BATHURST woman Stacey Whittaker is about to set sail on a new adventure to gain a better understanding of life as a reservist with the Australian Defence Force.
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She was recently appointed chair of the Central West Defence Reserves Support Council (DRSC), and on Wednesday she will board the Young Endeavour in Sydney Harbour.
The tall ship celebrates its 30th year in 2018, and in the past three decades the Royal Australian Navy-run initiative has involved more than 13,000 young people.
Mrs Whittaker will also be joined by Dubbo Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Matthew Wright and DRSC Warrant Officer Class Two Barry Parsons on the voyage
The half-day sail also includes a youth crew and young clients from a disability support group.
All participants will get the chance to get hands-on during the sailing trip.
As a Bathurst Business Chamber member and chair of the DRSC, Mrs Whittaker said she hoped to see first-hand the various roles that Australian Defence Force reservists undertake.
“It’ll be a lot of Navy reservists who will be manning the ship,” she said.
I’d like to talk to the people who are reservists to see what they’re doing in their civilian life.
- Central West Defence Reserves Support Council chair Stacey Whittaker
“I’d like to talk to the people who are reservists to see what they’re doing in their civilian life.”
Mrs Whittaker said her role as DRSC chair was to promote the benefits of hiring a reservists to businesses across the Central West.
“You can get a person who’s highly trained and can bring a lot to your business,” she said.
Former Commanding Officer of the Young Endeavour, Lieutenant Commander Gavin Dawe, said 44-metre square-rigged tall ship was purpose-built to provide young Australians with valuable life skills through sail training.
He has twice captained the state-of-the-art vessel and also took it on a world voyage in 1992.
“We don’t run a military program, it’s all about youth development,” he said of the Young Endeavour.
“It’s about the military giving back to the community and working with the community.”
Mrs Whittaker has encouraged any businesses across the Central West who already employ a reservist, or are thinking about doing so, to give her a call.
What’s the Young Endeavour?
- A 44 metre square-rigged tall ship, which was purpose built to provide young Australians with valuable life skills through sail training.
- Young Endeavour was Australia’s birthday present from the people of the United Kingdom for our bicentenary in 1988.
- Over the ship’s 30 years of service, it has delivered an internationally acclaimed youth development program to over 13,100 young Australians.
- The ship has conducted two world voyages, circumnavigated Australia four times and sailed to New Zealand and Indonesia.
- Young Endeavour undertakes around 20 11-day voyages each year. During each trip, the ship embarks up to 24 young Australians selected by ballot.
- Onboard, the youth learn the skills to sail a square-rigged tall ship, including: How to navigate, keep watch, cook in the galley, take the helm and climb the 30 metre mast to work aloft, setting and furling sails.
- Near the end of the voyage, each youth crew elect a command team who take full responsibility for Young Endeavour for 24 hours, sailing the ship along the Australian coast. On their last day at sea, the youth crew host a local group of youth with special needs, sharing their new found knowledge and experience.
- During each voyage, youth live and work with a diverse range of people from across Australia. They are encouraged to pursue personal and team goals and challenges in an unfamiliar environment as they learn to sail a square-rigged tall ship.
- Youth crew develop a broad range of personal skills and attributes – becoming more effective team members, leaders and communicators.
- Voyages increase self-awareness, develop teamwork and leadership skills and create a strong sense of community responsibility.