A programme for Aspiring Female Instructors in the RYA Midlands region is returning this summer as part of World Sailing’s Steering the Course festival of women’s sailing.
The aim of the programme is to support female sailors to build confidence and develop their skills in preparation for taking an RYA Dinghy Instructor or Senior Instructor course.
Patricia Ordsmith, Project Lead and RYA Midlands Sailing Development Officer, said: “Most girls or women, but not all, underestimate their abilities and therefore don’t think they are ready to become an instructor. The aim of the project is to provide an opportunity for girls and women in the Midlands to develop their skills and confidence, so they feel able to become an RYA Dinghy Instructor or advance to becoming an RYA Senior Instructor.
“You don’t need to have decided yet whether you want to be a Dinghy Instructor or a Senior Instructor, simply come along to our sessions and find out if it’s something you would like to do!”
A successful Aspiring Female Instructor pilot ran in 2018/19 and the programme returned, following an enforced break due to the Covid pandemic, in 2021. Some of those who attended the first wave of the project and became Dinghy Instructors, have since progressed to become Senior Instructors.
In total the region has gained 12 new female Dinghy Instructors and 8 new female Senior Instructors over the two years of the programme so far. The third year of the project has now been launched to coincide with World Sailing’s Steering the Course festival of women’s sailing and will comprise:
- Online kick-off session: Tuesday 7 June, 7-8pm
- First on-the-water session: Saturday 25 June, 10am-4pm at Rudyard Lake Sailing Club
- Further on-the water sessions: Dates and venues tbc based on the location of participants
As Tricia explains: “These sessions aim to understand and remove any barriers preventing people from becoming RYA Dinghy or Senior Instructors through discussions and practical activities. You will make friends and have time to practice sailing skills, build your confidence, get to know what is involved in taking an instructor course and discover that training others is rewarding and enjoyable.
“Hopefully those taking part will be inspired to become instructors, so they are then able to support activities, and help to grow and diversify participation, as female role models at their home clubs.”
If you, or someone you know, would like to find out more about the Aspiring Female Instructor programme or sign up, please register your interest by contacting RYA Midlands Sailing Development Patricia Ordsmith who would love to hear from you!
Growing confidence for courses
Emily Castle, aged 28, from Banbury Sailing Club, joined the Aspiring Female Instructors programme in 2021 as preparation for becoming an RYA Dinghy Senior Instructor.
Having qualified as an RYA Dinghy Instructor a decade previously at the age of 16, Emily says the programme provided both a skills refresher and reassurance that she was as “still doing things the right way rather than my own way”.
“I signed up for the programme because I thought it would be a really nice and gentle way in, I wouldn’t be the only woman there, and would be with people who might be feeling the same way as me. You think you’re the only one that’s nervous but actually, everyone else has the same worries.
“I’d wanted to be an SI for a while but didn’t have the confidence or know what I should be doing in for it, so I wanted to make sure I was as prepared as possible and know what to expect. The sessions were reaffirming and provided targeted, additional support which set me up to do the SI course.”
Emily attended two online sessions and a weekend at Carsington SC, which included pointers for completing instructor workbooks, session planning and on-the-water skills. She then went on to successfully complete an RYA Senior Instructor course later in the year.
Support from programme lead, RYA Sailing Development Officer Tricia Ordsmith, was available throughout and is ongoing, with participants also still in touch with each other after making friends.
Emily says it all adds up to an incredibly supportive package and recommends the programme to other girls and women interested in becoming an instructor or advancing their ticket.
Back at Banbury SC, Emily is a Sailability leader for the club and supports youth training. She is the Northants team manager for the National School Sailing Association (pictured, Emily is furthest left briefing the team at an event), and also supports adult courses: “I was already busy as an instructor but being a qualified Senior Instructor means I can do that little bit more and when someone is needed to run a session, I am able to do that to help the club.”
To find out more about the Aspiring Female Instructor programme, get in touch with the team here.