#TallShips - Sail Training Ireland will host its 2016 Annual Awards and season launch at Dublin's Mansion House on Saturday 23 January, it has been announced.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Críona Ní Dhálaigh will join many of the young people who took part in voyages on tall ships and other sail training vessels throughout 2015 in attendance at the special event from 2-4pm.
Sail Training Ireland ran its fifth, sixth and seventh projects under the Erasmus+ scheme for education and sport during 2015, two of them 'youth exchange' project plus a 'mobility for youth workers' project comprising 67 participants in total, and with a focus on employability.
Last year was also the third year of the successful Drogheda Sail Training Bursary Scheme, as previously detailed on Afloat.ie, and information will be available on a number of local bursary schemes now in place or under development, including in Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Wexford and Limerick – as well as a new link between Dublin and Liverpool under their intentional twin cities strategies and being developed as part of their respective river festivals.
Organisations that work with young people are welcome to attend and avail of the opportunity to become a 'nominating organisation' and send youths to take part in future funded voyages.
Sail Training Ireland aims to fund 350 trainee voyage berths in 2016 accessible to young people between the ages of 16 and 30, with a special emphasis on those with disabilities.
Funding has also been received from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to develop a sail training initiative in partnership with An Garda Síochána for young people at risk of offending who are involved in the current Garda Diversion Projects.
Places on the day are limited so please contact [email protected] for details.
