Joining hands to train and mentor young adults

Mark Hughes, bursary fund students Buren van Wyk and Owami Zuma, Yvette de Klerk, Malek Pourzanjani the CEO of the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) with NSRI CEO Dr Cleeve Robertson and GBOBA BF Chairman Captain Keith BurchellNSRI is working together with the SATS General Botha Old Boys Association Bursary Fund (GBOBA BF) students, hosting them at our rescue bases and offering a practical training programme which is sponsored by the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI). In addition to this, we will use our collective knowledge and material to encourage the mentoring of the youth of South Africa, and especially those interested in maritime careers.We have been working together this past year to pilot this project using our training facilities, trainers and our rescue bases together with our volunteer crew and equipment. We ended the year by hosting an Orientation Camp. Feedback from the students has been very positive.Captain Keith Burchell of SATS General Botha Old Boys Association Bursary Fund (GBOBA BF) said 'This is of strategic significance as it enables us to meet our goal of providing an extra mural mentoring and educational and training programme, which supports that of our bursary student’s studies at the Lawhill Maritime Centre, and in turn is in line with preparing them for tertiary education and satisfies the requirements of SAIMI’s cadet programme.'Dr Cleeve Robertson said 'One of the NSRI’s strategies in achieving a society with less drowning is collaboration, and our agreement with the General Botha Old Boys Association and partnership with Lawhill has two objectives: firstly, we are taking a long-term view on the future, recognizing that the sustainability of maritime rescue services and drowning prevention systems, will depend on the right human capital, with the right attitudes, skills and capacity, to fuel the engine of the organization. This cooperation is a small but significant step. Secondly, we recognize, that as an organization we bring a unique experience to education. We are at the sharp end of water related industries and have comprehensive insights into water safety across a broad range of industrial, commercial and recreational activities. We believe that the safety culture, values and experience that we can share with students will prove invaluable to them in the future. We are very happy to be establishing relationships that will help realize our vision and as South Africans and Africans, to playing our part in building the society we need.' Cleeve welcomes Owami and Buren into the rescue family and wish them everything of the best as they launch careers in a maritime direction