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News
9 March 2023
New ship to replace STS Young Endeavour
The Young Endeavour Youth Scheme is excited to confirm that a new sail training ship will be built in Australia, to replace STS Young Endeavour.
The original brigantine is now 35 years old, and has been delivering sail training voyages in Australia since 1988.
The new ship will be a barquentine rig, with square sails rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails rigged on the fore, main and mizzen masts (yes, three masts!).
It will accommodate up to 42 youth crew on each voyage. It will also be able to undertake more voyages per year, meaning more young Australians will be able to access this unique development program.
Over a thirty year life the vessel will have capacity to embark tens of thousands of youth to participate in the world-recognised Young Endeavour Youth Development Program, and a similar number of youth to participate in Community Day Sails around Australia.
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News
06 March 2023
2023 Applications Now Open!
Applications are now open for new 2023 voyage dates in STS Young Endeavour!
The 11-day voyages sail between July - December 2023, visiting ports in Queensland and New South Wales.
Since 1988, over 14,000 young Australians from across Australia have sailed in STS Young Endeavour, taking part in a unique youth development experience that helps participants develop self-awareness and confidence, and gives them an opportunity to grow their teamwork and leadership skills through sail training and self-development activities.
If you've already applied, login to your dashboard to update your voyage preferences, or check out the website for information on destinations, dates, fees and eligibility.
Main round applications close 30 March 2023. Applications for future voyages will be accepted throughout the year.
Apply now for your chance to set sail on the voyage of a lifetime in Young Endeavour!
News
27 February 2023
Katelyn Sails Away in Young Endeavour
Starting Year 12 is a momentous occasion in any student’s life. It is an exciting adventure that is often embarked upon with equal measure of anticipation and trepidation.
Imagine then starting Year 12 at sea… That’s exactly what Year 12 student Katelyn Clarke did earlier this year. Here’s what Katelyn had to say about starting Year 12 while participating in the Young Endeavour Youth Program:
“Late last year, I had begun to come to terms with the idea that Year 12 would probably be one of the most stressful years of my life. A year where dreams came to die and any chance of fun would be sacrificed for study (excuse my dramatics).
I never dreamed that I’d be starting Year 12 in the middle of the ocean, on a traditional sailing ship, with 21 young people I had never met – in Tasmania, of all places.
Some time ago I had been searching for adventures online, and came across the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, run in partnership with the Royal Australian Navy.
It looked like an amazing opportunity, so I put my name on the ballot and was shocked when I was contacted just before Christmas with an offer to sail from Hobart for 11 days from 29 January. The only problem was that this meant missing the entire first week of my final year of school.
I reached out to my IGS teachers, who backed me 100 per cent, seeing this as a life-changing opportunity. They were absolutely right. The experience challenged me, allowed me to develop my skills and ultimately, I feel, made me a better person. I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone daily, developed my leadership and teamwork abilities and made incredibly special (hopefully lifelong!) bonds with people of all different ages, from all over Australia and from all walks of life.
While it certainly felt like it at times, it wasn’t just a coastal holiday. We spent each day learning how to sail the ship and setting and furling different sails – sometimes in the middle of the night. I started the trip thinking that the ‘sheets’ were the sails and ended it a semi-confident sailor!
We battled 30-knot winds, the Tasmanian chill, sleep deprivation after four-hour watch shifts in the middle of the night, a boat that tipped on angles of over 30 degrees, sunburn, windburn and rope burn – but that simply made it all the more thrilling. And perhaps the greatest challenge was that we had to give our mobile phones in on Day 1 and didn’t get them back until disembarking!
Our skills were put to the test on ‘Command Day’, when we Youthies had to man the ship by ourselves, managing each aspect of sailing, from navigation to cooking. Ultimately, it was a success – the Young Endeavour is still in one piece – but it was tough work, involving more conflict resolution than we expected, and we had even greater respect for the Staffies by the end of it.
Surrounded by the most magical scenery and the most amazing people, we had so many special moments. Sitting out on the bow sprit with my whole watch (group), enjoying a breath-taking sunset while the waves pushed us up and down like on a rollercoaster was truly incredible.
Another favourite was our many sunset and sunrise climbs up the 30-metre foremast and 33-metre mainmast. You can’t get a better view than up there! An array of animals kept us company, including seals and albatrosses, with dolphins riding alongside us in our waves for most of the trip, entertaining us with their acrobatics.
We travelled along the stunning Tasmanian coast, visiting beautiful locations including Tasman Island, Port Davey and Wineglass Bay, where we were lucky enough to go ashore for a few hikes.
I would highly recommend this experience to anyone. It is open to anyone aged 16 to 23 and is truly a life-changing experience.”
Article courtesy credit to: https://www.igssyd.nsw.edu.au/blog/katelyn-sails-away/
Events
14 February 2023
STS Young Endeavour Open Day – Adelaide
Visit Australia’s national sail training ship STS Young Endeavour in Adelaide this February.
Explore the ship, meet the Royal Australian Navy staff crew, and hear from the Young Endeavour Ambassadors about their voyage experience. A special performance by the South Australian Royal Australian Band will also take place during the day.
2023 marks the 35 year anniversary of STS Young Endeavour. Since 1988 the ship has welcomed over 14,000 young Australians on board, and sailed more than 500,000 nautical miles.
A voyage in Young Endeavour is a challenging adventure at sea for youth aged 16-23 years. It’s a unique opportunity for youth to develop teamwork and leadership skills through an internationally recognised youth development program. Find out more about voyages in Young Endeavour.
Come along and ask the team how you can apply for your own voyage of a lifetime!
Visitors encouraged to wear enclosed, flat shoes and shorts/pants.
If you’re a Young Endeavour Ambassador and would like to volunteer to assist over the weekend, please email mail@youngendeavour.gov.au to confirm.