Cadets

Cadet Wellness at Sea – Africa

Taking your training to the next level

Our unique Wellness at Sea training especially for cadets and trainees is reshaping maritime training in Africa.

In this second partnership with ITF Seafarers’ Trust and based on the programme pioneered with overwhelming success in India, this unique training supplements and enhances the training curriculum for the future of maritime in Africa.

While the continent is emerging as a key expansion point for global shipping and a growing source of maritime workers, Africa’s maritime welfare and wellbeing infrastructure remains significantly underdeveloped compared to other parts of the world.  

Data from our global Wellness at Sea Conferences for cadets, ratings and trainees reveals that young Africans have the highest percentage amongst all regions when it comes to seeing a maritime career as long-term. But they have the least access to welfare and wellbeing initiatives. 

Laying the foundation for long-term improvements in seafarer welfare, this programme uses Sailors’ Society’s experienced global training team and emphasises the importance of wellbeing. It gives these young seafarers early exposure to the realities of life at sea and equips them with the practical tools that help maintain their and their peers’ mental and physical health throughout their careers.

By engaging with these young men and women at the very start of their careers, we can build a strong relationship of wellbeing support that can carry them through their years at sea.

“There is a critical need for targeted welfare and wellbeing programmes to support Africa’s growing seafaring workforce, and by fostering a solid foundation and familiarising these Gen Z seafarers with welfare services from the start, it not only builds resilience but also encourages long-term engagement with the industry.” 

Sara Baade, CEO, Sailors Society

A much-needed addition to the curriculum

This programme of in-depth wellness training and support is here to specifically help prepare cadets and trainees for their life at sea. We have partnered with grant-making ITF Seafarers’ Trust to reshape cadet wellbeing and welfare in India. 

Listening to cadets at Maritime Schools’ Conferences it’s clear there can be a gap between their perception and the reality of life at sea. By engaging with cadets at the start of their career we can build the trust and familiarity that makes it easier to reach out to us at any point throughout their years at sea.

This programme will make a tangible and sustainable difference, not just to cadets, but to the industry as a whole.

“I really appreciate the training and it helped me realise a lot of things about myself. Every student in maritime industry should go through with this Wellness at Sea training it very helpful.”

Cadet on training course

Working with African maritime institutions and schools we are offering:

A three-day Wellness at Sea training course that will follow the Society’s annual conferences for cadets, ratings and trainees.
Access to our Wellness at Sea Awareness Campaign resources
Access to a Sailors’ Society liaison officer for help when needed.

Cadets will also get:

A dedicated 24/7 helpline, which will be answered by a trained team who speak their language and understand the specific issues and challenges they may face. 

And access to our:

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Support Groups for cadets
Cadet newsletters
E-learning programme, which will see cadets awarded a
certificate on completion

join a p2p group

Working with African maritime institutions and schools, we are offering:

A three-day Wellness at Sea training course that will follow the Society’s annual conferences for African cadets and ratings.
Access to our Wellness at Sea Awareness Campaign resources
Access to a Sailors’ Society liaison officer for help when needed.

Cadets will also get:

A dedicated 24/7 helpline, which will be answered by a trained team who speak their language and understand the specific issues and challenges they may face. 

And access to our:

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Support Groups for cadets
Cadet newsletters
E-learning programme, which will see cadets awarded a
certificate on completion

join a p2p group

“I really appreciate the training and it helped me realise a lot of things about myself. Every student in maritime industry should go through with this Wellness at Sea training it very helpful.”

Cadet on training course

The transformative partnership between Sailors’ Society and ITF Seafarers’ Trust in Africa has equipped more than 1,000 cadets and marine engineering students through leading maritime institutions in Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Liberia, Kenya and South Africa with the tools they need to thrive at sea.

97%
felt confident they could apply the learning around managing conflict at sea

100%
say the training would help them better handle situations onboard

98%
were now confident they could apply mental health lessons on board their vessel

“The online Wellness at Sea trainers were excellent and provided very important information and insight from the maritime industry to our cadets.”

Michael David Morgan, Commandant, Liberia Maritime Training Institute

“Every student in maritime must go through this Wellness at Sea; it is very helpful.”

Dr Jethro W Brooks Jr., Vice Chancellor, Regional Maritime University Ghana