Multiculturalism here i come
1 month ago
What a feeling it is to arrive in a new land. The excitement and adventure that awaits. Every turn theres always something new. I hope I never finish exploring strange and new places.
How to sail around the world
It made me 
"intense!"
How I did it: SAILING MISS SADIE the movie
Eccentric social entrepreneur (me) takes 3 British
persistent young offenders on an empowering white knuckle ride of
self-exploration, sailing to Venezuela in severe squalls, enduring constant
alien threats, leaving them wondering; is life really a process of
self-discovery or self-creation?
persistent young offenders on an empowering white knuckle ride of
self-exploration, sailing to Venezuela in severe squalls, enduring constant
alien threats, leaving them wondering; is life really a process of
self-discovery or self-creation?
This film was fuelled by my passion for preventing
young people free-fall through the criminal justice system on course for short
and violent lives. If it's true that we've produced a generation of homicidal,
morbidly obese, knife wielding teenage maniacs, we need to take responsibility
for that as individuals. You can’t expect young people who’ve been in gangs,
who’ve experienced violence and been violent themselves, to change – to want to
change – after a few weeks in prison. If you want young people to exercise self-control,
you have to empower them first.
Drawing on my wealth of personal experience mentoring inside London’s Feltham
Young Offenders Institute, the place the press call “a finishing school for
career criminals”, this film explodes the myth that to dare to understand, empathise
and communicate, you must be from a similar background yourself. The truth is
that to understand other people, whatever their background, all you need
passion, honesty, creativity and respect; qualities this film possesses in
abundance.
young people free-fall through the criminal justice system on course for short
and violent lives. If it's true that we've produced a generation of homicidal,
morbidly obese, knife wielding teenage maniacs, we need to take responsibility
for that as individuals. You can’t expect young people who’ve been in gangs,
who’ve experienced violence and been violent themselves, to change – to want to
change – after a few weeks in prison. If you want young people to exercise self-control,
you have to empower them first.
Drawing on my wealth of personal experience mentoring inside London’s Feltham
Young Offenders Institute, the place the press call “a finishing school for
career criminals”, this film explodes the myth that to dare to understand, empathise
and communicate, you must be from a similar background yourself. The truth is
that to understand other people, whatever their background, all you need
passion, honesty, creativity and respect; qualities this film possesses in
abundance.
The protagonists introduce themselves as lazy,
aggressive, drug-abusing, institutionalized thugs and transform themselves into
self-aware, socially motivated, responsible risk-takers. They begin the film sniggering
at how they've played the human rights card to their advantage. They end it understanding
what it means to have your human rights violated and individually determine to
do something about it.
This is their chance to tell their own stories in their own words, far from the
pressures of gang culture, victim mentality and unhelpful labels. They engage
in activities that challenge them physically, mentally and emotionally and
bring them in touch with who they really are deep inside. Selected at random
and previously unknown to me, they are not exceptional young offenders. They
are reflective of the diverse personalities that characterize any group
selected at random.
The film is divided into 3 acts. The first two use sailing as therapy, creating
a sense of freedom and the ultimate natural high that comes with experience of uncertainty
and danger. After training (Act 1) in Bequia, a tiny island oblivious to the
tyranny of UK Health & Safety regulations where they are treated like
heroes, they sail dinghys, schooners and local double-enders, helping
revitalize an impoverished island’s traditional boat-building industry. Their
hard graft is rewarded with the opportunity for a Goonies-style adventure (Act
2) crewing a 60 ft yacht to Venezuela.
In Act 3, they come face to face with their Venezuelan counterparts inside
Caracas’s anarchic El Rodeo Prison, where prisoners roam freely with automatic
weapons and grenades. They compare the terror caused by violent teenage gangs
in parallel worlds. They interview prisoners and learn what it means to have
your human rights violated in shocking detail. Faced with a colossal problem
and a system plagued by corruption, they are inspired by ordinary citizens and
reformed former inmates going to extreme lengths to seize control of the
streets. They assist them confronting teen rebels in the slums of Caracas,
coercing entire gangs to down their weapons and join Venezuela’s gang
rehabilitation ‘Alcatraz’ project.
aggressive, drug-abusing, institutionalized thugs and transform themselves into
self-aware, socially motivated, responsible risk-takers. They begin the film sniggering
at how they've played the human rights card to their advantage. They end it understanding
what it means to have your human rights violated and individually determine to
do something about it.
This is their chance to tell their own stories in their own words, far from the
pressures of gang culture, victim mentality and unhelpful labels. They engage
in activities that challenge them physically, mentally and emotionally and
bring them in touch with who they really are deep inside. Selected at random
and previously unknown to me, they are not exceptional young offenders. They
are reflective of the diverse personalities that characterize any group
selected at random.
