Sea voyage for the siblings of disabled kiwi kids

Parent to Parent and the R Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust have joined forces to create a unique Youth Voyage Programme for the brothers and sisters of kiwi kids with disabilities. These special siblings can experience a range of challenges in their day-to-day lives from feelings of isolation and anxiety to coping with bullying. This one-of-a-kind Sibling Sea Voyage will help develop resilience, build peer support and teach leadership skills to a group of extraordinary Northland teens across a seven-day voyage.

Many of the siblings will come on board as strangers, mobile phones will be left behind and for some it will be the first time they have been away from their families. New friendships will be formed as they bond together and learn to sail the ship as a team.

The voyage will depart and arrive back at Opua, sailing around the beautiful Bay of Islands. A typical day starts with an early morning swim, followed by cleaning the brass and scrubbing the decks. Daily lessons include safety at sea, navigation and passage planning. A practical sailing lesson follows where trainees learn the lines and manage the sails. This customised voyage will also include three 90-minute workshops aimed at addressing the unique challenges experienced by the brothers and sisters of disabled children.

Other activities include hiking, diving, swimming, rowing, climbing the rigging, riding the bowsprit, helping in the galley and participation in conservation. Games are played throughout the voyage (including Māori traditional games), with a focus on team building and problem solving. Trainees also participate in daily 30-minute silence sessions where they are able to reflect on and absorb their experiences.

The trainees progress their sailing skills and teamwork so that by the end of the voyage they are able to sail the ship home with minimal or no help from the crew.

The brothers and sisters of children with disabilities often miss out on the experiences many of us take for granted. Help make this incredible event a reality for these special siblings, as they embark on the voyage of a lifetime.