What we do
Sailing Therapy
SAILING THERAPY – the Little Optimist Sailing Academy
Our aim is to use the exposure to SAILING as a means to facilitate healing (both mental and physical), as well as to enhance wellbeing and quality of life.
We believe our Sailing Therapy experiences and programs play a key role in helping kids who are compromised either health or socio-economically wise, to overcome their physical and mental hardships.
Studies have shown that similar types of activity, have resulted in the improvement in motor skills and coordination, self-confidence, independence, identity formation, focus, and pride through accomplishment.
We use sailing to show that the benefits of this therapeutic and recreational rehabilitative activity, can offer all of the above as well as the experience of adventure, mobility, and freedom.
Using Therapeutic mechanisms, we believe we can and do offer:
- Enhanced self-efficacy from learning and mastery of new skills (if includes sailing instruction)
- Exposure to nature (wind, water and ocean health, environment, plastic pollution, conservation)
- Experience of pleasure (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins – the bodies happy/healing chemicals)
- Introduction to water safety and drowning prevention
- Comradery with other participants
Our Sailing Therapy Academy
Our unique program is specially designed for and aimed at the most marginalised kids (health-wise and socio-economic). We introduce kids who would never have this type of opportunity to an experience, fun and skills building. These Sailing Experiences and Therapy days also focus on teachings around Ocean Health, Plastic Pollution, water safety and the Growth Mindset. Kids leave empowered and optimistic, and full of renewed confidence, hope and feelings of self-worth.
We use Optimist Dinghies and the teachings of The Little Optimist, to offer our little sailors a fantastic experience, new skills and the ultimate passion.
Over 90 % of our attendees are from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and all are compromised economically or health-wise.
We hope to expand our Sailing Therapy programs to other parts of South Africa over the next few years.
Sailing therapy underway
Some of the articles on the amazing work we have done!
Creating Safe Spaces
Creating, renovating, painting and upgrading under-resourced places of healing and learning.
Our aim is to identify spaces/ locations and to organise funds and projects to create safer and better spaces to help enable children to heal, learn and develop safely and beautifully.
The Little Optimist Trust identifies key renovation projects to target each year. By renovating and /or painting under- resourced places of healing and learning we aim to create safe spaces and a lasting positive effect on marginalised and at risk children’s lives.
Facilities, murals, colour, beautiful photos create a fun and happy atmosphere that could be otherwise dull and depressing. Upgrading facilities gives children and staff a sense of pride, encouraging them to thrive.
We have completed 11 Safe Space projects since 2017.
> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD RESEARCH PAPER <
This research paper by Ilse Puper, Suomi Widdershoven and Steffie Wolters of the Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics department at the University of Amsterdam investigates the effectiveness of The Little Optimist’s (NGO) sailing therapy in providing marginalized children in Cape Town with the necessary psycho-social mechanisms to navigate the challenges (gangsterism, gender specific challenges, lack of opportunities, lack of motivation and inspiration, and cycles of violence) they face.
The findings of this research paper suggest that The Little Optimist’s program plays a significant role in equipping marginalized children with essential psycho-social mechanisms, offering resilience, optimism, and self-confidence in the face of adversity.