The film is divided into 3 acts. The first two use sailing as therapy, creating
a sense of freedom and the ultimate natural high that comes with experience of uncertainty
and danger. After training (Act 1) in Bequia, a tiny island oblivious to the
tyranny of UK Health & Safety regulations where they are treated like
heroes, they sail dinghys, schooners and local double-enders, helping
revitalize an impoverished island’s traditional boat-building industry. Their
hard graft is rewarded with the opportunity for a Goonies-style adventure (Act
2) crewing a 60 ft yacht to Venezuela.
In Act 3, they come face to face with their Venezuelan counterparts inside
Caracas’s anarchic El Rodeo Prison, where prisoners roam freely with automatic
weapons and grenades. They compare the terror caused by violent teenage gangs
in parallel worlds. They interview prisoners and learn what it means to have
your human rights violated in shocking detail. Faced with a colossal problem
and a system plagued by corruption, they are inspired by ordinary citizens and
reformed former inmates going to extreme lengths to seize control of the
streets. They assist them confronting teen rebels in the slums of Caracas,
coercing entire gangs to down their weapons and join Venezuela’s gang
rehabilitation ‘Alcatraz’ project.
Some scenes in Venezuela are extremely disturbing but are
an essential part of the process of self-transformation. The overall result is
a unique and charming film of courage, passion, spirit and hope. The boys are
instilled with confidence, self-discipline and a renewed passion for living.
They have a deep understanding of what it means to have human rights and never
abuse the term. Since returning to recession-hit, apparently “Broken” Britain,
they have all managed to find jobs, remain in full-time employment, achieving
goals and following their own personal dreams, inspiring others to turn their
backs on a soul-destroying vicious circle of crime and blame.
an essential part of the process of self-transformation. The overall result is
a unique and charming film of courage, passion, spirit and hope. The boys are
instilled with confidence, self-discipline and a renewed passion for living.
They have a deep understanding of what it means to have human rights and never
abuse the term. Since returning to recession-hit, apparently “Broken” Britain,
they have all managed to find jobs, remain in full-time employment, achieving
goals and following their own personal dreams, inspiring others to turn their
backs on a soul-destroying vicious circle of crime and blame.
People doing this are also doing these things:
Entries
I love the water
3 months ago
I find the ocean so relaxing and peaceful.
Went on one cruise last year but it was only a 3 day cruise and did not go far out into the ocean. Maybe next time a weeks cruise.
culture_construct is enjoying the snow in Germany
Untitled
5 months ago
This is one of my oldest goals. I love sailing, I want to get some more experience making passage, and I want to do it. Ideally it would be with friends, on a comfortably large cutter-rig, shadowing the coastline; but if necessary I’d do it alone, or with strangers, in someone elses boat.
I’m not in a hurry, either…
praiseteamof2 is Chillin'
sail around the world
7 months ago
I want to find a neat old 35-50 ft. sailboat…like the one pictured and get it ship shape ..fix it up a bit – not too much…and sail around the world with those who do this sort of thing for a year or two.
not only to fly
8 months ago
But i would love to own a yacht with my lover one day and sail across the ocean around the world. land and visit the destinations, sail off again and go diving etc. It only seems like it happens in movies.. so wishing for a miracle of love and love for this life experience
Hoping...
8 months ago
My goal is to make enough money for this not to be a retirement plan but a midlife break.
JScottLawson catching up on paperwork
Sail around the world
9 months ago
This has been my dream for several years. I have finally met a great partner, who is open to this. Now I think it is more likely to happen. The main obstacle to this goal is becoming financially capable of not working while we are sailing. That should be a lot easier to accomplish as a couple.
sail around the world
9 months ago
I read Sir Francis Chichester’s book “Gypsy Moth circles the world” when I was about 12 but kind of filed it under – but I could never do that… Anyway, about 10 years ago I realised I wasn’t getting any younger and that sailing was the only thing that I really wanted to do so I got involved and learned to sail. I now have a boat and now I’m saying to myself “How can a suburban Dad with wife and kids, mortgage, job blah, blah… possibly wander off on a boat for a year or two – even if I did have the money !” ???
Untitled
9 months ago
I planned to do this starting 3 years ago – even bought and lived aboard the sailboat to do it on (Alberg 30) but ended up having another kid, so I had to buy a bigger boat. Now we just live on our houseboat. Check out our life at www.weliveonaboat.com. This goal is just on hold, I will do this yet…
Goal requirements
10 months ago
- minimum of six months, preferably a year
- with my family
- without breaking my finances
- sailing myself, though with assistance if required by the boat
- in a serious yacht with satellite Internet access
→ See all 112 entries
Ask for advice: Get help from people who've accomplished this goal
 Berea
|
AndromedaPeace asks,
“If I go alone, what kind of boat do I want?”
— 3 years ago |
|
 Newport News
|
RTW2009 asks,
“Should you bring firearms for pirates esp. in the Gulf of Aden”
— 3 years ago |
|
|
Newport News
|
RTW2009 asks,
“Capes or Canals?”
— 3 years ago |
|
