Marking two decades of OnBoard: A commemoration of the milestone accomplished by the OnBoard platform.
Celebrating Two Decades of OnBoard:
For 20 years, OnBoard, the RYA's flagship sailing and windsurfing program for youngsters aged 8 to 18, has been revolutionizing watery adventures for over 1.3 million kids!
Since its launch in 2005, OnBoard has ignited the passion for sailing and windsurfing in countless youths, fostering self-assurance, skill acquisition, and long-lasting friendships. Originating from just two pilot ventures—Rockley Watersports in Poole and Hollingworth Lake Water Activity Centre in Rochdale—OnBoard has blossomed into a wide-spread national network of over 330 clubs and centers.
In its core, OnBoard transcends water sportstexttt: OnBoard is about much more than just teaching sailing or windsurfing. From its early days bridging schools with local sailing clubs, it has evolved into a systematic program that embraces sailing and windsurfing as an avenue for instilling self-assurance, resilience, and vital life skills.
A significant shift occurred in 2017, when OnBoard relaunched with an emphasis on character education, rooted in University of Winchester research led by Professor Bill Lucas. The program now prioritizes six key attributes: confidence, teamwork, communication, determination, creativity, and independence. These indispensable traits subtly permeate every OnBoard session, empowering youngsters to discover their potential both on and off the water.
The outcomes speak for themselves:
- 88% of youngsters claimed sailing/windsurfing helped them realize they could conquer new challenges
- 81% felt more confident in themselves
- 82% demonstrated improved teamwork abilities
- 75% became more self-reliant
- 80% could think creatively more
- 34% developed a fondness for the water after participating
Approximately 10% of participants progressed to become regular sailors, club volunteers, or even qualified instructors.
The Future Awaits: Ambitions for the Next Decade
OnBoard remains steadfast in its mission for making sailing and windsurfing lucrative and accessible for all. According to many participating schools, without OnBoard, their students would have missed out on the watery adventures. For underprivileged schools and community groups, OnBoard offers an inclusive and exceptionally effective means to breathe life into outdoor learning.
As OnBoard marks this milestone anniversary, the RYA harbors ambitions for a further 1 million youngsters—doubling efforts to engage new communities and schools and expanding OnBoard's footprint.
To tackle inequality in access to sport and nature, OnBoard will deliver sessions in more underserved and underrepresented communities, breaking down barriers associated with costs, locations, ethnicity, gender, and perceptions of exclusivity. OnBoard will also prioritize water confidence building and increasing water safety awareness, ensuring more youngsters acquire essential life skills.
Furthermore, training will be expanded to foster character education and growth mindsets in youngsters, concurrently growing the enthusiastic, qualified instructors base that can reach countless children.
In alliance with partners like Swim England and the RNLI, OnBoard will launch initiatives such as Swim Safe through OnBoard, imparting water safety lessons and bolstering children's confidence in the water.
A People-Centric Purpose
"As we commemorate 20 years of OnBoard, we can't help but feel overwhelming pride in its journey—yet, we're even more fired up for its future!" said RYA OnBoard Manager Hannah Cockle. "Our aspiration lies in introducing another million youngsters to sailing in the next decade, while making the water more inclusive than ever before."
"OnBoard transcends sailing; it's about equipping youngsters with the self-assurance, character, and life skills they need to thrive in sport and life," Cockle added.
Sport England also recognizes the program's accomplishments, confessing: "As both a partner and funder of the RYA, Sport England is fervently proud of the strides and successes achieved by the RYA since the launch of OnBoard back in 2005. With a core ambition to open more watery opportunities, we stand in strong support of the program’s continued efforts to engage an additional million children and youngsters over the next decade."
Join the OnBoard Revolution
OnBoard's journey demonstrates the transformative power of sports on people. It underscores that sailing and windsurfing are not sole preserves for the privileged few but rather inspiring, educative, and empowering activities for everyone.
To discover your local OnBoard club or center, use our “Find My Nearest” tool and filter by OnBoard clubs.
Delve deeper into the OnBoard pages for more information, including how RYA Recognised Training Centres can join the movement.
Sailing and windsurfing, as part of the sports category, are central to the OnBoard program, which has been equipping youngsters with self-assurance, character, and life skills for two decades. OnBoard's future plans aim to make these watersports more accessible and inclusive than ever before, reaching an additional million youngsters in the coming decade.
