Do You Want To Be An Accessible Sailing Volunteer?

For all of those people out there that have volunteered in the past, or aspire to volunteer with the wonderful world of disabled sailing keep your eyes on this article. Also, if you are a club and are struggling to get volunteers to help out with your Able Sail Program lock your eyes to this page.

Ontario Sailing is developing a 1-day volunteer workshop that will give those who want to volunteer with disabled sailing the skills and the knowledge to effectively and comfortably contribute to existing programs in Ontario. Many sailing clubs have found that the numbers of volunteers is declining year after year because potential volunteers feel that they do not have the skills or the knowledge to work within an able sail program. Ontario Sailing’s Accessible Sailing Volunteer Workshop will take care of this.

The plan is to run the workshop twice during late spring or early summer as a pilot program and then depending on interest and resources, continue it indefinitely for years to come. The workshop will touch upon such topics as; disability awareness, site awareness, the different styles and characteristics of accessible boats, assessing club resources, program planning, safety, lifts, transfers and transfer aids and boat adaptations. Qualified people that have a vast amount of experience in the world of disabled sailing and are great resources of information will facilitate these workshops.

With the amount of experience and knowledge floating around the facilitators, as a participant don’t feel that you have to be an expert in sailing or have a lot of experience working with people with disabilities. All the clubs are looking for are dedicated and motivated people that are willing to help out and go at it whole-heartedly.

Currently Ontario Sailing is looking for 2 clubs that have existing able sail programs and a volunteer base to host the workshops in late spring or early summer. If you are a club interested in hosting the workshop please contact Eric Cartlidge at Ontario Sailing. Moreover if you are a volunteer looking to participate in the workshop please contact Eric for more information.

Eric Cartlidge

Ontario Sailing Program Director

1-888-672-7245 ext. 226

Fax: 1-888-677-7245

ucansail@ontariosailing.ca