A non-profit organisation which allows people with a disability to enjoy sailing will replace its ageing Newcastle boat with a $298,000 grant from the state government.
The Australia-wide Making Waves Foundation has based a boat in Newcastle since January, taking more than 550 young people on sailing trips around the harbour and out the heads.
The group, which also caters to disadvantaged students, received a grant in the latest round of the government's Newcastle Port Community Contribution Fund.
Making Waves marketing manager Nicole Dunn said the organisation had visited Newcastle for two weeks each year since 2010 but now planned to help thousands of children annually.
"Our Sydney boat would usually stop in here for a couple of weeks a year, but after a function we ran at Sail Port Stephens, a donor said, 'If you bring this boat to Newcastle, I'll give you this money,'" she said.
"Then we brought on Port Waratah Coal. Now this [grant] is the money that's going to allow us to expand to our full suite of programs. When we ramp up we'll have a couple of thousand kids come through each year."
The funding will also help pay for a permanent coordinator in Newcastle.
The expanded service will include an eight-week training program for children with challenging behaviours or learning needs, carers' sailing trips, a workplace learning program for young adults and a yacht racing program.
"We have a program for kids who are struggling at school, kids from disadvantaged backgrounds who might not be happy going to school," Ms Dunn said.
"They come on board where they learn to sail but they also learn a lot of other soft skills, a lot of teamwork, a lot of working with adults.
"They end up coming away with a lot more respect for, not only each other, but adults and being out in nature.
"It's turned quite a few kids around. It's giving them an entree into a world they would otherwise never have the opportunity to access."
Making Waves' sailing operations manager, former Australian Female Yachtswoman of the Year Wendy Tuck, said the program instilled trust in young people.
"They've got an adult respecting them saying, 'Here, you're going to steer the boat,'" she said.
"You're giving responsibility for everyone on that boat to that kid straight away. That's huge."
Making Waves is seeking more volunteers to crew its Newcastle boat, which now sails on Tuesdays and Thursdays but will expand to other days with the new funding.
"They don't necessarily have to have a sailing background," Ms Tuck said.
"We'll teach them the basics they need to know."
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
