SQEP is all at sea!

Some of the more adventurous SQEP’s took to the high seas recently, sailing from the Universal Marina, Southampton, to Cowes, Isle of Wight and back!

This extraordinary teambuilding experience was arranged by SQEP Ltd Senior Safety Consultant and accomplished sailor, Rybeka Parsons , and run by the Rona Sailing Project.

In between swabbing decks and splicing mainbraces, we sat down with Rybecka to find out more about her sailing and its benefits for positive mental health:

Rybeka, tell us a bit about the SQEP Sailing trip???

First, I would like to say a massive thank you to the Rona Sailing Project for providing us with this opportunity, and to the three volunteers who took holiday from work to ensure that we could have an amazing two days of team building onboard Rona II.?

...not many had experienced sailing, especially on a 68-foot boat that sleeps 21 people and can cross oceans.

Many of the employees at SQEP have long standing connections with the military and have done a variety of teambuilding exercises, normally creating bridges out of wooden planks, carrying jerry cans etc.(!) but not many had experienced sailing, especially on a 68-foot boat that sleeps 21 people and can cross oceans. I wanted to provide an opportunity to get people out of their comfort zone in a new and exciting way by utilising sailing to encourage team building and relationship building across the company.?

?

Did it prove to be a good example of team building? for SQEP???

I think this was an excellent opportunity for team building! The trip was advertised across the whole company and a mixture of people attended. Everyone was able to get stuck in and people learnt more about themselves and others within the company, as all activities required teamwork. The whole boat goes nowhere without everyone contributing, whether that’s hoisting sails, helming or making lunch. All aspects are key and require more than one individual to complete the tasks.?

The whole boat goes nowhere without everyone contributing, whether that’s hoisting sails, helming or making lunch. All aspects are key and require more than one individual to complete the tasks.?

What were the most challenging aspects of the experience for the non-experienced sailors in the group and what were the lessons learnt???

I think the main challenge was not fully knowing what to expect and not being in control of the situation. Everyone on board is highly proficient in their area of expertise at SQEP and are used to understanding the situation and being able to assess it relatively comfortably. For the non-experienced sailors and even those who have sailed dinghies previously, a 68-foot boat is a very different environment for them that cannot be fully explained without experiencing it.

They were also required to adapt to it relatively quickly and be able to function. There is then the foreign terminology used that requires more mental load and the fact that the boat is constantly moving under your feet. Boats can be dangerous spaces with a variety of hazards to avoid so the mental load on non-experienced sailors is high.?

Fortunately, the volunteers onboard are used to sailing with non-experienced people so were able to explain the terminology and answer all questions, mainly about how the heads (toilets) work. There were also demonstrations and close supervision of tasks where there is a chance of harm being caused. The non-experienced sailors were challenged to push themselves to participate as fully as possible but there was no judgement by their peers or the volunteers if people were uncomfortable or lacked confidence. I hope that everyone onboard felt supported and encouraged to try everything and push their boundaries.?

?

Rybeka, how did you get into sailing? It must be great for one’s mental health and well-being.???

I originally went sailing as a teenager. I’m pretty sure my mum was looking for summer holiday entertainment for me and decided it would be something different for me to try, whether I liked it or not! As a timid 15-year-old, I went along without knowing anyone else on the boat and without a mobile that worked when we crossed the Channel to France and the Channel Islands. This was completely out of my comfort zone. But it was amazing! I loved every minute, even through seasickness. Since then, I was invited to be a volunteer within the Rona Sailing Project and haven’t looked back.??

Rona has given me so many opportunities to develop both technically and personally. I have recently completed my Yacht master exam so I can now be second in command on one of the Rona boats, but also built my self-confidence enormously. I am no longer the quiet teenager but someone who is willing to speak publicly, hold difficult conversation and share my viewpoint, even if it does not always match others. It has also given me a group of lifelong friends, opportunities to travel and meet young people from all sorts of backgrounds and hopefully encourage them as the volunteers did for me when I first sailed with the Rona Sailing Project.?

Rona has given me so many opportunities to develop both technically and personally. I have recently completed my Yacht master exam so I can now be second in command on one of the Rona boats, but also built my self-confidence enormously.

Sailing is amazing for mental health and wellbeing, there is something really freeing about it. You learn so much about yourself, your personal limitations and how you can push those limits. You also learn about teamwork and develop skills to manage interactions with a wide variety of people, many of whom you wouldn’t meet in other aspects of life.?

?For more information about the Rona Sailing Project, visit: https://www.ronasailingproject.org.uk/