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Events
7 July 2026
Open Day on STS Young Endeavour – Sydney – July 2026
Visit Australia’s national sail training ship, STS Young Endeavour, in Sydney!
Date: Saturday, 25 July, 2026
Time: 11 am – 3 pm
Location: North Wharf, Australian National Maritime Museum – 2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Explore the ship, meet the Royal Australian Navy staff crew, and hear from the Young Endeavour Ambassadors about their voyage experience, and ask the team how you can apply for your own voyage of a lifetime.
The event is FREE, open to all ages, and a great activity for the whole family.
Visitors are encouraged to wear enclosed, flat shoes and shorts/pants.
Since 1988, the ship has welcomed over 15,000 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.
If you’re a Young Endeavour Ambassador and would like to volunteer to assist, please email mail@youngendeavour.gov.au.
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Ambassador Story
14 September 2026
Ambassador Story: How Young Endeavour Shaped Vanessa’s Journey
At 20 years old, Vanessa Stephanie D’Emanuele stepped aboard Sail Training Ship (STS) Young Endeavour (I) looking for a change of course.
Vanessa was studying geography and social sciences and a Diploma of Education at Macquarie University, while working as a maths and social sciences casual tutor, and in a temporary part-time council role in South Western Sydney.
After going straight from Year 12 into four years of full-time university study, Vanessa was feeling the weight of routine.
“I was showing signs of tiredness with mundane routines of studying and working,” Vanessa said.
“I was searching for travel, to open my horizons – not a holiday, but a productive use of my time like a volunteer service project in a rural area, an impoverished community in a developing country or a leadership program,” she said.
She wanted to step outside the familiar.
“I wanted to immerse myself in a completely different space, learn about myself and community needs, and set a course for applying my four years of study in a meaningful job,” she said.
When Vanessa read about the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, it appealed to her existing love of the water.
“I obtained a boat licence at 12 years of age and had hours of power boating experience in NSW, I had completed the America’s Cup Sailing Experience in Auckland Harbour and was a member of my university rowing club,” Vanessa said.
“I was seeking an enriching and challenging experience,” she said.
She found it on Voyage 02/08, the Young Endeavour 20th Anniversary Voyage, sailing from Garden Island in Sydney on a round trip from 14 to 26 January 2008.
The challenges began almost immediately.
“Day two, when the majority of the crew were feeling the symptoms of sea sickness and cold, wet conditions,” Vanessa recalled.
“As a group, we worked together pitching in whenever the captain yelled to orders; we prevailed in those conditions and chipped in when watch members ran over to the side of the ship feeling green,” she said.
For Vanessa, it was an early lesson in what could be achieved when people worked together.
But, it was the Command Day challenge that would have one of the greatest impacts.
“The Command Day 24 hour challenge was liberating,” Vanessa said.
Vanessa says the experience challenged the way she saw herself.
“During my childhood, I could have been described by others as a reticent, panicky and indecisive person.”
“The autonomy and responsibility of the Captain for a Day had lasting impacts on my decision-making, communication and team building skills,” she said.
Then came the moment that would stay with her for life.
The final full day of the voyage was Australia Day 2008, and Young Endeavour joined the Sydney Australia Day Tall Ship Race alongside other tall ships and decorated Sydney Ferries.
“As the sun set, the Australian Girls Choir boarded the ship, the Young Endeavour Youth Crew clambered up the masts and yards holding the furled sails,” Vanessa said.
“The naval officers sailed the party-light lit Young Endeavour under the Pyrmont Bridge into Darling Harbour to the sounds of the Australian Girls Choir singing the National Anthem and other Australian songs.”
“These moments were precious and made me feel humbled, yet privileged to be born in Australia and to share the past 10 days with 23 other crew members,” she said.
For Vanessa, the voyage was more than sailing. It was a lesson in community.
“I had also recognised that the voyage epitomised living in a smaller Australian community that imbued Australian core values.”
“Everyone on board deserves equal opportunity, tolerance, mutual respect, and compassion when in need,” she said.
Vanessa saw firsthand how people from different backgrounds could work together towards a common goal.
“Young Endeavour was a level playing field that treated all as equals, regardless of our age on the eligibility list from 16 to 24 years, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic or school attended.”
“We celebrated cultural and skill diversity while remaining united by common goals to sail the course over 10 days,” she said.
By the time Vanessa returned to shore, something had changed.
“I had changed. At first I couldn’t describe the changes, but I had changed on the inside and then my perspective about what was happening in my world, my skills and interests had shown itself with great clarity.”
Vanessa discovered she was capable of more than she had previously believed.
