New Charity: BIGKID Foundation
Thank you to the BIGKID Foundation for sending us this report of their trip and its outcomes…
The BIGKID Foundation received a grant of £5,045 from the Henry Sale Foundation to support costs associated with our annual 5-day sailing residential programme that took place in Aldeburgh, on the Suffolk coast, over the summer half-term, from May 29th to June 2nd 2023.
This programme offered young people from diverse backgrounds, and across various parts of London, an enriching and often rare opportunity to leave London and their borough. The various activities offered over the week challenged participants to step out of their comfort zones, conquer their fears, and acquire new skills that will serve them well in the future.
Achievements
For this year's sailing residential at the Aldeburgh Yacht Club, we selected a group of 15 young people, ranging in age from 11 to 19, from various of our community engagement programmes, including football, flag, and the youth club. This expanded reach allowed more young participants to benefit from the programme.
Our ongoing partnership with the Aldeburgh Yacht Club played a vital role in the programme's success. The club's members volunteered their time and expertise throughout the week, providing support and guidance to our young participants. At the end of the week, all participants successfully achieved their RYA Level 1 qualification.
In addition to sailing, the group also took part in other boating activities on Thorpeness Meare, experienced the speed of RIBs and took an afternoon cruise on big luxury yachts, as well as some land-based activities such as horse riding, team-building exercises and workshops on leadership and personal
development. This well-rounded approach ensures that our participants not only become confident sailors but also acquire a range of valuable life skills, preparing them for a brighter future.
Outcomes
To measure the impact of the project we conducted a survey and focus group amongst all participants. The feedback from our participants was overwhelmingly positive.
Outcomes include:
• 100% of them rated their experience throughout the sailing trip as either "good" or "extremely good".
• 94% of participants ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that the sailing trip made them feel a part of the BIGKID family, demonstrating the programme has been highly successful in fostering a strong sense of belonging and community among participants.
• 88% of participants ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that the programme had pushed them out of their comfort zone. This strong agreement reflects that the programme has successfully encouraged participants to take on new challenges and embrace experiences that are outside anything they would experience in their day-to-day life.
• 100% of participants ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ the trip had helped them to try new and different things. The unanimous consensus shows the programme’s positive impact on participants' willingness to explore unfamiliar activities.
• 71% ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ the residential was significant in helping them make new friends.
• 94% ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that the BIGKID sailing programme had helped them feel more confident and highlights the success in instilling greater self-assurance among our participants.
• 100% of participants answered ‘yes’ to coming back if offered the opportunity to return for another sailing trip. This demonstrates the programme’s popularity, the participants' satisfaction with the sailing trip and emphasizes the success and appeal of the programme.
When asked to share their thoughts on what they enjoyed the most about the sailing trip, participants
provided many valuable insights:
“The speedboat as it was a very new experience for me, and I was scared, so I overcame that kind of fear.”
“Horse riding and capsizing because I just loved trying something new.”
Conclusion
We are immensely grateful for the Henry Sale Foundation's support; ensuring that this cohort of young people could benefit from this incredible experience. We look forward to updating you on our plans for the coming year and hope we can work together again to continue to provide enriching experiences for even more of the young people we serve.