As we usher in the Lunar year of the Metal Ox. For many, the Metal Ox year brings hopes of new careers, opportunities and advancement. As we enter into the Lunar New Year, Big Brother Big Sister is also looking towards helping our young people find their place in the world and achieve success. We have started 2 new initiatives that will help our young sailors on this pathway.
Initiative 1. Urban Farming for Hungry Sailors. Nurturing and Sustaining Life. What started out as a Covid19 Circuit Breaker project, gained momentum as more BBBS and mentors wanted to learn more about how to successfully nurture edible plants at home. We started with simple chilies, but we seem to have developed quite a range of expertise in other vegetables and fruits.
Everyone is hungry, and it’s even more yummy if you can grow them at home in your apartment, your back garden, or even in your kitchens! Sufficient water, nutrients, a good amount of sun, and lots of patience and consistency. All great lessons in life, made even more delicious when you can happily eat the reward afterwards.
Initiative 2. Little Brothers Little Sisters. Extending the learning runway. Last year towards the end of the Covid19 Circuit Breaker, we ran a sequence of learn how to sail virtual classes, that attracted over 1,000 plus live viewers. We noticed a large number of young children in the Kindergarten and Primary School level, with parents watching and learning about sailing. We started an informal online “learn how to sail “ group during the worst of Covid19, and decided in December’2020 to pilots the new Little Brother Little Sister program for Parents and their primary school children.
For the parents, they not only learn how to sail, but also how to be adult mentors to help in our BBBS and Sailing and Sustainability programs. Their children learn how to sail from our Sailing mentors and Metazone coaches, and get an opportunity to hang out with the older students in the BBBS program, and sail with them on the bigger keelboats. The Little Brother Little Sisters will also join in the Sailing and Sustainability program and camps, eventually graduating into the BBBS program in Secondary School.
Our belief is that when we start them off younger, with their parents support, the child has a longer runway of time to learn and develop. Just a few degrees of change at this younger age will result in large positive changes when they become young adults. Learn by doing, and following the Big Brothers Big Sisters to be generous, responsible and resilient, while having a great time sailing and enjoying the ocean.
Do contact us if you wish to know more.
Written By: Uncle Jevan