“I learned that when pushed in challenging conditions, confined spaces, at any time of the day or night, in teams of people with diverse backgrounds, I was very capable of breaking projects into smaller tasks, communicating with others, being confident and exceeding my own mental and physical weaknesses,” she said.
Those lessons would soon be tested in the real world.
Rather than pursue the safe teaching career she had originally imagined, Vanessa chose to study and work in town planning – a decision she made as the Global Financial Crisis was beginning and junior planners were being made redundant.
“I stuck at my goal, received rejections from employers, and received advice from my family that a teaching job would be better in these economic times,” she said.
“My YEYS experience aided my capabilities to move forward personally and professionally.”
Her life continued to evolve.
By 28, Vanessa was a mother of two boys, had completed two postgraduate courses, was working full-time in town planning and volunteering in her community.
At 29, she was appointed to two not-for-profit company boards, becoming the youngest and one of only two women on the board of a community housing provider.
“I was surrounded by experienced board directors aged from mid 50s to late 60s.”
“I still hold the record for the youngest woman and young mother to be appointed to that company’s board,” she said.
At 39, another unexpected opportunity changed her professional direction.
Wanting to focus her career on planning and infrastructure in South Western Sydney, Vanessa sought advice from her State Member of the NSW Parliament.
Coincidentally a vacancy arose on her team.
“In a rather serendipitous moment, I accepted the chief policy advisor role,” Vanessa said.
“Each day I am grateful for the opportunity to work in one of the most significant roles I’ve had in the Parliament of NSW whilst being the youngest member of the team.”
Through career changes, motherhood, further study, volunteering and leadership, Vanessa says the mindset she developed aboard Young Endeavour has remained.
“Confidence mindset. A can-do attitude. Leadership. People skills. Achieving career goals,” she said.
Vanessa describes her life through the language of the sea.
“If I could use a metaphor of a tall ship - I discovered that my youth background (education, values, religion etc.) were fibre strands of ropes.”
“Before the voyage, I felt those ropes were restrained, knotted holding me back.”
“During the voyage, I realised at work, sport and family that to complete any project or solve any problem I simply had to learn the ropes (tools, communication channels, workflows, team dynamics) and then apply myself to the situation at hand,” she said.
The voyage also taught Vanessa the importance of the people around her.
“I discovered that my confidence, energy and leadership quality depended on who I decided to surround myself with.”
“I used that philosophy to be of service to others and to not hold back - dream big, achieve big,” she said.
Now, Vanessa wants to help the next generation discover the same confidence.
She is encouraging young people, particularly those from low socioeconomic and disadvantaged communities, to experience the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme.
She also hopes her own children will sail when they are old enough.
“I want them to reap the benefits of the youth scheme, as the voyage has been impactful to me.”
Her advice to any young Australian considering applying is as simple as it is fitting.
“Why not?,” she said.
“The program is great for improving mental health, building confidence, and working with others.”
“It brings together youth from all over Australia, urban, regional and remote communities.”
“The experience is life-changing,” she said.
For Vanessa, that life-changing experience began with stepping aboard a tall ship at 20.
Nearly two decades later, she is still using the lessons she learned at sea to navigate whatever comes next.
Events
22 August 2026
Open Day on STS Young Endeavour – Sydney – September 2026
Visit Australia’s national sail training ship, STS Young Endeavour, in Sydney!
Date: Saturday, 05 September, 2026
Time: 11 am – 2 pm
Location: Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Explore the ship, meet the Royal Australian Navy staff crew, and hear from the Young Endeavour Ambassadors about their voyage experience, and ask the team how you can apply for your own voyage of a lifetime.
The event is free, open to all ages, and great for the whole family.
Visitors are encouraged to wear enclosed, flat shoes and shorts/pants.
Since 1988, the ship has welcomed over 15,000 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.
If you’re a Young Endeavour Ambassador and would like to volunteer to assist, please email mail@youngendeavour.gov.au.
Events
28 July 2026
Open Day on STS Young Endeavour – Brisbane – August 2026
Visit Australia’s national sail training ship, STS Young Endeavour, in Brisbane!
Date: Saturday, 22 August, 2026
Time: 10 am – 3 pm
Location: Dockside Marina, Kangaroo Point.
Explore the ship, meet the Royal Australian Navy staff crew, and hear from the Young Endeavour Ambassadors about their voyage experience, and ask the team how you can apply for your own voyage of a lifetime.
The event is free, open to all ages and great for the whole family.
Visitors are encouraged to wear enclosed, flat shoes and shorts/pants.
Since 1988, the ship has welcomed over 15,000 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.
If you’re a Young Endeavour Ambassador and would like to volunteer to assist, please email mail@youngendeavour.gov.au.
