Charity

UKSA is a registered charity and a non-profit maritime training centre of excellence.

1,380
Students received financial support
15%
Of schools are from UK deprived areas
3,000
Extra young people each year

Our vision

UKSA inspires and supports children & young people to broaden horizons through our life enhancing water-based adventures, education and training for careers at sea.

We believe all young people have a need but there are those that require greater support. Living through this period of austerity has hit the schools and young people in the most disadvantaged areas the hardest. We know that many children and young people are missing out on life-changing opportunities because schools, local authorities and parents simply can’t afford to pay for them. The fragility of these young peoples’ mental health is exacerbated by a reliance on isolating social media ‘screen time’. Our outdoor learning programmes on the water are the antithesis to this.

Children playing with a hose

What we do

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A young person falling off his paddleboard into the water

Our impact

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UKSA head office in Cowes, Isle of Wight

Latest campaigns

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3 students holding hands as they celebrate their time at UKSA

How you can help

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Group of children on a dinghy in the water

Partnerships

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A charity making a real difference

A young child tying his helmet whilst looking at a UKSA instructor

Did you know?

UKSA is a registered charity with the overarching aim of enabling school children and young people, from any background and from any community to participate in our world renowned maritime training. Our programmes and activities encourage, support and inspire disadvantaged, disengaged and deserving young people to transform their lives by harnessing the power of the sea.

We have an amazing group of supporters and donors but want to increase our impact by supporting an additional 3,000 young people each year. If you would like to find out more about how you can help please contact +44(0) 1983 203037 or email [email protected]

A child jumping off the pontoon while others watch

Transforming the lives of young people

No other charity offers such a wide range of water-based training and education; encouraging, supporting and inspiring young people of all ages, abilities and social and ethnic backgrounds. All young people are within our target irrespective of background. However at the very heart of our charitable aim is to focus on those harder to reach, invariably disadvantaged young people, who for a variety of reasons may not ordinarily be able to access the sorts of opportunities that we offer.

Children receiving instructors from an instructor to touch their helmets

Help us Sea Change

With your help we can have a positive and life-changing impact on the lives of disadvantaged children and young people. Students of all backgrounds can learn together, developing skills and flourishing in a creative, dynamic atmosphere that is as important as the quality of our training.

As a charity we depend heavily on funds raised to expand our work and help more young people. Your support can make a real difference.

Click here to learn how you can support UKSA.

Children pulling facing and having fun to the camera

#SeaChangeStories

At least 10% of our students have special needs. Our autistic students became comfortable to be in wetsuits and in the cold water. Another student who was a selective mute became comfortable to speak his name to an instructor by the end of the week.

The Greville Primary School – Residential School Trip

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