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What is Connect to Sailing?

Connect To Sailing's overriding goal is to revitalise grass roots participation in all categories of sailing outside elite activity and put sailing firmly back into a growth sport with a focus on youth. There is evidence to suggest that participation in sailing around the world is in decline and the age of active participants increasing as all sports seek to compete with each other to attract participants and compete with an increase in other interests seeking to attract today's youth.

As a first step, the Connect To Sailing concept aims to bring together the organisations involved in and supporting the sport of sailing in a country, such as the member national authority, the sailing industry, sports council, boat show organisers, commercial sailing schools, media, National Governing Organisations etc. By working together in partnership (or Task Forces) these organisations will share their resources and experiences to achieve a more integrated approach to the development of the sport.

'Connect to Sailing' aims to share best practice developed by all participating groups, using a combination of workshops, written manuals, website and mentoring. The Connect to Sailing section of the website will be a database of best practice from around the globe, enabling the sharing of knowledge.

Click here for a detailed Connect to Sailing Planning Document.

Why set up a National Training Programme?

The ISAF Learn to Sail Training Programme is a "how to" programme to aid ISAF Member National Authorities in the provision of a generic national learn to sail programme that will help in the 'legacy building' which will secure that future generations benefit from the sport.

Training is fundamental to developing participation in all levels of the sport. Retention of those sailors that have had a 'fun' and 'safe' first time experience is proven to be a result of well trained Sailing Instructors who understand how to deliver the technical aspects of the sport in such a way as to make it understood by people from all walks of life. Without a National Training Programme, administered by Trained Facilitators, this is difficult to make happen.

ISAF has also developed an ISAF Accreditation System, by which ISAF can accredit MNA National Training Programmes (NTP's). The value of an ISAF Approved Training Programme could include increased access to Olympic Solidarity, government and/or commercial funding by MNAs and a globally recognized set of training standards for the sport.

How do we (The MNA) go about getting Approved Training Programme Status?

After having downloaded the Learn to Sail Training Programme from the ISAF Website (click here to download the programme) and having read through and digested the contents of its various sections, the MNA should:

1. Contact me, the Training and Development Manager, at ISAF and let me know what you want to do. Click here to contact me.

I will send you (the MNA) a set of forms to fill out which will ask questions about what you have already and at what stage of development it is. It will be in the form of an informal Report. This information will then act as my reference when helping you find funding for future projects.

2. Either:

a. If you (the MNA) have got everything in place and your Programme is working along the lines of the LSTP document and has proven itself sustainable, I organize an Inspection for you; or

b. If the MNA is not sure it is quite there and needs a little more guidance and fine tuning, I organise a Facilitator to come out and help point you in the right direction, followed by an inspection after a period of time agreed by the MNA and Facilitator.

3. Upon successful Inspection results the MNA would then be able to provide ISAF Approved Training and accredit its own centres, train its own Instructors, generate revenue from its own certification sales and merchandise (examples of this are to be found in the LSTP download on the website). Part of the costs of this Accreditation would be the rights to reproduce the Learn to Sail Training Programme in the native language and use the ISAF Logo for all publicity materials relating to the NTP.

4. If an MNA has very little provision and needs help to get structure into their Country, I will help them identify and overcome the barriers that stand in their way. This would then allow them to get to a point where they become more self-aware and can develop their programme into one capable of gaining accreditation. There are many things that ISAF can help with:

- Advise the MNA on writing a development plan.
- Organise a 'Train the Trainers' course in that part of the world, for those wishing to be involved with implementing the National Programme.
- Introduce the Connect to Sailing Partners who would be able to offer deals on equipment and provide 3rd party Professional training for use in specific clubs and schools.
- Help get MNA access to Olympic Solidarity Funding applications.

Presentations on the final version of the ISAF Learn to Sail Training Programme and the ISAF MNA Inspection / Accreditation System will take place at the ISAF Connect to Sailing Seminar taking place at the ISAF Annual Conference in November. All delegates are welcome to attend and if you have any items that you would like to see mentioned on the agenda, then please let us have them. Click here to see the existing outline of the Agenda.

If you have not yet decided whether you would like to come or not, please sign up or get in touch with me through the Secretariat contact details and I would be happy to talk it through with you.

Dan Jaspers