and the UK Sailing Academy (UKSA), will offer young people the opportunity to experience a weekend’s sailing with the UKSA at their training centre in Cowes.  The weekend will be a residential adventure with qualified UKSA instructors introducing the challenge and thrills of sailing and enabling the young people to get to grips with working together as a close-knit team.  <a></a>Our hope is to be able to develop and grow Out Sailing, supporting more LGBT young people through sailing in future years.  About the Sailing & Cruising Association The Sailing & Cruising Association is a dynamic LGBT sailing and powerboat club, that has been active since 1980, open to all who either own boats or just want to get afloat. We have members all over the UK and indeed the world, over 100 of whom own boats of all shapes and sizes. The majority are people with an interest in yachting (sail and power) who crew for boat owning members and get together to charter, both at home and overseas. Our current membership is over 400 and all are welcome. Experience ranges from ocean going yacht skippers to the complete novice, and from sprightly youngsters to those of more mature years. We have a thriving women's section with a growing number of female boat owners. The club is affiliated to the sport’s governing body, the Royal Yachting Association, but is not a training establishment. Informally, members can learn to sail by crewing with boat owners and the club actively encourages members to take RYA approved courses, organising a variety of shore-based training opportunities, particularly in the winter months. The club was selected as a finalist in RYA Club of the Year Awards in 2011. The RYA recognised the value of the 'virtual club concept: “With no fixed club house, the organisation is still able to reach out to its members, both domestically and overseas and, with an extensive annual activities programme, the organisation brings like-minded sailors together in a professionally run, friendly and fun club.” About the Albert Kennedy Trust The Albert Kennedy Trust <a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">www</a><a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">.</a><a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">akt</a><a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">.</a><a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">org</a><a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">.</a><a href="http://www.akt.org.uk/">uk</a> was established to help ensure that all LGBT young people are able to live in accepting, supportive and caring homes, by providing a range of services to meet the individual needs of those who would otherwise be homeless or living in a hostile environment. This is done by providing appropriate homes through supported lodgings, fostering and other specialist housing schemes; enabling young people to manage independent living successfully; and improving attitudes within society towards LGBT young people. About the UK Sailing Academy The UK Sailing Academy <a href="http://www.uksa.org/">www</a><a href="http://www.uksa.org/">.</a><a href="http://www.uksa.org/">uksa</a><a href="http://www.uksa.org/">.</a><a href="http://www.uksa.org/">org</a> is the charity dedicated to changing lives through personal development and maritime education.  UKSA provides multi-activity days and weekends for youth groups, helping children and young people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to develop key personal and social skills through watersports activities. UKSA's goal is “permanent positive change for each young life”.  It aspires to provide the very best quality maritime education and the widest range of opportunities to develop self-esteem, confidence and motivation.

OutSailing

OutSailing

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