“Raised in a low-income household on the Isle of Wight, Phoebe’s journey began with a Test the Water session through her primary school. This experience lit a spark and with bursary support and guidance from UKSA mentors, Phoebe progressed through the Maritime Futures and Further Education programmes, gaining qualifications, confidence and a clear sense of purpose.
The Maritime Futures programme included lots of hands on experience, including a trip on a keelboat and sailing yacht named Chale where Phoebe practiced parking in the river. Phoebe had lunch in Hamble during the programme and felt a sense of freedom that inspired her to progress on her journey. Her time at UKSA opened her to eyes to the possibilities of working on the water and motivated her to complete the Further Education course at UKSA before continuing her development pathway to gain a qualification as an instructor in watersports.
“The Watersports Instructor role at UKSA was my first ever job. Everyone was really nice and helped me progress. It was challenging, but I had a good mentor. It was also a great experience getting to know different children and from different backgrounds. Having always lived on the Island, I had been quite sheltered, so this role helped me understanding how life is for others and how I was helping them to have the same experiences I did.”
