Ocean's seven

By Hugh reily

13 July 2009

Seven  budding sailors, five boys and two girls aged 13 and 14 from Bethnal Green Technology College, set sail from Southampton. Over the course of their gruelling five-day voyage with the Ocean Youth Trust, they dropped anchor in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Weymouth and the huge natural harbour of Poole in Dorset.

The trip formed part of the final term of Toynbee Hall's Aspire project, which aims to raise the confidence and aspirations of young people  in the borough through outdoor activities, and citizenship and creative arts workshops.

According to the youngsters, there were many highlights from their time aboard the John Laing, the Ocean Youth Trust's 72-ft yacht.

''Sailing at night into Southampton was amazing,'' said a beaming Younes Dieguez Limia, 14, who along with his fellow pupils, helped steer a course past The Needles - the spectacular chalk rock formations on the west coast of the Isle of Wight as the sun set on the final day of the trip.

''I really enjoyed meeting new people and seeing new places,'' said 14-year-old Sima Begum who, like the others, picked up plenty of souvenirs and sweets in the seaside towns of Weymouth and Poole.

However, the trip was not without its hairy moments. Seasickness struck down all of the young people at one point or another.

''The worst bit was definitely being sick into those yellow buckets,'' said Mitchell Wills, 14.

On top of this, the teenagers were forced to go without showers and the use of their mobiles for much of the trip - not to mention mucking in with every aspect of the running of the ship from hoisting the main sail to cooking meals, steering the rudder to cleaning the toilets.

But according to James Boyce, the captain of the John Laing, the youngsters coped admirably. He was particularly impressed by the fact that they all passed their Start Yachting certificate and so now know vital nautical skills such as tying a figure of eight knot, identifying the jib sail - and even what to do when you hear ''man overboard!''.

Boyce was supported on the voyage by five other inspirational crew members from OYT as well as three adult volunteers from Toynbee Hall, who worked with the year 9s throughout the Aspire project.

The use of ordinary adult volunteers, who are trained to become coaches and motivate the young people over the course of the school year, is a key aspect of Aspire, which enters its third year this September.

Aspire places particular emphasis on these volunteers supporting young people in becoming ''active citizens'' through the form of citizenship workshops and a range of fun arts projects from radio to photography, film to theatre, with partner organisations including BBC London and Cardboard Citizens.

Over the last two years the project has reached over 150 young people in seven schools from Tower Hamlets: Bethnal Green Technology, George Green's, Sir John Cass, Morpeth, Swanlea, Raine's Foundation and Langdon Park.

Last month, all those who have taken part in Aspire this year gathered at Toynbee Hall for a graduation ceremony.

After receiving certificates for taking part in the project, the year 9s from Bethnal Green Technology College reminisced about the best bits of Aspire. They all agreed that the most enduring memory they will take away was the sailing trip.

As Tyler Clarke, who celebrated his 14th birthday in the middle of the trip with a large chocolate cake, put it: ''I had such a fun time on the John Laing. I want to go back!''

For more information about the project or the trust visit www.toynbeehall.org.uk and www.oytsouth.org.