The Sea.Change Foundation Programme
Oceans of opportunity for every young person
The Sea.Change Foundation is an inspirational 5-day residential programme, running through the school holidays, for teenagers across the UK to learn about training and careers in the maritime sector.
About the course
About the courseThis programme gives you the chance to experience a wide range of exciting water-based activities from stand up paddle-boarding to beach cleaning – and we make sure you get to try everything. We also include some shore-based sessions where you can learn more about career options and get to chat to our Industry Guidance team. You may of course, just want to come and have a week of fun on the water with some like-minded people.
Who’s it for?
Are you aged 14-17 enjoy adventure and being outdoors? Would you like to learn more about training and working in the maritime industry or in watersports? Superyacht deck officers and crew, naval and merchant seaman, watersports instructors and yacht skippers are all regular jobs for our graduates. Or you may simply want to come and have fun for a week and meet some new people. Either way, the UKSA Sea.Change Foundation Programme will inspire you. You don’t need any special knowledge or experience, you just have to be excited about learning something new.
The five-day Sea.Change programme introduces you to a range of fun activities including dinghy sailing and sea survival, power boating and yachting. We know that these sports might be totally new to you, so don’t worry, our experienced instructors will be there to support you every step of the way.
Funding available
Thanks to the Sea.Change Foundation we are able to provide 50% funding for every young person for this course (usually £450.) If this price is a barrier, please let us know as there are additional funding options available. If you or your parent/guardian receive any financial support from the government for example Free School Meals, Pupil Premium or Universal Credit, you are eligible for a fully funded space.
If you think you might be eligible for additional funding, please contact us prior to booking.
Example programme
This exciting programme introduces you to a wide range of activities, see below for a typical week. You also get to meet new people and learn valuable communication and team building skills.
At UKSA we are passionate about protecting our seas and understanding how important they are for our planet. We want to make sure we make a positive impact both globally and locally – which is why we have included a session on ‘Looking After Our Oceans’ as well as a local beach clean in the programme.
This is an example programme and may change due to weather, instructor or transport availability.
| Day one | Day two | Day three | Day four | Day five | |
| AM | Water confidence | Stand up paddle-boarding | Keelboat day trip | Dinghy day trip | Dry team games |
| PM | Introduction to powerboating | Maritime careers session | Keelboat day trip | Dinghy day trip | Sponsor bags & certs. |
| Evening | Team games | Sea survival | Final straw presentation | Beach cleaning | Goodbyes |
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential
The Sea.Change Foundation Programme meets the criteria for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential award. A ‘Residential’ for gold means a programme that spends 5 days and 4 nights away from home on an activity with people that you have never met before. To find out more about the DofE Gold Residential, please click here.
Why UKSA?
From our unique waterfront campus in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, we have a wide range of facilities and fleet to ensure that our students have the very best learning experience. This course is all-inclusive, meaning everything is on site and all of your food and accommodation is included, so you can focus on your training.
Apply today!
The cost of the 5-day, 4-night, all-include residential programme is £490.
Thanks to the Sea.Change Foundation we are able to provide funding for this course so if price is a barrier, please let us know and we can guide you through the funding options. If you or your parent/guardian receive any financial support from the government for example Free School Meals, Pupil Premium or Universal Credit, you are eligible for a fully funded space.
- If you are an individual interested in booking a place on this course, please e-mail [email protected] or call us on 01983 203038
- If you are a school teacher looking to bring a group of young people to UKSA, please e-mail [email protected]
Don’t just take our word for it
The testimonials below from previous students, give you an insight into the benefits of the Sea.Change Foundation Programme and the outcomes you can expect.
 Charlotte – Sea.Change Foundation Pilot Programme Attendee “Before the course I initially thought I would have to go to university to start a career within the maritime industry. I have now learnt I can come to UKSA straight after my GCSE’s and do a wide range of courses. Since being on the course, I have learnt how to get into different jobs such as becoming a watersports instructor and travelling the world. I’ve also learnt more about the superyacht industry.” |
Lily – Sea.Change Foundation Pilot Programme Attendee “Coming to UKSA when I didn’t know anyone on the course was good practice as you’re always going to have situations like that in this industry. Making connections with people and to collaborate with them is a great skill to build upon. I didn’t consider a career in maritime before this course and this has really opened my eyes to the career opportunities available.” |
